SPIDER-MAN 4'S PROGRESS COMES AT THE COST OF ANOTHER MCU SEQUEL
- Director Destin Daniel Cretton to helm Spider-Man 4, impacting potential Shang-Chi 2 delay.
- Marvel could replace Cretton on Shang-Chi 2 to prevent further delays.
- Despite frustration, Cretton's focus on Spider-Man 4 could benefit Marvel Studios.
After months of speculation, Marvel Studios and Sony's Spider-Man 4 has secured a director. Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is set to direct the upcoming Spider-Man sequel. The news comes as Cretton is in post-production on another Marvel Studios project, Wonder Man, which is expected to hit Disney+ sometime next year. Unfortunately, the news of Cretton signing on for Spider-Man 4 seems to have a direct impact on yet another Marvel Studios project the busy director was set to work on.
While Marvel Studios has not yet set a release date for Shang-Chi 2, the film has all but been confirmed by multiple reports and leading man, Simu Liu. Cretton, who was the director of the first film, was expected to return to helm Shang-Chi 2. However, with the director now tied up with the Spider-Man sequel, it would seem Shang-Chi 2 has been delayed yet again. Is this a fair trade-off for fans who have been eagerly awaiting the return of one of Marvel's newest heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
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Shang-Chi and the Ever Delayed Sequel
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was released in 2021 to critical acclaim, landing an impressive 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film secured $432.2 million at the worldwide box office, which isn't necessarily huge, but was enough to secure a sequel for the film. News of the sequel surfaced shortly after the film was released with reports even stating that director Destin Daniel Cretton would return to helm the second installment. Since then, however, little to nothing has become of the sequel. Cretton inked an overall deal with Marvel Studios and Hulu to develop new projects, including the upcoming Wonder Man series, which Cretton serves as both a director and producer. That project, which stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the titular character, is now in post-production and is expected to premiere sometime next year. It was thought that Shang-Chi 2 would be Cretton's next project following Wonder Man. However, Cretton was announced as the director of the upcoming live-action Naruto movie, which suggested Shang-Chi 2 would be delayed. Sadly, with Cretton now set to direct Spider-Man 4 for Marvel Studios and Sony, it's clear Shang-Chi 2 isn't going to happen anytime soon. After all, these movies typically take at least a year or two to bring to life.
More importantly, Sony is going to want to get Spider-Man 4 going as soon as possible. This is one of the studio's biggest franchises, if not its biggest. This means Cretton will need to put his focus on the Spider-Man sequel going forward, rather than Shang-Chi 2. For fans of the latter, it's certainly a frustrating situation. There is one solution, though, but it might not be one fans want to hear.
Will Marvel Replace Cretton on Shang-Chi?
There is no denying Cretton crafted something special with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. In fact, most critics noted the stunning visuals and overall tone of the film as standing on its own within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It didn't have the "Marvel look" to it, and the action was easily noted as some of the best in comic book movies. It's understandable why the studio wants to bring Cretton back to direct the sequel. However, it's important to note that Cretton is a busy, and incredibly in-demand director. He's proven what he's capable of doing with big-budget films after securing a name for himself in the indie space, and now it seems like it's time for Marvel Studios to find another director to do that with Shang-Chi 2. Much like how Cretton served as a producer on Wonder Man, he could very easily serve as a producer for a Shang-Chi sequel, while continuing to build upon his own resume. This is a director who was set to direct an Avengers film at one point in time for Marvel Studios, and is now set to direct a film starring one of the biggest superheroes in the world. Turning down Spider-Man would have been a huge mistake for Cretton. As frustrating as the situation is for fans of Shang-Chi, it's a huge win for Cretton who now gets to help give the Spider-Man franchise a new lease on life with his artistic eye and style.
Marvel Studios has been great at helping to develop talent, bringing in smaller directors who managed to bring their own style and visuals to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the better. We've seen this not only with Cretton, but even James Gunn, who prior to Guardians of the Galaxy, was best known for Slither and Super. Bringing in new talent to get the Shang-Chi sequel back on track wouldn't be a bad thing. While it would be nice to see Cretton direct a Shang-Chi trilogy, tying him down to a trilogy of films when he has other opportunities would be wrong. So, if Marvel Studios can find someone to direct a Shang-Chi sequel, it might be the best thing for the franchise. After all, it doesn't look like we're going to see Simu Liu's Shang-Chi until the Avengers films, if even then. It might not necessarily be the best trade-off for fans right now, but it'll ultimately prove worthwhile when Cretton gets to deliver his own take on Spider-Man.
As of this writing, Spider-Man 4 and Shang-Chi 2 do not yet have release dates.
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