5 Years Later, Simu Liu Is Still Celebrating Shang-Chi Despite No Sequel Plan

Five years ago, Simu Liu became the first Asian actor to lead a Marvel movie. On September 3, 2026, he marked the anniversary of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in the quietest way possible, posting that he could not believe it had been five years. He wrote on X, “i can’t believe it’s been five years,” and on Threads, “five years…”.

i can’t believe it’s been five years.

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) September 3, 2026

The movie had a brilliant cast, including Liu, Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Tony Leung, and Michelle Yeoh. It raked up $432 million in Hollywood at a time when the pandemic-hit box office was still trying to find its footing (via Box Office Mojo, as of September 4, 2026). The fight choreography alone, from the bus brawl to the scaffolding sequence, had fans walking out ready for a follow-up.

Liu wanted one too, and has said so repeatedly. Five years on, Shang-Chi 2 is still untitled, undated, and not shooting. Liu’s second live-action appearance as the character only arrives in December’s Avengers: Doomsday.

Simu Liu Is Frustrated With MCU’s Shang-Chi 2 Delay

The most recent example of Simu Liu’s frustration with Marvel’s Shang-Chi 2 delay came after a Disney+ promo. Ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel put together a suggested watchlist of films to catch up on, featuring Endgame, Infinity War, Age of Ultron, the X-Men movies, and a few other movies. A fan on Threads pointed out that Shang-Chi was not on it, and Liu replied, “typical.”

Liu recently addressed the Shang-Chi sequel during his appearance at SDCC, sharing with ScreenRant that he appreciated how fans continued to express their enthusiasm. He shared that he wanted to do more, adding, “I will crawl through broken glass to do it if I have to. Unfortunately, there are things that are outside of my control.”

Earlier, when an angry fan accused Marvel of abandoning the Shang-Chi fanbase on Threads, Liu came with this response for a sequel film: “I proooomiss it’s happening.” In August 2024, he gave another promising update for the film. Speaking to the Press Trust of India, he shared that the film was definitely happening. He said (via Times of India):

A lot of it is above my pay grade, but it’s definitely happening. So just very excited to kind of work on it and it’s going to be amazing. I really can’t say anything beyond that.

However, he made it clear that he, too, was frustrated like the fans due to the slow development of the sequel. He showed his disappointment by liking a social media comment that bashed Marvel for not starting off with the sequel right after the first film (via @cosmic_marvel/X).

Will a Shang-Chi Sequel Happen After Secret Wars?

Just a few months after the film’s release, Marvel announced in December 2021 that a sequel was in development. Director Destin Daniel Cretton was announced to be returning as the writer and director, with Simu Liu and Awkwafina returning for their respective roles.

However, the film was not even teased at the San Diego Comic-Con, likely suggesting its absence from the Marvel calendar until the end of 2028. Every dated slot Marvel has left in 2028 is spoken for. The year is stacked with Jake Schreier’s X-Men on May 5, Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider on July 28, and Black Panther 3 on December 15. Marvel is holding three 2029 dates, all unannounced, which is the earliest realistic window for Liu’s sequel.

One Marvel insider earlier confirmed that Shang-Chi 2 is reportedly in development at Marvel Studios. The report came from Alex Perez of Cosmic Circus, who shared, “Shang-Chi 2 and Black Panther 3 are alive and well in development.”

Cretton’s work on the movie impressed the higher-ups enough to land him Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, though he exited that role in November 2023 to focus on his two Marvel projects, Wonder Man and Shang-Chi 2. Wonder Man arrived this year, but the sequel film did not move at all.

Then came the offer he could not refuse. Cretton took over Tom Holland’s fourth Spider-Man film after Jon Watts stepped away. Brand New Day has since crossed $2 billion worldwide, becoming Sony’s biggest movie ever. He is now one of the most in-demand directors in the business, which cuts both ways.

During an interview with Brandon Davis in July, he was asked whether Liu’s sequel movie was still happening, and he said yes, adding, “You gotta tell that to the industry!”

Do you think Marvel will finally give Liu his sequel after Secret Wars? Let us know in the comments below!