Early reactions to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings have been glowing. It currently had a stellar 92% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes. It ranks behind Black Panther – 96%, Avengers: Endgame – 94%, the first Iron Man – 94%, and Thor: Ragnarok – 93%. But keep in mind, the film hasn’t opened yet, so as more reviews appear, Shang-Chi‘s ranking could go higher. (Or lower.)
There is no audience rating yet, even though some have already seen it thanks to preview screenings and those reactions on social media have also been ecstatic.
That being said, just because a movie is good doesn’t mean it will do well. Reactions to The Suicide Squad were also overwhelmingly positive, but it is a certified flop.
We have to wait to see how Shang-Chi does at the box office when it opens this weekend, but rest assured, Marvel Studios already has plans for sequels.
President Kevin Feige stated:
“I’m always confident and nervous in equal proportions. The early reactions to the characters and to [Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings] itself gives me great hope that that people will want to see more of these characters. We certainly have many ideas of where to take them and where to put them. And as exactly as you say, what’s so fun, we know the movie’s working when it’s not just the title character that people ask about, but it is the co-stars or the supporting players that people ask about. And in this movie, in particular, that’s heartening because we think they’re spectacular, and we think they have great potential in the future.”
This should really come as no surprise. These Marvel movies are seemingly always conceived of as trilogies at least and are part of a larger tapestry. The only Marvel Studios picture that never got a sequel was The Incredible Hulk, but it was clear that one was planned. But not only did it receive a poor reception, but there are legal issues with Universal Pictures that prevent Marvel and Disney from making additional Hulk movies.
Not every Marvel flick makes a billion dollars, but even the lower-tier pics– Ant-Man, Doctor Strange— get sequels. So unless Shang-Chi outright flops– which it won’t– sequels are pretty much a guarantee.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opens this weekend on September 3.
