Everybody knows that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is all connected, but the mid-credits scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings still managed to take audiences by surprise. The rings themselves weren’t really explained in any great detail during the movie, but the first stinger hinted that they could end up being a pivotal part of Phase Four.
Simu Liu’s title hero and Awkwafina’s Katy are interrupted by Wong, who takes them through a portal to meet Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner. As it turns out, the Ten Rings are much older than anybody could have guessed and completely unknown in origin, while they’ve been sending out a hidden beacon to deep space.
It’s all very curious, especially when Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings doesn’t make any overt or explicit teases to future MCU projects. However, the presence of Wong has led to speculation that we could find out more about the artifact during Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which is just six months away from release.
In a new interview, Liu was asked directly about whether or not he’ll return in the Sorcerer Supreme’s sequel, and it turns out that the actor has already mastered the MCU’s signature method of skirting around potential spoilers.
“Man, you are good. You’re good, but unfortunately for you, I’m better! It was an extreme pleasure to be a part of the MCU, and if and when the call comes for me to return to the universe, I will be more than ready. But beyond that, I have no knowledge whatsoever of any of the future Marvel plans for this character or any other character.”
Based on the revolving door of rumors, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness already has roughly 300 cameos lined up, so dropping in a subplot directly tied to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings may or may not be in place. However, we do know that the MCU’s latest Avenger will almost certainly cross paths with Benedict Cumberbatch’s Master of the Mystic Arts one day in the not too distant future.