How to Watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Online

Character that looks like Shang-Chi on a laptop screen with 10 rings behind him
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Quick Guide: Watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premieres on September 3, 2021 worldwide. After its 45-day run in theaters, the movie will become available on Disney Plus, which has exclusive rights to all of Marvel Studios’ previous and upcoming releases.

Unfortunately, if you’re visiting a country without access to Disney Plus, you may be unable to access your account. In this case, you can access your account with a VPN.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN. For circumventing geoblocks and maintaining high-quality streaming, we suggest ExpressVPN.
  2. Download and install the VPN software or app on your chosen devices.
  3. Choose a server belonging to a country where Disney Plus is available, such as the United States or Canada.
  4. Connect to the VPN server. Doing so will route your internet traffic through a different country, masking your real IP address, and making it appear as if you’re in a different location.
  5. Subscribe to Disney Plus, so you can watch all your favorite movies and shows!

To learn more about the upcoming Shang-Chi movie and how a VPN can help your browsing experience, keep reading below!

What do you get when you mix martial arts, award-winning actors, and Marvel’s tried and tested superhero movie formula? Coming this September 3, 2021, in theaters worldwide, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an action-packed film that finally introduces Marvel’s “Master of Kung Fu” to the big screen.

Marvel Studios’ first Asian-led film stars Simu Liu (Kim’s Convenience) as the titular character, joined by Awkwafina (Ocean’s 8, Crazy Rich Asians) and Michelle Yeoh (Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), as well as Tony Leung, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhan, Florian Munteanu, and Ronny Chieng.

The film will be shown in theaters for 45 days beginning on September 3, after which it will become available on Disney Plus. This means the Shang-Chi movie may be available for you to stream as early as October 17.

Unfortunately, Disney Plus isn’t as widely available as its other competitors, such as Netflix and Hulu. Want to watch Shang-Chi when it’s released on Disney Plus? Keep reading to find out how.

Where to Watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Online

Disney+ D with + on laptop screenShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which popularized now-iconic heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Black Widow.

As Marvel Studios is now under the Disney banner, you can expect that Disney Plus will have exclusive streaming rights to the Shang-Chi movie.

If you’re looking to watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, you will need a Disney Plus account.

How to Watch Shang-Chi on Disney Plus

Disney Plus offers a full library of TV shows and movies, ranging from classics such as Cinderella to recent productions like Hamilton: The Musical. You also get access to content by Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm (Star Wars), and National Geographic.

Signing up for a Disney Plus account

To sign up for a Disney Plus account, simply follow the instructions below:

  1. Visit the Disney Plus website on your device.
  2. Click “Sign up for Disney+” at the bottom of the screen. U.S. residents can also opt for the “Get All Three” package, which bundles Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN.
  3. Provide your email address, then press “Agree and Continue.”
  4. Create a strong password, then press “Continue.”
  5. Pick a subscription. You can choose between an annual or a monthly subscription.
  6. Choose a payment method. Disney Plus accepts all major credit cards, as well as PayPal.
  7. Enjoy Disney’s selection of movies and TV shows!

With your Disney Plus account, all you need to do now is sit tight and wait for Shang-Chi to join the catalog of MCU content on the streaming platform.

While there’s no announcement of the exact date from Disney yet, it’s safe to bet you can catch the Shang-Chi movie from October 17 onwards.

What If I Can’t Access Disney Plus?

Map with location arrowDisney Plus restricts access to their content library, as the service isn’t available yet in several countries. This means that, if you’re spending time abroad, you may find yourself unable to use your Disney Plus account even if you have no problems accessing it at home.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be helpful in this scenario. Just make sure you go through the user agreement first so you never breach their terms and conditions. How does a VPN work? Simply put, your VPN reroutes your internet activity to make it seem like you’re accessing a website from a different location.

Picture this scenario: you live in Italy and have a Disney Plus account. You fly to visit family in Malaysia, excited to watch the upcoming Shang-Chi movie with everyone. Unfortunately, since Disney Plus is currently not yet available in Malaysia, you’ll find yourself unable to access your Disney Plus account.

Now, in order to access your account, you can subscribe to a VPN service and then connect to a server located in Italy. Don’t worry if that sounds complicated — we detail the process in the following sections.

Of course, a VPN is useful for more than just streaming location-exclusive content. VPNs can also help you stay safe on the internet by hiding your IP address from hackers, corporations, or your government.

Disney Plus and VPNs: Checking your user agreement

List with magnifying glassAs with all streaming services, Disney Plus may have terms and conditions regarding the use of VPNs to access your account.

If you’re interested in using a VPN with Disney Plus, we recommend going through your user agreement first to ensure that you’re not violating any of the terms you agreed to while creating your account.

The best VPN to watch Shang-Chi online

There are many providers out there to choose from, but not all VPNs can successfully circumvent geographical restrictions (also known as “geoblocks”) set by streaming sites like Disney Plus, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.

Our top recommendation for watching movies and TV shows is ExpressVPN, as it doesn’t slow down your video and audio playback, and it has servers in countries where Disney Plus isn’t geoblocked. ExpressVPN also successfully lets you access all your favorite streaming sites, wherever you are in the world.

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Like most premium VPN providers, ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. In effect, you can subscribe to a VPN service, watch Shang-Chi, and then get your money back once you’re done.

For our other recommended VPNs, check out our list of the top five best VPNs in 2021.

How to watch Shang-Chi using a VPN

Here’s how you can watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings using a VPN:

  1. Sign up for an account with the VPN you’d like to use. We recommend ExpressVPN.
  2. Download your chosen VPN software or app on your device. Most premium VPN providers, like ExpressVPN, have apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. ExpressVPN even works on smart TVs.
  3. Sign in to your VPN account.
  4. Connect to a server that’s located in a country supported by Disney Plus. You’ll want to connect to the server nearest your real location in order to ensure top-notch speeds. View Disney Plus’ list of supported countries, which includes the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, and more.
  5. Sign up for or sign in to your Disney Plus account, and enjoy the film!

Paying for your Disney Plus subscription

Creditcards on LaptopDisney Plus accepts payments via VISA, Mastercard, American Express, and PayPal. If none of these options work for you, there are other methods you can try. While this process is not guaranteed to work, some users have reported success at creating Disney Plus accounts via the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

If you own an Apple device, you can sign up for Disney Plus using your Apple ID. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Go to “Settings” and sign out of your Apple account.
  2. Connect to a VPN server in the United States.
  3. Open the App Store on your device and choose the option “Create New Apple ID.” Make sure to either set up a new email address or use one that’s not connected to your existing Apple ID.
  4. Select “United States” as your region.
  5. Purchase an iTunes gift card with at least $6.99 credit. This is the current cost of a monthly subscription to Disney Plus in the U.S.
  6. Redeem your gift card to top up your balance on your temporary Apple ID.
  7. Download the Disney+ application from the Apple App Store.
  8. Open the app and create an account using your iTunes gift card to subscribe to Disney Plus.

While still connected to your VPN, you should now be able to access Disney Plus and enjoy its selection of movies and shows.

What is Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings About?

Helmed by director Destin Daniel Cretton, the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings movie has already received a 92% Fresh Rating from Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its theatrical premiere. The film is projected to gross $35 to $50 million in domestic sales (United States and Canada).

Simu Liu plays the titular Shang-Chi, a skilled martial artist living in San Francisco, who gets drawn back into the Ten Rings, a terrorist organization first introduced in Iron Man (2008).

Joining Liu are Awkwafina as Katy, Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, Fala Chen as Jiang Li, Meng’er Zhang as Xialing, Florian Munteanu as Razor Fist, and Tony Leung as Wenwu / The Mandarin.

Returning to the MCU stage are Benedict Wong, reprising his role Wong from Doctor Strange (2016), Ben Kingsley as Iron Man 3 (2013)’s Trevor Slattery, Tim Roth as The Abomination from The Incredible Hulk (2008), and Jade Xu as a Black Widow from Black Widow (2021).

Get hyped for Simu Liu’s acclaimed performance and the action-packed adventure by watching the trailer for the film:

Shang-Chi and the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Shang-Chi’s origin story is the second film in phase four of the MCU. The first three phases made up the “Infinity Saga,” which culminated in the explosive two-part finale of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).

In order of premiere dates, the movies included in the phase four storyline are:

  1. Black Widow (2021)
  2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
  3. Eternals (2021)
  4. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
  5. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
  6. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
  7. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
  8. The Marvels (2022)
  9. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantimania (2023)
  10. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023)
  11. Fantastic Four (TBA)
  12. Blade (TBA)

Unlike previous phases of the MCU, phase four includes TV shows that premiere exclusively on Disney Plus. In order of release, these shows are:

  1. Wandavision (2021)
  2. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
  3. Loki (2021)
  4. What If…? (2021)
  5. Hawkeye (2021)
  6. Ms. Marvel (2022)
  7. Moon Knight (2022)
  8. She-Hulk (2022)
  9. Secret Invasion (2022)
  10. Ironheart (TBA)
  11. Armor Wars (TBA)
  12. I Am Groot (TBA)

Fans who like keeping up-to-date with all of Marvel’s plot lines will have twelve movies and twelve TV shows to enjoy over the course of the coming years, all eventually available on the Disney streaming platform.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Release Date

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premieres in theaters on September 3, 2021. The film will have a 45-day theater-exclusive run, after which it will presumably become available on Disney Plus.

For a list of release dates in different countries, check out the list below, sourced from IMDb.

CountryRelease Date
UKSeptember 3, 2021
IrelandSeptember 3, 2021
GermanySeptember 2, 2021
ArgentinaSeptember 2, 2021
DenmarkSeptember 2, 2021
PortugalSeptember 2, 2021
RussiaSeptember 2, 2021
SlovakiaSeptember 2, 2021
CanadaSeptember 3, 2021
USASeptember 3, 2021
ItalySeptember 1, 2021
SwedenSeptember 1, 2021
IcelandSeptember 3, 2021
PolandSeptember 3, 2021
The NetherlandsSeptember 1, 2021
Hong Kong SAR ChinaSeptember 2, 2021
SingaporeSeptember 1, 2021
ThailandSeptember 16, 2021
TaiwanSeptember 2, 2021

Shang-Chi Joins The Disney Plus Catalogue in October!

Shang-Chi is set to join the ranks of big-name superheroes after his debut on the big screen. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premieres in theaters on September 3, 2021, for a 45-day run. Make sure to mark your calendars for mid-October, and join us in the countdown for Shang-Chi to feature among his fellow action superstars on Disney Plus.

In the meantime, check out our other guides on watching the most popular movies and TV shows available today:

How to Watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Online: Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions and their answers. Check them out below.

You can watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on Disney Plus once the film’s 45-day theater run is up. Since the movie is premiering on September 3rd, you can expect Shang-Chi to be up on Disney Plus around October 17.

If you’re out of the country and can’t access your account, you can opt to use a VPN. However, make sure to check your user agreement to ensure you’re not breaking Disney’s terms of service.

Setting up a VPN is easy. Here’s what you need to:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN, such as ExpressVPN.
  2. Download the VPN software or app to your device, whether it’s your work laptop or your trusty mobile phone.
  3. Open the Disney Plus website or download its app.
  4. Create an account and subscribe to Disney Plus.
  5. Enjoy! Disney’s entire catalog is now at your fingertips.

For detailed instructions, check out our article on how to watch Shang-Chi online.

Unfortunately, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is likely going to be a Disney Plus exclusive, so it won’t be on Netflix. This is because Disney holds the streaming rights to Marvel Studios and its films. You can watch it on Disney Plus.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings won’t be available on Amazon Prime. Your best bet at watching this action-packed film is to get a Disney Plus subscription. We detail the process in our guide to watching Shang-Chi online.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premieres in theaters on September 3, 2021. After 45 days, it will likely become available on Disney Plus, so stay tuned to watch it around October 17 and onwards.

News & Tech Editor
Nica is a news and tech editor at VPNOverview. She has an educational background in journalism and has worked in content marketing across several industries, including finance and cybersecurity.