Destin Daniel Cretton finally revealed what has been holding back Shang-Chi 2 at Marvel Studios. The director explained why the highly anticipated sequel has faced years of delays during a recent podcast appearance.
Why Shang-Chi 2 has taken so long at Marvel revealed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Destin Daniel Cretton has finally broken his silence on why Shang-Chi 2 has stalled for years. The director shared the update on Deadline’s Crew Call podcast alongside Wonder Man co-creator Andrew Guest. He confirmed that Marvel Studios is still actively developing the sequel.
Cretton placed the blame squarely on the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The original Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings hit theaters during an uncertain stretch in 2021. A fresh wave of infections at the time undercut its global theatrical performance significantly.
“We are developing a second one,” Cretton told the podcast. He acknowledged the unusual circumstances surrounding the first film’s release window. “It was successful, but it actually came out weirdly,” the filmmaker explained during the conversation.
The director noted that international markets were still heavily restricted when the film debuted. “Many countries were completely shut down to theaters at the time,” Cretton revealed on the episode. Those closures limited the sequel’s momentum despite strong domestic numbers from the original film.
Cretton also pointed to the wave of industry changes that followed the pandemic era. “After that, there were just crazy changes all over the place,” he said about the shifting landscape. He characterized the entire delay as simply “a result of the industry” recalibrating after unprecedented disruption.
The first Shang-Chi earned $432.2 million at the worldwide box office during its initial run. It also set the record for the biggest Labor Day weekend opening with $94.6 million domestically. Those numbers made a sequel announcement feel inevitable at the time.
Star Simu Liu has not appeared in any major MCU project since the 2021 original. He will next reprise the role in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday from the Russo Brothers. Cretton, meanwhile, prepares for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which Sony and Marvel Studios open on July 31.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.com.
