Marvel’s Confirmed But Unannounced Movie Has Fans All Asking For the Same Sequel
Marvel Studios spent much of the mid-2020s deliberately slowing its theatrical output to bring the Multiversal Saga to a close. That contraction left 2026 with only two releases, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, while 2027 carries just a single film, Avengers: Secret Wars. However, once the Multiversal Saga is over, Marvel Studios will go all in once more. Marvel has now locked three movies for 2028: an untitled X-Men reboot, an untitled Ghost Rider movie led by Ryan Gosling, and Black Panther 3. The diverse line-up promises that the studio will continue to explore different corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, balancing new faces with familiar ones. Beyond that expanded slate, the studio just locked in a third release date for 2029 on November 9, 2029, which fans are trying to guess.
ComicBook posted a poll on X asking followers which movie they want to see fill that November 2029 slot, and the results point to a clear favorite. With 952 votes cast so far, Shang-Chi 2 leads the field at 40.1%, followed by Spider-Man 5 at 31.1%, Nova at 22.1%, and Guardians of the Galaxy 4 trailing at 6.7%. Some replies also have their own suggestions, with a Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) solo film and a Midnight Sons ensemble both drawing support from commenters. Do you agree with the poll results? There’s still time to vote!
Shang-Chi 2 Is a Strong Candidate for 2029, but With a Potentially Divisive Change
The enthusiasm for a Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) sequel is understandable. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings grossed $432 million worldwide against a modest $150 to $200 million budget, made history as the first Marvel Studios film centered on an Asian superhero, and earned a Best Visual Effects nomination at the Academy Awards. Marvel confirmed a sequel was in development within months of that release, with Destin Daniel Cretton locked in to return as writer and director. However, it’s been almost five years, and the sequel still has no script and no production start date. The character finally resurfaced last year when Liu was confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, where he’s expected to play a major role. It would be wise for Marvel Studios to use that momentum to finally make the sequel a reality.
Cretton’s own schedule is now the biggest obstacle standing between Shang-Chi 2 and that 2029 date. The director just helmed Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which crossed $2 billion worldwide in three weeks and became only the eighth film in history to reach that milestone, giving Marvel and Sony every incentive to keep him on future Spider-Man installments. Cretton is also set to write and direct a live-action adaptation of Naruto for Lionsgate, a major undertaking that leaves no room to develop and finish a Shang-Chi sequel by November 2029. If Marvel wants the character back on screen within that window, they might have to give the sequel to a different director, a divisive move, for sure. Cretton co-wrote the original film, shaping its blend of martial arts and family drama. He has also spoken publicly about wanting to build out its mythology further. A new director inheriting that world risks losing the specific voice that made Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings stand out within the MCU’s slate. The choice now seems to be to let Cretton go or wait even more for a sequel, and neither option is ideal.
