Rumors suggest “Eternals 2” is dead in the water, which makes sense considering how divisive that film was upon release. “Shang-Chi” was far more of a hit, still managing to gross $432 million worldwide amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. “Shang-Chi 2” seems like a no-brainer, especially with Simu Liu wanting to return as the titular hero. And by all accounts, director Destin Daniel Cretton should be back for the follow-up.
A Deadline report from November 2023 suggested that Cretton left “Avengers 5” to focus on other Marvel projects, including “Shang-Chi 2” and the “Wonder Man” series for Disney+. “Avengers 5” was supposed to be called “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” but the movie’s plot is now in question given Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles. It’s unclear what the film will entail or who will direct it, but Cretton has other things to attend to.
“Wonder Man” began filming in 2023 but suspended production during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The project resumed in January, so Cretton should be ready to move onto “Shang-Chi 2” once that’s fully in the rearview mirror. Plus, Shang-Chi could still have a role in other projects like the aforementioned “Avengers 5” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” It may be a while before audiences see Shang-Chi again, but hopefully, he’ll get more attention throughout Marvel’s Phase 6 and beyond.
