Shang-Chi Star Simu Liu Steps Down From Disney Event Due to "Health Scares"

Shang-Chi and Barbie star Simu Liu has pulled out of an upcoming event due to "health scares." Liu took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal that he will no longer be participating in Disney World's 2023 Candlelight Processional. The annual event features a number of celebrity narrators who retell the story of Christmas, joined by a full orchestra and choir. Liu was set to narrate the show from November 30th through December 2nd. While Liu does not specify the "health scares" in question, he did recently make headlines for tearing his Achilles tendon.

"I'm so absolutely gutted to have to drop out of this year's Candlelight Processional at Disney World," Liu's post reads. "For those who were looking forward to seeing me, know that I was equally looking forward to be a part of your holidays. The health of myself and my family are of paramount importance to me. After all that's the spirit of this season! And so, after some health scares I've made the difficult decision to stay at home. Something tells me this isn't the last you've seen of me at Candlelight though.. let's all keep fingers crossed for 2024!"

What Will Shang-Chi 2 Be About?

Liu is expected to reprise his role as Shang-Chi in a sequel, which has been confirmed to be in development at Marvel Studios. While a title, synopsis, or other plot points surrounding Shang-Chi 2 remain a mystery, Liu previously hinted that the sequel would further expand the mythos, and hopefully include as much of its ensemble cast as possible.

"Going into a sequel feels exciting. It doesn't necessarily feel like there's a pressure to perform or a pressure to exceed," Liu told Collider earlier this year. "It feels like we've established a world and there's just something really nostalgic and exciting about returning to that world that we've spent so much time ideating on and thinking about. And then, we're getting to revisit some things, but also show the viewer new things. We'll deliver all of the amazing action that we were celebrated for on the first movie, but then also hopefully explore new sides of Shaun's character and the characters around him. That is, of course, if we can still afford Michelle Yeoh. She's on top of the world and just the queen of everything."

Will Shang-Chi Appear in Avengers 5?

Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton was originally set to helm the next Avengers movie, which means that fans have naturally begun to wonder if Liu will reprise his role in that film as well. While speaking to ComicBook.com last year, Liu responded to that speculation by saying, "I would think so...I would hope so. Don't take my word for it."

"It feels incredible. I obviously learned about the news a little bit before the rest of the world did, but I freaked out," Liu told ComicBook.com in late 2022. "I sent him like forty texts in a row, all exclamation marks. I'm just so incredibly happy for him, he's so deserving of that spot. What makes him such a special filmmaker, and I've said this from the beginning even when we were premiering our movie, is his ability to make a $150 million movie really, really small, in the best possible way. I'm really looking forward to what he does on that even grander scale of The Avengers because I think it's easy to maybe get lost in the spectacle of what those movies can be, the vastness and the grandness of it, but if you can maintain the humanity and the human stories, I think that's what will make a movie memorable and special, and I think Destin's got it. I think he's got it and I think he deserves this so much. I'm so excited to get to work for him again.

What do you think of Simu Liu no longer participating in Disney's 2023 Candlenight Processional? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!