Both Shang-Chi’s Movies Appearances in Order
‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ was an amazing breath of fresh air when it debuted in 2021. The style was totally different from anything we’ve seen in the MCU before, and Shang-Chi, as a character, quickly became a fan favorite. So far, he has appeared only in the movie and in photos in another MCU series – but is slated for a return very soon. Here’s a list of all Shang-Chi movies and appearances in order.
Movies & TV shows featuring Shang-Chi in order by release date
Xu Shang-Chi debuted in his own standalone movie in Phase 4 of the MCU, right after ‘Black Widow,’ ‘WandaVision,’ ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,’ ‘Loki’ Season 1, and ‘What If…?’ Season 1. If you’re eager to just jump in and check it out, here are all of his appearances in order by release date:
- ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ (2021)
- ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ (2022) [in photos & posters]
- ‘Marvel Zombies’ (TBR 2024)
- ‘Shang-Chi 2’ (TBD)
As you can see, Shang-Chi appeared in ‘She-Hulk’ only in a very tiny cameo role – when Jen broke the fourth wall to meet K.E.V.I.N., we saw photos and posters for Shang-Chi in a few brief shots. The character was confirmed to make an appearance in ‘Marvel Zombies’ – an animated anthology series set for a Disney+ release somewhere in 2024, and a ‘Shang-Chi 2’ film, date TBD.
Essentially, that means you only have one solid piece to watch when it comes to Shang Chi movies and appearances, but it won’t be long until this list is rather longer. I’ll try to explain what certain entries on this list are – like ‘Marvel Zombies’ – and how all of them are connected to each other and to Shang-Chi. I have to warn you, though, there WILL be spoilers!
Are Shang-Chi’s movie & TV show appearances connected? What’s the best way to watch them?
As with any other character in the MCU, Shang-Chi’s appearances are definitely connected to each other, as every new entry in the MCU plays a part – bigger or smaller – in the grand scheme of things in the MCU. However, seeing that Shang-Chi was introduced only about two years ago, there haven’t been that many appearances to go through.
His first appearance came in a standalone full-feature film, and in my humble opinion, it was brilliant. ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ was totally different, vibrant, and packed with palm-sweating action and heart-warming emotion. It’s actually the only REAL entry we have of Shang-Chi so far, but that is about to change rather soon.
In the ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ season finale titled ‘Whose Show is This?’ Shang-Chi only appears ever so briefly in a few pictures and posters, and while it’s worth mentioning that he does appear because it gives him a connection to Jen Walters, in a way, it wasn’t really a role or even a cameo that you just have to watch to understand the character’s arc.
Now, the next project in which Shang-Chi will appear is ‘Marvel Zombies’ – an animated spinoff show from Marvel’s ‘What If…?’ series that will focus on the universe first introduced in the fifth episode of ‘What If…?’ Season 1, where heroes have to fight off a zombie apocalypse. The show is slated for a 2024 release and will comprise four anthology-style episodes.
Finally, the last project in which Shang-Chi is confirmed and set to appear is the sequel to ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.’ It still has no title other than ‘Shang-Chi 2,’ and there is no release date yet for the film. Seeing that there’s no release date, we don’t know what’ll happen in the MCU by then, so we can’t even guess what it’ll be about.
We do know that it will likely be released after May 2026 due to a Threads response that the actor Simu Liu gave to a fan asking about ‘Shang-Chi 2’s release. Liu stated:
“[I] was told it [Shang-Chi 2] would follow Avengers but that keeps pushing back due to circumstances beyond my control. Hope to have more concrete news to share soon.”
We know that the first Avengers movie, ‘The Kang Dynasty,’ is set to be released on May 1, 2026, so it’s safe to assume that ‘Shang-Chi 2’ won’t come out at least until then. Who knows, though? Maybe we’ll get some Shang-Chi cameos in the upcoming movies and shows before that? I know I’d love to see him appear as an Avenger, for sure.
What’s the best way to watch Shang-Chi’s appearances?
Seeing that there is literally only one Shang-Chi appearance so far that’s worth watching if you want to get acquainted with that particular character, I suggest you grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ whenever you have the time.
Then, if you’re REALLY bored, you can check out ‘She-Hulk’ for that brief tiny little cameo in the final episode, although I’m not sure it’s relevant to Shang-Chi as a character at all. And then, simply wait for ‘Marvel Zombies,’ ‘Shang-Chi 2,’ or any news about a potential cameo in some other movie or show like the rest of us mortals are waiting.
Shang-Chi’s movie and TV show appearances in chronological order
As you probably figured out by now, there’s really not that much to go over here. Watch the movie, and then wait for another entry somewhere in the future. If you’re that eager to get a chronological order on these, it’s literally the same as the release order.
‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ came first, which is evident in ‘She-Hulk’ as well, as she sees the movie’s poster and Shang-Chi’s photos. When ‘Marvel Zombies’ comes out, though, it’ll be in a different ‘What If…?’ universe, so I guess you don’t really have to watch anything before that.
If anything, watch ‘What If…?’ Season 1 before ‘Marvel Zombies’ comes out so that you can check out how the ‘zombified’ universe was introduced.
Where to watch the above-mentioned movies & TV shows?
Everything that is related to the MCU can be found exclusively on Disney+ – meaning, you can watch all of the entries on this list (when all of them get released, of course) on Disney+. You can also find ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on the usual buy/rent platforms like Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Sky Store, or Rakuten TV.
Will there be more movies & TV shows featuring Shang-Chi?
Shang-Chi is a fairly new character that has just been introduced to the MCU, so naturally, there will be a lot more movies and TV shows featuring him in the future. Two have already been announced officially – ‘Marvel Zombies’ and ‘Shang-Chi 2’ – but I’m positive that we’ll get more in the meantime.
For instance, ‘Shang-Chi 2’ is likely going to be released after the new ‘Avengers’ film, and I bet that Shang-Chi will be a part of the Avengers as well. It’s always possible that we’ll get a Shang-Chi cameo somewhere along the way, too, so keep an eye out if you love the character as much as I do.
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