In what might go down in history as the most unpredictable year in the dominant Marvel Studios run dating back more than a decade, one of the biggest hits for the studio in 2021 has been “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” So, you better believe Disney is ready to expand its relationship with the filmmaker behind the blockbuster, Destin Daniel Cretton.
According to Deadline, Destin Daniel Cretton has worked out a new multi-year overall deal with Disney and its two subsidiaries, Marvel Studios and Hulu’s Onyx Collective. And while we don’t know the full extent of the projects Cretton is working on as part of this new agreement, we do know that he is officially set to write and direct the eventual ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel film, as well as develop a new mystery series for Marvel Studios.
“Destin is an amazing collaborator who brought a unique perspective and skill to ‘Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.’ We had a fantastic time working together on the film and he has so many intriguing ideas for stories to bring to life on Disney+, so we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with him and can’t wait to get started,” said Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer.
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” still holds the title as the biggest box office success, domestically, of 2021, earning more than $224 million. Worldwide, the superhero blockbuster has earned $432 million, which is pretty impressive given the uncertain pandemic-influenced year. So, it’s definitely not surprising Disney would like to get Cretton signed up for a sequel as soon as possible. But what is somewhat surprising is the overall deal, which extends to Hulu and a new Marvel Studios series.
For the Marvel Studios Disney+ series, it’s assumed that it would follow one of the teases at the end of ‘Shang-Chi,’ which saw the lead character’s sister, Xu Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), take over the Ten Rings criminal organization which was originally run by her father. That seems like the most obvious choice for a Disney+ series, though that could just be another thread picked up in the ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel.
While we have no idea what the Hulu slate might look like, however, Cretton previously worked on a variety of serious dramatic films such as “Short Term 12,” “Just Mercy,” and “The Glass Castle.” We can assume similar fare will end up coming as part of the Hulu portion of the deal.
Release dates for the ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel, the Marvel Studios series, and the Hulu projects are unknown at this time.