Of the 35 movies in theMCU’s roster, there is one glaring installment that needs a sequel as soon as possible, and I can’t believe it’s taken this long. With the MCU’sMultiverse Saga being so divisive, the franchise could certainly benefit from leaning on its biggest successes. Themost successful franchises in the MCUtypically have a relatively regular release schedule, with two years separating each installment ofthe MCU’s Spider-Man movies, for instance - though 2026’sSpider-Man: Brand New Daywill admittedly break this trend.
Nevertheless, a fourth Spider-Man movie has at least been confirmed, while other successful MCU characters have not been afforded such certainty. I think that the Multiverse Saga has significantly hampered these production schedules as it continues to debut a deluge of new characters like Ironheart and the Eternals, padding the franchise out with characters that also need further development. With that in mind, one of the newer characters in the MCU is more in need of a sequel than any other, which I think is justified by an incredibly positive reception.
The MCU’s Movie Roster Has Some Very Varied Reviews, Especially In Recent Years
MCU Phase 5 Is Suffering The Most
The MCU’s Multiverse Saga is currently stuck in an unfortunate cycle, whereeach well-received installment is followed by a less well-received one. This was recently continued by thedivisiveCaptain America: Brave New World, which followed the widely celebratedDeadpool & Wolverine.Deadpool & Wolverine, meanwhile, was preceded bythe MCU’s biggest box office flop,The Marvels, which additionally earned mixed reviews (though I found it to be very enjoyable). This trend is perfectly illustrated by the Multiverse Saga’s scores onRotten Tomatoes.
48%
78%
94%
62%
79%
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
82%
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
46%
81%
84%
Thor: Love and Thunder
63%
76%
74%
85%
93%
97%
47%
77%
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
92%
98%
91%
This information additionally reveals ageneral downturn in generally positive receptions to the MCU’s recent installments. The MCU hasn’t broken 80% sinceGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, while MCU Phase 5 has delivered two movies beneath 50%, a realm previously occupied solely byEternals.Spider-Man: No Way Homeisthe best-rated MCU movieof the Multiverse Saga so far, but its place in the upper echelons isn’t exactly lonely, as another MCU Phase 4 movie scored almost just as highly, yet still hasn’t been bequeathed a sequel.
Shang-Chi’s Place In The MCU’s Movie Ranking Reinforces The Idea It Needs A Sequel Sooner Rather Than Later
Audiences Rank Shang-Chi More Highly Than Spider-Man
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswas widely celebrated, boasting just one point less thanSpider-Man: No Way Homefor critics, and surpassingNo Way Homeby a single point with audiences. It’s no wonder, asShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswas an exciting, fresh, and optimistic installment that debuted a particularlycompelling new MCU superhero. Nevertheless,despite fans clamoring for one since its release, the movie is yet to have a sequel confirmed, and it doesn’t look likely beforeAvengers: Doomsdaylands in May 2026.
Thankfully, Simu Liu is among the confirmed cast members forAvengers: Doomsday.
I can only think that the reason behind Shang-Chi’s lack of a sequel is down to money. Spider-Man is one of the MCU’s most consistently bankable characters, withSpider-Man: No Way Homeraking in $1.9 billion worldwide to become the MCU’s third-highest-grossing movie.Shang-Chi, meanwhile, earned a respectable but comparatively paltry $430 millionworldwide. Still, with Shang-Chi being a new character yet making such a good impression right away, I think the MCU needs to seriously consider keeping the character at the forefront of theMCUzeitgeist and deliver a sequel as soon as possible.
