Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi would make a great addition to theMCU’sSpider-Man 4in Phase 6, and a Tom Holland voicemail proves it.Little is known about the MCU’sSpider-Man 4beyond its potential 2026 release date and the high likelihood of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man starring in a story that balances street-level conflict with a multiversal theme.Spider-Man: No Way Home’s endingleft Peter Parker in a difficult financial situation and with no connections to any of his loved ones and acquaintances, including the Avengers. Spider-Man 4will likely be released right in between the multiverse-themedAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars.
Meanwhile,Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits sceneteased a huge mystery for the titular weapons, as Carol Danvers, Bruce Banner, and Wong learned that the Ten Rings are sending a signal to a seemingly extraterrestrial receiver. This post-credits scene may need to be tweaked after Jonathan Majors' firing by Marvel ledAvengers: The Kang Dynastyto be reworked intoAvengers: Doomsday, but the scene could still have multiversal connotations that might be clarified in the nextAvengersmovies. Hence,Spider-Man and Shang-Chi could play key roles in Phase 6’s biggest releases, includingSpider-Man 4.
3 Years Ago, Tom Holland Left Simu Liu A Voicemail Praising The Shang-Chi Movie
Tom Holland Contacted Simu Liu To Celebrate His MCU Debut
At 2022’s BBYO’s The State of the Movement and Awards Gala,Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsstar Simu Liu was asked whether he knows Tom Holland personally. Liu responded by calling Holland on stage, but Holland didn’t answer his phone. Liu then played a voice message he had received from Holland back whenShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsin 2021.Tom Holland’s voice message praised Simu Liu’s MCU debut, saying"Dude, I just watched Shang-Chi bro, that film is so f*cking awesome.“Liu talks about Tom Holland at the 2:00:54 mark in the video below:
Tom Holland is a notorious Marvel fanboy. Holland has repeatedly talked about how excited he has been to work with actors such asSpider-Man: Homecomingco-star Robert Downey Jr.,Avengersco-star Benedict Cumberbatch, andSpider-Man: No Way Homeco-stars Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire, and Willem Dafoe. Holland is also known for spoiling multiple MCU movies due to his unbridled excitement, to the point that Marvel has had to give him fake scripts in order to prevent further leaks. Considering how much Tom Holland loves Marvel, his heartfelt message to Simu Liu isn’t too surprising.
I Need To See Tom Holland’s Spider-Man And Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi Share The Screen
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man And Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi Would Make An Awesome MCU Team
Shang-Chi is an ideal secondary hero for the MCU’sSpider-Man 4, not only because Simu Liu and Tom Holland seem to have a genuine friendship off-screen, but also because Shang-Chi and Peter Parker could have a similar chemistry within the story. The MCU gave Shang-Chi a personality more akin to Spider-Man than his own comic book counterpart. Whereas the comics' original Shang-Chi is stoic and brooding, Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi is quick-witted and easygoing. Spider-Man and Shang-Chi’s abilities would also look amazing on the big screen, as both heroes are incredibly agile, and their fights are mostly based on hand-to-hand combat.
Spider-Man 4
TBA
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has teamed up with at least one MCU hero in each of his movie appearances since his introduction inCaptain America: Civil War. These allies include Iron Man, Talos (as Nick Fury), Doctor Strange, and the multiversal Spider-Men. Peter Parker’s MCU companion inSpider-Man 4is yet to be confirmed, but some candidates include Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, Daredevil, and even Deadpool. However, Shang-Chi seems like a more suitable companion for Peter Parker inSpider-Man 4due to their similar abilities and personalities.
Why I Think It’s Likely Shang-Chi Could Show Up In Spider-Man 4
Shang-Chi And Spider-Man May Already Have A Shared Story In The MCU’s Multiverse Saga
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits scene sets up a multiverse-themed sequel, andSpider-Man 4seems likely to be released betweenAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars. Althoughlittle is known aboutShang-Chi 2, it could be released close toSpider-Man 4in Phase 6, and both movies could center around multiversal threats to the two usually street-level heroes. If so, thenSimu Liu’s Shang-Chi could appear as a supporting character inSpider-Man4right before starring in his own sequel, similarly to Doctor Strange inSpider-Man: No Way HomeandDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
What’s Going On With Shang-Chi 2 After New Spider-Man 4 Update?
A huge update about Spider-Man 4 has been provided, throwing into question the future of a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Phase 6 could bring together Earth’s most powerful and skilled heroes to create a new Avengers team. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is already experienced enough to be one of the leaders of these “New Avengers”, and it seems like Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi has already earned his spot, as Bruce Banner told him"welcome to the circus"inShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits scene. Therefore, Phase 6 could make Spider-Man and Shang-Chi a powerful duo with an overarching story acrossAvengers: Doomsday,Spider-Man 4,Shang-Chi 2, andAvengers: Secret Wars.
