Marvel Zombies director Bryan Andrews shared that he feels the same way as fans do about why one MCU sequel has yet to be made. 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduced Simu Liu's titular Marvel hero into the fold, receiving high praise from fans and critics. As a result of its success, MCU fans clearly want to see Shang-Chi back after its post-credits scene teased that he is now part of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. However, Shang-Chi has yet to return in live-action, with his only appearances after his debut movie coming from the animated world in What If...? Season 3 and Marvel Zombies.
Shang-Chi 2 has been in development since December 2021, but it has consistently been pushed back after director Destin Daniel Cretton became busy with other projects. Cretton was supposed to direct Avengers 5, but plans changed when Marvel moved away from Kang the Conqueror and chose Doctor Doom to be the main Multiversal big bad instead. Cretton was then tapped to direct Spider-Man: Brand New Day, further pushing Shang-Chi 2 into development hell.
Speaking in an interview with POC Culture in September 2025, Marvel Zombies director Bryan Andrews admitted that he "[feels] the same thing [the] audience feel" about the long delay of Shang-Chi 2, which is the reason why they added Simu Liu's hero in What If...? Season 3 and Marvel Zombies:
POC Culture: "You and I have a special appreciation for Shang-Chi. I was hyped to see him here. We got Katy, we got Death Dealer, you even threw in Jimmy Woo there. I've never seen so many Asian characters, superheroes together. It was awesome. Could you share a little bit about what went into the decision of putting this crew here and why they were a good fit for this series?"
Bryan Andrews: "Well, I mean, we love Shang-Chi, the character, but also the movie. And we feel… I mean, I feel the same thing that audience feel. Everyone's like, ‘When the heck are we going to see Shang-Chi again,’ which is why we put him in Season 3 of What If and he was going to go into this."
Simu Liu, for his part, has continued to share updates about the Shang-Chi sequel's progress, even if there is not much to report. Speaking to People earlier this month, the MCU actor affirmed that the project is still a go at Marvel Studios despite the lack of forward momentum:
"There's not a whole lot to tease right now, other than I think, I sound like a broken record at this point, but it is happening."
In a prior interview with People in November 2025, Liu revealed that Andrews is not the only one wondering where a sequel is, as people in his personal life are constantly asking him about the project daily:
"You’re not the only one that's kind of felt that absence. Somebody tells me in some way, shape or form — I’m not kidding you, I’m not being hyperbolic — every single day of my life and oftentimes multiple times in a day."
Although a live-action appearance would be more impactful, Shang-Chi's return in the animated realm was the perfect opportunity for casual fans to learn more about the new MCU hero.
While Shang-Chi 2 has yet to be made, Simu Liu is already confirmed to return as part of the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday, allowing fans to see him properly on the big screen alongside other big-name heroes like Anthony Mackie's Captain America and Pedro Pascal's Mr. Fantastic.
Destin Daniel Cretton is expected to direct Shang-Chi 2. While the film has no release date yet, it's reasonable to assume that it will be part of the post-Avengers: Secret Wars slate, potentially eyeing a Phase 7 release.
Why Shang-Chi 2 Is the Perfect MCU Project To Include in Phase 7
While it would've been great to see Shang-Chi 2 before the Multiverse Saga wraps up in Avengers: Secret Wars, things are not looking good for the sequel to be made in time, mainly because of director Destin Daniel Cretton's busy schedule with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Despite that, Shang-Chi 2's inclusion in Phase 7 benefits the character and the franchise more, especially after the character's expected pivotal role in Avengers: Doomsday.
It is widely expected that a plethora of fans will flock to theaters to see Avengers: Doomsday, and seeing Shang-Chi pull off some badass moments would make him a memorable character. This sets the stage for him to gain widespread attention, which could fully benefit the release of his upcoming sequel.
In a past interview in March 2023, Simu Liu teased what to expect in Shang-Chi 2, confirming that it will "revisit some things, but also show the viewer new things:"
"And then, we’re getting to revisit some things, but also show the viewer new things. We’ll deliver all of the amazing action that we were celebrated for on the first movie, but then also hopefully explore new sides of Shaun’s character and the characters around him."
Shang-Chi 2 has a lot of story threads to revisit, such as the mystery surrounding the Ten Rings (which could also potentially be explored in Doomsday), exploration of Ta Lo, and the re-emergence of the new Ten Rings led by the hero's sister, Xialing. The sequel has a lot of standalone storytelling potential, and mixing it with the grand narrative of the MCU could help it stand out more.
