Wondering where you can watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings right now? That’s understandable! Movie release strategies have become increasingly complicated in recent years, and never more so than in the pandemic era. Is it on Netflix? Is it streaming anywhere? Is it streaming and in theaters? None of the above? I never thought I’d spend so much of my time wondering how the heck I can watch new movies, but not to worry, we’ve put together a handy guide to how you can watch Shang-Chi right now, so you can skip the wondering and get right to watching the latest chapter in the MCU.
WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki caught us up with some of the most beloved heroes and villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the universe-altering events of Avengers: Endgame. Black Widow scaled back on scope and looped back in time to finally give us a backstory for Scarlett Johansson‘s dearly-departed Avenger, Natasha Romanoff. But Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is giving audiences the first standalone origin story of Phase Four, and the first in the franchise since 2019’s Captain Marvel, with the long-awaited introduction of Simu Liu‘s Shang-Chi – and this time, you won’t be able to watch it on streaming right away.
Directed by Short Term 12 and Just Mercy filmmaker Dustin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi also stars Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, and Tony Leung, and promises to open up a whole new world of magic (and franchise-best action) in the MCU. And if you’re wondering where you can watch it, when it’s in theaters, and if it’s currently streaming, we’ve got you covered with our regularly updated guide to how to watch Shang-Chi right now.
Table of Contents
Is Shang-Chi Streaming?
No. At least, not yet.
Unlike the most recent theatrical MCU release, Black Widow, Shang-Chi will not have a day-and-date streaming release on Disney+. Disney and Marvel Studios are debuting Shang-Chi exclusively in theaters nationwide and based on their last theatrical debut, it will probably stay that way for a while.
Free Guy was Disney’s first exclusively theatrical release of 2021 (released under their 20th Century Studios banner), opening wide on August 13. No streaming details have been announced for Free Guy yet, but we do know when it arrives on home video – and that’s still about a month away. Free Guy arrives on Digital Sept. 28, followed by a 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release on October 12.
Per a report in Business Insider, Disney plans to make Shang-Chi available to watch at home in some capacity after a 45-day theatrical window. That lines up exactly with how they rolled out Free Guy, so following that timeline, we should hopefully get an official announcement in near future.
Either way, bookmark this page for more. We’ll update this space when we have more details about Shang-Chi’s streaming, VOD, Blu-ray, and streaming release schedule.
Is Shang-Chi Available with Disney+ Premier Access?
Also no. Pretty much every Disney movie release this year has been made immediately available on streaming in some capacity, even if with an extra fee, but not Shang-Chi.
While Pixar films Soul and Luca were released directly to Disney+, Black Widow, Cruella, and Jungle Cruise were only made available to watch at home via Disney+ Premier Access, for an additional $29.99 fee. However, Shang-Chi will not be available to watch with Premier Access on September 3.
It’s possible Disney may adjust their strategy, but for the time being, the only way to see Shang-Chi is in theaters.
Is Shang-Chi in Theaters Near Me?
Almost certainly, depending on where you live. Shang-Chi and Legend of the Ten Rings is getting a wide release in theaters across the US on Friday, September 3, and will be available in most major international markets in the same week. If you’re in the US and looking for local showtimes, here are several resources to help you find out where you find a screening near you.
After months of closure due to the COVID pandemic, theaters are finally open again nationwide, which means we finally get to see MCU movies on the big screen again! However, with the Delta variant sparking case surges internationally, please be sure to take all the necessary precautions in cooperation with your local safety guidelines and double-check any policies at the theater before you book your tickets.
MCU Movies Streaming Now
If you’re looking to stream MCU movies online right now – or maybe you want to touch-up on your memory of how the legend of the Ten Rings was handled in Iron Man 3 – there’s only one real destination: Disney+. Subscribers can access every Disney-owned MCU movie from Phase One to Phase Three, meaning everything from Iron Man through Avengers: Endgame. As for Phase Four, all the released MCU Disney+ series are available to stream, but Black Widow is currently only available with Disney+ Premier Access.
The key phrase, however, is Disney-owned. There are a few essential MCU movies you won’t find on Disney+…. the ones owned by Sony. That includes canon MCU films The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Spider-Man: Far From Home. So if you’re a completist, you’ll have to look elsewhere to watch those films – for now.
In March 2021, Disney and Sony signed a major streaming deal that included the library rights to Spider-Man movies, so you can expect those to join the Disney+ library sometime soon. As of right now, none of these film are available on any streaming service, but they are available to rent and purchase through most major Digital platforms and providers.
Don’t Have Disney+? That’s not necessarily a deal-breaker; Disney had several streaming deals signed long before Disney+ came along, which means you can still find the rare MCU movie out in the wild on streaming services.
Right now, that movie is The Avengers, which you’ll find streaming on Paramount+ and Epix.
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