Now that Shang-Chi is officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, here's which movies and shows Simu Liu's hero can appear in after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, the second film of Phase 4 was responsible for introducing the MCU's newest Avenger in Shang-Chi. The martial arts expert got the spotlight in the solo movie, and Simu Liu's performance as the Master of Kung Fu made fans eager to see more of him.
Viewers of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings know that Marvel Studios used its ending to tease an exciting MCU future ahead for Simu Liu's character. This included Wong (Benedict Wong) recruiting Shang-Chi and Katy (Awkwafina) to come with him at the very end. Shang-Chi's post-credits scene then teased him joining the Avengers universe as Wong gathered Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to investigate the origin of the powerful Ten Rings that Shang-Chi now possesses. The scene is a clear sign that Shang-Chi's MCU story is just beginning and that he will be back before too long, even though it didn't directly confirm where Simu Liu will appear next.
Following Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' release, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that Simu Liu will return to the MCU sooner than later. This has left fans wondering which of the dozens of confirmed upcoming MCU movies and TV shows could be a proper place for Shang-Chi to appear. Marvel's Phase 4 slate leaves plenty of options on the table, especially after taking Shang-Chi's cliffhanger ending into account. Here's a breakdown of Shang-Chi's MCU future and which movies and Disney+ shows he could return in.
The best chance for Shang-Chi's immediate MCU return appears to be Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The upcoming sequel starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange is also scheduled to feature Wong's return. This comes after Wong's appearance in Shang-Chi and both of the sorcerers appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Since Shang-Chi was last seen with Wong and discussing the Ten Rings' beacon, it wouldn't be too surprising if his next appearance was also with Wong. The Master of the Mystic Arts seems invested in guiding Shang-Chi through the superhero landscape after bringing him to Kamar-Taj. It is expected that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness takes place after Shang-Chi, so Simu Liu's MCU hero could still be training with Wong when the movie begins.
If Shang-Chi does appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it likely wouldn't be in a major role. The movie is already confirmed to include Wong and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) alongside Strange. It is also confirmed to introduce America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and rumors have circulated that it'll be filled with other Marvel characters. Due to the potentially jam-packed nature of its cast and a story revolving around Strange and Wanda, Shang-Chi would presumably only have a small role here that further teases what his MCU future truly is.
There's also a chance that Shang-Chi could find himself involved in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's story. Prior to leaving to work with Wong, Shang-Chi spent most of his adult life in San Francisco, California. This happens to be where Scott Lang aka Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne aka Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) also live. Assuming Shang-Chi eventually goes back to San Francisco, he could easily cross paths with Ant-Man and Wasp. It's even possible that Wong, Bruce Banner, or Captain Marvel could get the MCU heroes to connect since they're all part of the Avengers world.
An appearance by Shang-Chi in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania would certainly be fun, but this also might not be a massive role for Simu Liu. The MCU sequel is going to deal extensively with the Quantum Realm and Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). That isn't exactly where Shang-Chi belongs, but the Ant-Man franchise has another lingering plot thread that could help this make sense. The first film showed the Ten Rings go after the Yellowjacket formula. If the organization got it under Wenwu's power before, Shang-Chi's sister Xialing might now have plans for it. Shang-Chi could appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as he searches for answers about the formula and what Xialing is up to.
When it comes to future MCU projects that are not confirmed, it is quite clear that Shang-Chi's MCU future will include a starring role in Shang-Chi 2. The sequel has yet to be officially announced by Marvel Studios, but the first film's great financial and critical success all but guarantees it'll happen. Based on Shang-Chi's ending and post-credits scenes, the story of Shang-Chi 2 could see the Master of Kung Fu search for answers about the Ten Rings' beacon, all while surely coming to learn that Xialing is reinventing the Ten Rings organization. These story threads could allow the MCU to introduce anything from Iron Fist or Elektra or even Fin Fang Foom.
It also seems likely that Shang-Chi's MCU future will include a spot on Avengers 5's roster. Although Shang-Chi's ending left his Avengers status somewhat ambiguous, Marvel has made it clear that he's one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes in its mind. Marvel Studios hasn't announced plans for Avengers 5 yet, much less which characters will be involved, but Shang-Chi looks to have as strong a chance of appearing as anyone. After Bruce Banner welcomed him to the circus, Avengers 5 could be where Shang-Chi officially becomes an Avenger and fights alongside other MCU heroes like Thor, Sam Wilson's Captain America, a new Black Panther, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, and Blade against a massive threat.
Shang-Chi's MCU future could even include a role in Marvel's What If...? season 2. The first season put new twists on MCU events from the Infinity Saga, but it is already confirmed that the next batch of episodes will expand into Phase 4. This could include showing how Shang-Chi's life could've gone differently under different circumstances. Some of the fun potential storylines that Shang-Chi could be involved in during Marvel's What If...? season 2 include what if he never left the Ten Rings, what if Xialing was trained by Wenwu instead of him, and what if Wenwu's Dweller-In-Darkness plan worked.
If Shang-Chi's MCU future includes appearances on Disney+, he is likely to be involved in the rumored Agents of Atlas series. The superhero team led by Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) brings most of Marvel's biggest Asian heroes together, including Shang-Chi. He's been part of the team alongside Amadeus Cho's Hulk, Silk, Kamala Khan, Giant-Man, and more. Marvel Studios has yet to confirm plans for Agents of Atlas, as the team could even be folded into Shang-Chi 2 before getting a spinoff. In either case, this property would be a chance for Shang-Chi to take on a leadership role with an MCU superhero team while giving Marvel the chance to expand its roster of Asian heroes after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
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