A new update for Spider-Man 4, the sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) has surfaced — and it’s impacting entire franchises.
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With Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man (Tony Stark) and Chris Evans’ Captain America (Steve Rogers) stepping aside, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has transitioned into a new era, known as the Multiverse Saga.
Spider-Man’s cinematic journey began with Tobey Maguire in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, which spanned from 2002 to 2007 and may soon see a revival. After Maguire, Andrew Garfield took on the role in The Amazing Spider-Man series, which debuted in 2012 and was followed by The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014).
The Marvel Cinematic Universe, under Kevin Feige’s leadership, has forged a unique collaboration with Sony, facilitated by its parent company, The Walt Disney Company.
This partnership brought various Spider-Man iterations into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with their respective villains, like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin/Norman Osborn and Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus/Doc Ock. It culminated in the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021.
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Despite worries about “superhero fatigue” and the dismissal of Jonathan Majors, who formerly played Kang the Conqueror, Marvel Studios is poised to redefine the Marvel movie landscape once again.
Is It Time for Another Marvel Goodbye?
Helmed by director Destin Daniel Cretton, the inaugural installment of the Shang-Chi franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, saw Simu Liu step into the lead role of Shang-Chi to widespread box office and critical acclaim.
Recently, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) reported that Marvel director Cretton would also be directing the upcoming Spider-Man 4.
Insider Jeff Sneider, via his @TheInSneider subscription platform, claims that — likely as a result of Spider-Man 4 — Shang-Chi franchise sequel Shang-Chi 2 has allegedly “stalled production” and might get scrapped “in the future”. MarvelDCNews shares the report on X/Twitter:
‘SHANG-CHI 2’ has stalled in development. It is unclear if Marvel Studios will continue with a sequel in the future
(@TheInSneider)
‘SHANG-CHI 2’ has stalled in development. It is unclear if Marvel Studios will continue with a sequel in the future
(@TheInSneider) pic.twitter.com/w8GheGYVfH
— MarvelDCNews (@MarvelNewsFilms) September 10, 2024
What will Marvel Studios’ future look like? Perhaps solo films are now being consolidated into larger franchises, as it seems like the popular Shang-Chi 2 will be shelved for Cretton to focus on the fourth Spidey — or at least delayed significantly, perhaps till after Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will reintroduce Robert Downey Jr. back into the MCU as Doctor Doom/Victor von Doom.
Will Shang-Chi 2 be canceled for good in the wake of this new Spider-Man news? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on Shang-Chi
Notably, Shang-Chi was the first MCU film to feature a predominantly Asian cast. Simu Liu stars as the titular Xu Shang-Chi/Shaun Xu, with Awkwafina as his close friend Katy, Meng’er Zhang as his estranged sister Xu Xialing, Fala Chen as their mysterious mother Ying Li from the hidden village of Ta-Lo.
Benedict Wong plays Wong, Ben Kingsley reprising his role as actor Trevor Slattery, who once impersonated “The Mandarin,” Florian Munteanu as Ten Rings member Razor Fist, and the legendary Tony Leung as their powerful father and founder of the Ten Rings, Xu Wenwu/The Mandarin.