Since the release of Marvel's Eternals in 2021, updates on the characters have been scarce. Outside of a brief appearance in a What If? episode and a minor reference in Captain America: Brave New World, it remains uncertain whether the MCU will meaningfully revisit them. However, actor Kumail Nanjiani recently suggested that his character—and perhaps others—may have originally been slated for a more substantial long-term role in the MCU.
Appearing on a recent episode of the Working It Out podcast, Nanjiani reflected on the film’s reception and revealed that he initially signed a multi-project deal with Marvel, which included "six movies, a video game, and a theme park attraction." At the time, he assumed, "This will be my focus for the next decade...I’d alternate between Marvel projects and personal passion projects. But ultimately, none of that materialized."
It appears that Marvel’s ambitious plans for the Eternals were scaled back following the film’s lukewarm reception from both critics and viewers. Although it posted a solid opening at the box office, enthusiasm quickly waned, and the film ultimately underperformed financially. In 2022, Patton Oswalt seemed to hint at an Eternals sequel directed by Chloé Zhao, but unless Nanjiani is deliberately misleading fans, there’s no indication such a project is currently in development.
Nanjiani has previously spoken candidly about how the mixed response to Eternals affected him personally. In an interview last March, he noted that Marvel had high expectations for the film’s success, and he personally believed it was strong—so much so, that he anticipated a positive audience reaction.
When reviews and audience scores proved disappointing, Nanjiani admitted feeling deeply disheartened. "It was an incredibly difficult time, and I realized, 'This isn’t fair to me, and it isn’t fair to [my wife] Emily,'" he shared back in March. "I knew I had to change my approach to work—something had to give. That’s when I decided to start therapy."
During the recent Working It Out episode, Nanjiani reiterated these feelings, adding that his latest stand-up set dedicates its final 15 minutes to this very experience.
In our review, we awarded Marvel’s Eternals a 7/10, stating, "Eternals delivers striking visuals and powerful performances, but the ambitious third act struggles to tie everything together."
