Simu Liu may have given Marvel fans their clearest recent reason to expect Shang-Chi’s return in the next two Avengers films—while also making it clear that a second solo movie remains something to hope for rather than something with a stated timetable.
In a video from an autograph signing that was subsequently deleted from Instagram and recirculated online, Liu was asked when a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings might arrive. His response did not provide a date or formal project confirmation. Instead, he laid out an apparent order of work: Avengers: Doomsday, then Avengers: Secret Wars, and then the possibility of another Shang-Chi film.
That brief sequence matters because it seems to place Liu’s character in both parts of Marvel’s forthcoming Avengers double bill. Still, it should be treated as an informal on-camera remark rather than a full cast announcement or a detailed reveal of Shang-Chi’s part in either story. It says nothing definite about his screen time, allies, opponents, or whether a solo sequel is actively moving forward.
What Liu actually indicated
The exchange began with a familiar fan question: where is Shang-Chi 2? Liu did not claim to know when the project would happen. Instead, he referred to prior commitments and said, “First Doomsday, then Secret Wars, then…” When the fan supplied the joking proposed subtitle Shang-Chi and the Wreckage of Time, Liu answered, “let’s hope.”
There are two very different levels of certainty in that response. The mention of Doomsday and Secret Wars is the meaningful clue for the immediate MCU slate: Liu appeared to identify both films as work he expects to do before moving on. The sequel discussion is more openly speculative. “Let’s hope” is enthusiasm, not confirmation of a title, script, production plan, release window, or even a finalized sequel commitment.
That distinction is especially useful in an era when a short convention-floor clip can be rapidly reframed online as a definitive studio reveal. The video’s deletion means the circulating version should be approached carefully, and the wording itself does not disclose the scope of any role. What it does offer is a straightforward indication that Liu sees Avengers duties as preceding whatever comes next for Shang-Chi.
Why both Avengers films would be notable for Shang-Chi
Shang-Chi’s live-action introduction came five years ago in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Since then, the character’s return has been an obvious outstanding question for viewers who want to see the Ten Rings and Shang-Chi’s martial-arts-centered fighting style brought back into the larger Marvel story.
Appearing in one Avengers ensemble would put the character back in the shared universe. Appearing in two consecutive event films could give him a more sustained place in the arc. The comparison point, as an expectation rather than a stated plot fact, is the two-film structure of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Those films operated as major crossover chapters with large hero rosters and consequences that carried from one installment to the other.
Marvel has not provided plot specifics here through Liu’s comment. Even the notion that heroes could be removed from action and later return is only fan-facing speculation about the shape of an event-story double bill, not a confirmed description of either film. Robert Downey Jr. is associated with Doctor Doom in the discussion around these upcoming Avengers movies, but Liu’s remarks do not establish an encounter between Shang-Chi and Doom, much less explain how the Ten Rings fit into the conflict.
In practical terms, fans should separate three questions that are often bundled together:
- Will Shang-Chi return? Liu’s phrasing strongly points toward appearances in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
- How important will he be? The clip cannot answer that. An ensemble credit can encompass anything from a brief appearance to a central storyline.
- Is Shang-Chi 2 confirmed and imminent? Liu did not say that. His answer instead suggests that other Marvel work would come first.
A sequel is still the unresolved part of the picture
The most grounded reading is also the most modest: Liu wants another Shang-Chi movie to happen, but did not offer a schedule for one. The fan’s suggested title was not adopted as an official title, and the exchange provides no basis to assume that Shang-Chi and the Wreckage of Time exists as a planned Marvel project.
That is not bad news for the character. If Liu is indeed set to work through both Avengers films, the potential upside is that the next large-screen Shang-Chi material arrives through the ensemble movies before a solo follow-up. It would end the long gap in live-action appearances without requiring viewers to wait for a sequel announcement first.
But it also means the road to a dedicated sequel may depend on a larger slate that has to move through two major productions. A second Shang-Chi film, if it eventually happens, could benefit from the character being freshly present in audiences’ minds. Equally, no conclusion can be drawn about its creative direction from this clip: there is no confirmed villain, cast list, premise, title, or connection to the story of either Avengers film.
What this says about the Secret Wars roster
Avengers: Secret Wars has been notably less clear, publicly, as a cast picture than Avengers: Doomsday. Liu’s apparent mention therefore stands out as one of the more direct actor-originated hints tied to the later film.
Other names have been linked to that project in public conversation, including Letitia Wright’s Shuri and Paul Bettany’s Vision. Yet a growing collection of expected participants is not the same as a reliable full roster. Large superhero productions can involve secrecy, changing plans, and deliberately limited public information. A mention that an actor will take part does not reveal whether the character survives the preceding film, which version of a character may appear, or what role they play in the story.
“Secret Wars” also carries an especially loaded name for Marvel followers, but this is a case where technical terminology can mislead if it is treated as a plot synopsis. A title can signal a broad crossover scale without confirming specific comic-book events, teams, worlds, or adaptations. Until more official story details exist, it is best understood simply as the announced name of the next Avengers chapter Liu seems to be referencing.
Why the wording is promising, but not a formal confirmation
There is a meaningful difference between confirmation and an indication. A formal confirmation ordinarily identifies a performer and project through an official announcement, credited material, or equivalent direct production information. An indication is a comment that reasonably suggests involvement but leaves important details unaddressed.
Liu’s apparent statement belongs in the second category. It is unusually specific because he named two films in sequence while answering a question about his character’s future. At the same time, it came in a casual fan interaction, not in a setting that established the terms of his role. It is reasonable to regard it as a strong sign that Shang-Chi will be part of the upcoming Avengers plans; it is not reasonable to turn it into a guarantee about plot, billing, or the fate of the character.
That measured approach also keeps the Shang-Chi sequel conversation honest. Liu’s final answer expressed optimism. It did not promise that fans will see the proposed subtitle, nor did it tell them when a sequel could begin production or reach screens.
The wider Marvel crossover appeal
For viewers who enjoy following Marvel across film, comics, and games, Shang-Chi’s possible Avengers involvement also expands the set of characters likely to be discussed alongside the publisher’s other big projects. Marvel’s game world continues to draw on the breadth of that character library; for one example, Joking Joystick’s guide to comic references in Marvel’s Wolverine explores how those connections can surface in another medium.
For now, though, the cleanest takeaway is limited to Liu’s own apparent itinerary. Avengers: Doomsday comes first. Avengers: Secret Wars follows. A new Shang-Chi solo film remains the desired next step after that—not an announced destination, but a possibility Liu plainly hopes will become real.
