Simu Liu is finally set to reprise his role as Shang-Chi in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, as he’ll play the martial arts master in the upcoming culmination film Avengers: Doomsday. This marks a major milestone for Liu, given it’ll be the first time his character will be part of an MCU team-up flick. As exciting as it’ll be to see Liu alongside other franchise veterans, there’s still the matter of how long he’ll remain with the franchise moving forward. On that note, Liu is now weighing in on his future with the MCU.
How Does Simu Liu About His MCU Future Post-Doomsday?
Marvel Studios is known for signing its stars to long contracts and also making deals with them to make appearances beyond that. (Just ask Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson.) Thus far, Simu Liu has only appeared in 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and an episode of the animated series What If…? I personally think there are a number of other stories to tell about the Mandarin’s wayward son. With that, Liu’s sentiments on his working relationship with Marvel make me happy:
I would keep doing (Shang-Chi sequels) as long as I physically could.
Like so many people, Liu is a fan of the MCU, and his admiration for the continuity predated him tagging Marvel Studios on social media and asking them to meet with him about the Master of Kung Fu. Comments Liu has shared over the years suggest that he’s quite grateful for his position within the Disney-owned superhero IP. Just recently, he spoke highly of his experience working on Doomsday, which allowed him to share scenes with actors he’s long admired. The In Your Dreams star expanded on that while speaking with ComicBook:
I was just in like quite a large Marvel movie with a lot of these actors, some of whom have been playing the same role for like over 20 years. And I’m stepping into their world. I’m stepping into their characters, who they’ve owned and honed and developed for so long. And it’s everything I can do just to like stop myself from shaking. But the thought that kind of powers me is this: you’ve still got to show up and you’ve got to try your best. Try your best to get something usable in there and get out of your own way. I feel like a lot of times we use impostor syndrome or insecurity as an excuse not to show up.
Simu Liu went on to explain that his goal is to just take his MCU work a step at a time. And, with that, he’s hoping it’ll have a very specific effect on others:
If we can just not make it about ourselves for a second and just focus on the work that you have to do. What is the objective? What is my objective as this character? Then you just take it a step at a time, and then hopefully when you do it for 40 years, someone will be looking at you and being like ‘Holy crap, what I would give to do work like that.’
These are very level-headed and sweet sentiments, and I particularly love to hear that the Atlas actor wants to work in a way that inspires others to want to follow suit. It’s also great that he’s apparently down to play Shang-Chi for the long haul. However, I’m still wondering what could actually lie ahead for the character following this latest Avengers movie.
What’s Going On With The Shang-Chi Sequel?
As great as it is that Shang Chi is returning in Avengers: Doomsday, I – like so many fans – have been waiting for the character to receive another solo film. Marvel Studios has yet to formally announce a sequel, but Simu Liu himself has stressed on multiple occasions that the film will be made. However, that’s seemingly proving to be easier said than done. For starters, director Destin Daniel Cretton has been busy with other projects and, at this time, he’s helming another MCU flick, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
It seemed earlier this year that Liu was also seeking answers based on the fact that he like a social media post about Marvel supposedly doing him “dirty” by not making a sequel a few years back. Liu also seemed to throw some subtle shade at the wait time for his own film when the sequel to this year’s Superman was announced a few months ago.
Still, it seems Simu Liu is remaining optimistic about Shang-Chi 2, and so am I. And, at the very least, it’s comforting to know Liu is dedicated to playing the character for as long as he can. See Liu’s MCU alter ego make his big-screen return in Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on December 18 and, in the meantime, stream his other appearances in the cinematic universe using a Disney+ subscription.