Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton signed on to direct Shang-Chi 2, and there are a handful of villains that would be perfect for pitting against the titular character for his upcoming MCU sequel. The first Shang-Chi movie surpassed all expectations after becoming the best-performing Phase 4 movie so far, both critically and at the box office, which meant that a sequel announcement was imminent. While The Legend Of The Ten Rings introduced audiences to never-before-seen corners of the MCU, the source material has much more to offer in the mystical/martial arts realm that can be explored in the sequel, especially when it comes to antagonists.
The first Shang-Chi entry followed the eponymous character as he rediscovered his roots and identity, a journey that led him to the mystical dimension of Ta-Lo, where he faced off against his father, the Mandarin. The movie's climax saw Shang-Chi acquire the Ten Rings and use them to defeat the Dweller in Darkness, saving the Realm of Ta-Lo and the earth from the Lovecraftian-looking creature.
The choice for the Shang-Chi 2 antagonist does not have to be limited to Shang-Chi's rogues' gallery since Marvel Studios have mismatched heroes and villains in the past. Kevin Feige and Co. could opt to use the sequel to introduce heroes masquerading as villains, such as Iron fist, or pit Shang-Chi against villains of other heroes, such as Mister Negative. There are multiple characters that Marvel Studios can adapt as villains for Shang-Chi, but six candidates stand out as the most likely fit for the MCU version of the character and can help expand the MCU into previously uncharted territory.
Perhaps the safest bet on the list, Shang-Chi's sister, Xialing, and her Ten Rings criminal organization could be the main antagonists in the sequel. The second post-credits scene in Shang-Chi confirmed that the Ten Rings would return to the MCU in upcoming projects under Xialing's command. Having a criminal organization as the main antagonist in the sequel will be a nice change of pace from the first movie, which dealt with mystical realms and flying dragons, and Xialing as the leader could continue the family theme that was present in the first film.
Traditionally a Spider-Man villain, Martin Li has quarreled with Shang-Chi on multiple occasions in the source material. The philanthropist crime lord gained popularity after his inclusion in the 2018 Spider-Man video game. The duality of Mister Negative's character makes him a fascinating villain since, on the one hand, he's a humanitarian that hosts various benefits and charity events, but on the other, he's a super-powered crime lord hellbent on taking control of New York City. Mister Negative's powers rival that of Shang-Chi with the rings but are different enough to avoid repeating the penultimate fight between Shang-Chi and the Mandarin that took place in the first movie. Including Mister Negative in the sequel opens the door for characters like Spider-Man and Daredevil to play a part in the film as well, reinforcing the interconnectedness of the MCU.
The Hand is a cult of mystical ninjas involved with organized crime, often carrying out assassinations. The Hand organization serves a demon known as "The Beast," who grants them the ability to resurrect the dead as members of the Hand. This formidable group often clashes with Daredevil, Iron fist, and most importantly, Shang-Chi while attempting to carry out criminal activities in NYC. Even though The Hand was already adapted for the Netflix Marvel shows, there is still a possibility that Marvel Studios will decide to reboot them and introduce the MCU version in Shang-Chi 2.
In the source material, Shang-Chi's father (Fu Manchu) adopted a kid called M'Nai from a South African country and raised him alongside Shang-Chi in China after M'Nai's family was slaughtered by British forces. M'Nai adopted the monicker 'Midnight' and continued to serve his father long after Shang-Chi's departure. In the comics, Midnight (later renamed Midnight Sun) has run-ins with Kang, the Avengers, the Kree, and the Silver Surfer, all of which are expected to play a big role in the next two phases of the MCU. Therefore, introducing Midnight in the sequel is the perfect excuse for folding Shang-Chi into the overarching MCU narrative, and it would not contradict what was shown in the first movie, as it was never stated that Wen Wu did not adopt another Son during the 10 years Shang-Chi spent away from his home.
Fin Fang Foom was heavily rumored to appear in Shang-Chi, and his absence from that film makes him a perfect candidate for the sequel's antagonist. Fin Fang Foom is a Makkluan, a shape-shifting alien race that crash-landed on earth millennia ago. While Foom is most often portrayed as a dragon, he frequently adopts a human form when trying to remain undetected. Fans believe that the beacon mentioned in Shang-Chi's first post-credits scene was a reference to the shape-shifter since Fin Fang Foom plays a very significant role in the comic origin of the Ten Rings. In the source material, the Ten Rings are of Makkluan origin, recovered by the Mandarin from the wreck of the Makkluan spaceship that brought the alien race to earth. The plot of the second movie could revolve around Fin Fang Foom's attempt to recover the Rings that belong to his race, fulfilling the tease in the Shang-Chi post-credits stinger and tying the Shang-Chi sequel back to the first Iron Man, where the first Fin Fang Foom easter egg in the MCU can be found.
Iron Fist is known to most as a superhero and an Avenger, which is what would make him a great pick for an antagonist in Shang-Chi 2. In the comics, K'un-L'un, the mystical city where Danny Rand became the Iron Fist, is one of the seven Cities of Heaven, mystical cities hidden around the globe that appear once every 88 years. One way to introduce Iron Fist in the MCU is to have him compete in the tournament of Immortal weapons against Shang-Chi, where each of the 7 Heavenly Cities chooses a warrior to compete against each other for the supremacy of their respective city. The MCU could adapt this storyline with Ta-Lo as the eighth City of Heaven and Shang-Chi as its chosen Immortal Weapon.
Introducing Iron Fist in Shang-Chi 2 could lay the groundwork for potential future MCU projects, such as a Heroes For Hire Disney+ show. Heroes For Hire is a collection of Superheroes that get paid for their heroic endeavors; the team usually includes Shang Chi, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Tarantula, Shang-Chi's Love interest in the source material. A Heroes for Hire project is the perfect way to further Shang-Chi's story in the MCU on a smaller scale, which is where the character usually excels in the comic books.
While the Shang-Chi sequel is still years away, it seems that Marvel Studios have already been laying the seeds for potential villains. Marvel Studios will want to capitalize on the success of Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings by using the sequel to introduce fan-favorite characters such as Iron Fist or further grow the world of the MCU by introducing The Hand or Fin Fang Foom. No matter which character ends up getting chosen to be the antagonist in Shang-Chi 2, fans can expect more of what they enjoyed about the first and new characters that are overdue for an MCU debut.
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