Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that the shared universe is always growing, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans are eager to learn more about upcoming Marvel movies, especially the two Avengers movies coming from The Russo Brothers. A recent report claims that Shang-Chi would have been a huge character in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and I really hope he still gets the spotlight in Doomsday.
What we now about Avengers: Doomsday is extremely limited, but the MCU is seemingly dropping the Kang storyline altogether. While fans are excited that Robert Downey Jr. will star as Doctor Doom, there's plenty of questions about all the MCU characters introduced since Endgame. A report by Inverse claims to know information about what was being planned for The Kang Dynasty, specifically related to Simu Liu's Shang-Chi.
Per this story, Shang-Chi would have been one of the main leads of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Fans have not-so-patiently been waiting for Shang-Chi's sequel, although the studio has been quiet about its plans. We still don't know when that'll happen, but giving him the spot light in Avengers 5 would have definitely made up for that.
This report doesn't reveal if the studio is still planning to make Shang-Chi one of the protagonists of Avengers: Doomsday. But as a fan who absolutely loved Simu Liu's critically acclaimed solo movie, I'm hoping that it still happens. But exactly how Doctor Doom will join the MCU and shape the story of the blockbuster remains a mystery for the time being.
The MCU has had a number of missteps in the years since Avengers: Endgame became the highest grossing movie of all time. Eternals failed to impress and won't get a sequel, while both Ant-Man 3 and The Marvels bombed at the box office. This makes the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings all the more significant in retrospect.
Unfortunately, the public is totally in the dark regarding what might go down in Avengers: Doomsday. The Fantastic Four will presumably play a large role, given that Doctor Doom is typically their villain. Could this mean that Shang-Chi gets pushed to the sidelines and ends up being a supporting character? Only time will tell.
The studio seemingly set up Simu Liu's future with Shang-Chi's credits scene. In it, he met with a number of Avengers, including Wong, a non-Hulky Bruce Banner, and Captain Marvel. As such, his relationship with certain heroes should be solid if/when he return for the next Avengers movie. Hopefully the studio (or Simu Liu himself) offer an update sooner rather than later.
Avengers: Doomsday is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 1st, 2026. While we wait for information, check out the 2025 movie release dates.
