Marvel Studios Reverses Course On 'Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings' Future Sequel Series Plan, Reportedly Puts Disney+ Project Back In Development

New information indicated Marvel Studios is finally reviving a Shang-Chi spin-off project. Marvel first teased the Ten Rings in Iron Man, but Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduced the real organization and its leader, Xu Wenwu. After the film’s success in 2021, reports of a spinoff revolving around the group surfaced. Shang-Chi ended with Shaun’s sister, Xu Xialing, taking over the Ten Rings after Wenwu’s death despite promising to dismantle it, so a project exploring where she leads the organization sounded like a promising idea. After those reports, development stalled for years with no meaningful update in sight. 

Insider Daniel Richtman, via his Patreon, shared that the Ten Rings project is currently in development at Marvel Studios. He did not provide further details, including whether it is a Disney+ series or a film. Richtman first posted about the show in 2021, mentioning the sequel was being developed as a Disney+ series. Although his latest update doesn't mention it, the format likely won’t change. 

The update is good news for Shang-Chi fans, although a sequel movie does not seem imminent. If the spinoff is indeed moving forward at the studio, it's a positive indication that Shang-Chi’s corner of the universe still matters and Shang-Chi 2 is a question of when, not if.

The timing of this update, however, comes amid reports that Marvel is cutting back on live-action Disney+ series. A new report claimed the studio does not plan to invest in new live-action shows, with animation, already-moving series like Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, and limited series as the exceptions. This new direction became apparent when Wonder Man, led by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley, was canceled after Disney renewed it for Season 2 in March. 

Will the Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings Disney+ Sequel Happen?

Despite the Disney+ pullback on Marvel content, the chances of a Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sequel series seem decent. Marvel's scaling back of live-action TV should not affect smaller projects in the Marvel Spotlight or Marvel Presents lanes. The Ten Rings series would likely fit there rather than as a multi-season show.

Destin Daniel Cretton, who would likely helm the series, just delivered Marvel and Sony Pictures a $2 billion hit with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. If he wants to move forward with the show, it is hard to see Marvel pushing back, given his MCU track record, which has earned him a good amount of trust. That said, Wonder Man was also a Cretton series, so Marvel could still pass if it does not feel strongly enough about the project.

Simu Liu returns as Shang-Chi this December in Avengers: Doomsday, which should put the character in a bigger spotlight than ever. His scenes in the Doomsday trailer were arguably one of the most intriguing aspects of the teaser amid all the over-the-top action involving Doom and the other heroes, a sign he could be one of the crossover’s highlights. That would naturally create more demand for Shang-Chi-related content, improving the odds of both the Ten Rings series and Shang-Chi 2.

A limited Disney+ series about a criminal organization would also be much cheaper to produce than a CGI-heavy Shang-Chi sequel. It would not be a shock if the Ten Rings show moves further along than the movie. Still, this and Richtman’s report are rumors and speculation for now, so it’s best to take them with a grain of salt.