All the 2021 Marvel Movie Mid and Post-Credits Scenes
Marvel’s Phase Four brought a ton of superhero content this year. In 2021, the Marvel Cinematic Universe grew on the silver and small screens alike, with TV series including WandaVision and Loki, plus five full-length feature films. With the studio setting up decades of continuity, all of these shows and movies are connected to a larger narrative that drives ever forward.
Of course, mid and post-credits scenes are one classic way to tease the future of a franchise. Marvel is probably the leader in cliffhangers and teases through their films, which is why we’re rounding up all the 2021 Marvel movie mid-credits and post-credits scenes — as well as their larger implications for upcoming MCU projects.
Black Widow
July 2021
Mid-Credits
Interestingly, there is no mid-credits scene in Black Widow. This is likely because of the way the film functions as a prequel story for our heroine rather than a Phase Four continuation.
Post-Credits
Marvel’s Black Widow takes place chronologically before even Avengers: Infinity War. The post-credits scene, however, is set after the events of Avengers: Endgame. In it, Yelena Belova visits her sister Natasha Romanoff’s grave. She rearranges the flowers, sheds some tears, and stands vigil. During a silent moment of mourning, however, Yelena is interrupted by none other than Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
Introduced in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Contessa Valentina seems to be amassing a ring of powerful yet misguided heroes such as U.S. Agent John Walker. It’s revealed that Yelena works for this woman, though she reminds Contessa Valentina that she’s off that day. Contessa Valentina insists that it isn’t a job, but a chance to go after Natasha’s killer — Clint Barton, AKA Hawkeye. The implications of Yelena’s revenge plot are already unfolding in the Disney+ Hawkeye series, and we will hopefully see in the finale if Yelena and Clint can come to an understanding — or if we’ll be down another OG Avenger.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
September 2021
Mid-Credits
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- Katy, Shang-Chi, Wong, Carol Danvers, and Bruce Banner in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings mid-credits scene tosses newfound heroes Shang-Chi and Katy Chan into the ring — or well, the library — with two Avengers and a wizard. Wong, another guardian of the New York Sanctum Santorum along with Doctor Strange, examines Shang-Chi’s bracelets, confessing that he can’t match them with anything from their extensive codex.
Bruce Banner — no longer resembling his greener counterpart, the Hulk — points out that they aren’t Vibranium, a metal from Black Panther’s homeland, Wakanda. Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers shoots down the possibility that the bracelets are of Chitauri or other alien origin. However, these artifacts date back far longer than when Wenwu owned them, and they are sending a message to an unknown location … or person.
Post-Credits
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- Xu Xialing in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
In the Shang-Chi post-credits scene, we follow Shang-Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing. Back in her childhood room, she removes old posters, drawings, and photographs from her walls. She’s retrieved by her henchman, who tells her, “They’re waiting.”
Xu Xialing already ran and owned her own club and underground fighting arena. Now she controls the Ten Rings organization. The scene shows her sitting at the place of honor as her bodyguard and advisor stand next to her and accountants work down on the floor. As we move farther out of the main building, we see female and male warriors training together — something Xu Xialing was not allowed to do in her youth. This scene potentially sets up for the rumored Disney+ Ten Rings series, or the recently announced Shang-Chi sequel.
Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage
October 2021
Mid-Credits
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- Peter Parker / Spider-Man and Eddie Brock / Venom in Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage
Although not on the official Phase Four lineup, Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage has one of the most important mid-credits scenes of the year because it officially brings Eddie Brock and Venom into the MCU (at least briefly; see Spider-Man: No Way Home below). On the run and living in an island hotel, Eddie and Venom are watching TV when they are suddenly wiped out by Thanos’ Snap — a period of time with many notable absences that the MCU has since referred to as the Blip.
When they wake up/reappear five years later, the hotel room has changed dramatically. It’s modernized, and there’s a new program playing on the television: the public unmasking and identity reveal of Spider-Man by infamous Daily Bugle reporter J. Jonah Jameson. A bewildered Eddie approaches the screen, but Venom takes over. He licks the screen over Peter’s face, foreshadowing a potential role as a villain in Spider-Man’s now multiverse-packed world.
Post-Credits
There is no post-credits scene in Venom 2. The mid-credits scene packs enough of a punch for the both of them.
Eternals
November 2021
Mid-Credits
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- Harry Styles as Eros in Eternals
Eternals’ mid-credits scene features the heroes flying onboard the Domo. Thena, Druig, and Makkari cannot reach the Eternals left on Earth, so they assume the worst — that Arishem has taken them. Preparing to battle Arishem, they are interrupted by the presence of a troll named Pip, who drunkenly announces the arrival of Eros (played by Harry Styles).
Also known as Starfox, the Prince of Titan and Thanos’ brother offers to assist the Eternals in reclaiming their brethren. His motivation and method for doing so is unclear, but the promise of his involvement in the MCU is already incredibly exciting.
Post-Credits
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- Dane Whitman and Sersi in Eternals
For the majority of Eternals, Dane Whitman is simply Sersi’s charming British boyfriend. He’s a sweet human, a civilian to protect, and Sersi’s emotional support. But he’s no fighter; Dane is even pointedly shown to choose the stairs over scaling the side of a building during a Deviant attack. And when Sersi is taken by the Celestial Arishem for judgement, all Dane can do is watch helplessly.
The post-credits scene changes everything for Dane. Hinted throughout the film is the mystery of Dane’s ancestry, of a strained relationship with an uncle and a complicated family history. All the pieces connect as Dane hovers his hand over an ancient box containing the Ebony Blade. This is the beginning of the story and struggle of the Black Knight — plus, we get our first spoken dialogue from Mahershala Ali’s Blade as he questions Dane’s decision to take up the mantle.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
December 2021
***WARNING FOR SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME SPOILERS!***
Mid-Credits
The Spider-Man: No Way Home mid-credits scene swings us away from our main hero, Peter Parker. Instead we visit Eddie Brock and Venom in Mexico, where they woke up after the Blip. A drunk Eddie and Venom discuss superheroes such as Iron Man and the Hulk with a disgruntled bartender. When they stand to leave, there’s a whoosh that they both try to fight against, yelling about “just getting here” before supposedly being transported back to their own universe.
Thus, the Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage mid-credits scene was Eddie’s arrival through the multiverse, not necessarily the MCU. However, Eddie and Venom left behind a symbiote in Spider-Man/”Peter 1’s” universe. In Let There Be Carnage, the tiny symbiote offshoot, when combined with Cletus Kasady’s blood, is what created Carnage. Undoubtedly we’ll soon watch it wreak havoc in the main MCU.
Post-Credits
Instead of a post-credits scene, we got our first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In the new Doctor Strange trailer, there’s ominous voiceover narration replaying the conversation between Stephen, Peter, and Wong about the dangers of the multiverse and the reality bending spell Stephen cast. The desecration of reality has begun — and Stephen needs allies, fast.
Doctor Strange recruits Scarlet Witch, who is living quietly where we left her after WandaVision. Also on his side is America Chavez, the next of Marvel’s Young Avengers to make it to the big screen. Our antagonists include a long-haired Karl Mordo, bent on revenge, and an evil Strange … perhaps the same one we saw in Marvel’s What If…? animated series.
It’s a great teaser with plenty of thought and theory-provoking snippets. Who knows what madness awaits Marvel fans? We can only wait and see.
What was your favorite Marvel mid- or post-credits scene of 2021? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!