‘Shang-Chi’ Post-Credits Scene Was a Mystery to Simu Liu and Awkwakina Until Day of Filming

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known to have epic post-credits scenes that tease the next project. But Marvel is also notorious for not telling their actors every single detail about their films until the very last minute. And that was no different for Simu Liu and Awkwafina when they filmed the Shang-Chi post-credits scene.

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

What happens in the ‘Shang-Chi’ post-credits scene?

Near the end of Shang-Chi, Simu Liu and Awkwafina’s characters, Shang-Chi and Katy, are approached by Wong. He invites them back to the Sanctum Sanctorum to discuss the Ten Rings that Shang-Chi had recently acquired from his father.

Then, in one of the Shang-Chi post-credits scenes, fans see the continuation of that final moment. Surprisingly, two Avengers join Shang-Chi, Katy, and Wong. Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, and Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk, come to the Sanctum via holograms.

The five of them talk about the peculiarity of the Ten Rings and their unknown origin. Wong also states that the Ten Rings are sending out a mysterious signal.

Simu Liu and Awkwafina didn’t know Brie Larson and Mark Ruffalo were in scene until the day it was filmed

Director Destin Daniel Cretton discussed the Shang-Chi post-credits scene with ET. When asked if Liu and Awkwafina knew who they were talking to in the scene, Cretton said, “Yes, they did. By the time they shot. I think they didn’t know up until the day that they were doing the scene, but yes. I remember Simu walking onto set holding the sides, looking at me going….”

The powers that be at Marvel are famous for keeping their cards close to their chest. So it isn’t surprising that Liu and Awkwafina were left in the dark regarding Larson and Ruffalo’s appearances in the Shang-Chi post-credits scene. Just as it was a delightful shock for fans to see Carol and Bruce in theaters, it was the same for Liu and Awkwafina that day. Nonetheless, it was a great welcome to the MCU for the two actors.

Cretton said, “But there’s two things happening that emotionally are so connected in the MCU and on set. There is the ushering in of these characters into a group of established superheroes. But in real life, there is an ushering in of these actors into a community of established actors. And we could not have chosen a more perfect group of actors to do both. Both those characters and the actors, someone like Mark Ruffalo and Brie Larson and Benedict Wong being there to welcome Awkwafina and Simu into the fold, it was a very special moment.”

What does the ‘Shang-Chi’ post-credits scene mean for the future?

Many fans believe that the Shang-Chi post-credits scene might indicate Shang-Chi’s involvement with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

With the expansive knowledge of the universe that Wong, Carol, and Bruce hold, it’s definitely suspicious that none of them could figure out the origin of the Ten Rings. The only other possible answer is that the Ten Rings are from another universe. And since “multiverse” is literally in the Doctor Strange sequel’s name, Shang-Chi may have a role in the highly anticipated MCU film.

All we can do is speculate at this point. But it’s clear that Marvel’s continuous teases of the multiverse, in WandaVision, Loki, What If…?, and now the Shang-Chi post-credits scene, are for a reason. The multiverse is coming, and the anticipation among fans for it is unreal.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is in theaters now.