SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY Director Urges Fans to Watch It "As If It’s The Last Spider-Man" Movie as He Confirms SHANG-CHI 2 is Still Happening

Marvel fans have been wondering what happened to Shang-Chi 2for quite a while now. After the huge success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsin 2021, it seemed like a sequel announcement was only a matter of time.

Instead, updates became increasingly scarce, leading many to question whether the project had been pushed aside amid Marvel Studios’ ever-changing slate.

Thankfully, director Destin Daniel Cretton has finally offered some reassurance. During an appearance on Deadline's Crew Call podcast, Cretton confirmed that the sequel is still very much in development, while also shedding some light on why it has taken so long to move forward.

"We are developing a second one. What's going on is what went on with the entire industry," said Cretton when asked about the delay. "When that movie came out, it was successful, but it actually came out weirdly. It was successful at the time when there was a new wave of COVID was hititng."

He continued: "So it was still successful. But many countries were completely shut down in theaters at the time, and after that, there were just crazy changes all over the place. So it's just the result of the industry,"

While Marvel hasn’t revealed any official story details, there are rumors that the sequel could introduce the Agents of Atlas and finally bring Iron Fist into the MCU. For now, though, fans will have to wait and see what Marvel Studios has planned.

Cretton also discussed his upcoming Marvel project, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and one particular comment is interesting. The filmmaker encouraged audiences to approach the movie with a specific mindset, saying they should "go to this (movie) as if it’s the last Spider-Man."

On the surface, it sounds like a director encouraging fans to fully embrace the experience and appreciate the story. But given the speculation currently surrounding the film, that comment has will spark some discussion and speculation.

Recent rumors have suggested that the ending of Brand New Day could leave audiences stunned, with some theories even claiming that Peter Parker might not make it out of the movie. At this point, that's pure speculation, but comments like Cretton's are sure to add fuel to the conversation.

Of course, reports have indicated thatTom Hollandis expected to appear in Avengers: Secret Wars, even though he reportedly won’t appear in Avengers: Doomsday. If Spider-Man does face some kind of shocking fate in Brand New Day, it seems unlikely that it would be permanent.

The film will kick off a completely new chapter in Peter Parker’s life following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Four years have passed since the world forgot Peter existed, leaving him completely alone and focused entirely on being Spider-Man.

As Peter dedicates himself to protecting New York City full-time, the pressure of that responsibility begins to take a toll. According to the official synopsis, those mounting demands trigger a mysterious physical transformation that threatens his very existence.

At the same time, a new wave of crime sweeps through the city, bringing with it one of the most dangerous threats Spider-Man has ever faced.

The cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando, and Mark Ruffalo.

With Shang-Chi 2 still moving forward and Spider-Man: Brand New Day shaping up to be an awesome new Spidey adventure, Cretton is clearly going to be a major part of the MCU’s future.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, 2026.