While Eternals was a bust for Marvel Studios in many ways, fans were certain that Eternals 2 was on the horizon. However, Kumail Nanjiani, who played Kingo in the film, has stated that he's unsure of whether the project will be happening, despite Patton Oswalt's previous comments.
Eternals was released in November of 2021 to middling-at-best critical reviews. Its box office was sluggish, and it represented a poor start for the Eternals in the MCU, a team which Disney reportedly wanted to make a central aspect of their universe moving forward. Some comments, such as one by producer Nate Moore, indicate that the Eternals will be returning to the MCU, but it's difficult to say in what capacity that might be.
While appearing on the Bingeworthy podcast, Nanjiani spoke about comments made by Oswalt. Oswalt reportedly accidentally confirmed Eternals 2 back in August, when he appeared on NBC'S Today Show and said Eternals 2 would be happening with Chloe Zhao returning to direct. "I have no idea. I don’t think Patton was right. I think that there was a hoax website – one of those where it’s like one letter off from the real one. They tweeted it, and it spread around and I think that’s what Patton saw," Nanjiani stated. "I honestly don’t know anything. I would love for Kingo to come back. I love playing that character…That one’s very fun to play, you’re just in a good mood. You do finger guns, you’re like a movie star – what’s not to love? You’re just in a good mood the entire time.”
Nanjiani did say that he was willing to come back, saying he "loved what the MCU is doing now." After reports that the Eternals almost appeared in Moon Knight, Nanjiani also appeared eager to team up with another Marvel superheroine: Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani). "I would love to pair up with Ms. Marvel! I just love that show and I thought Iman was so good, and I just got to meet her and hang out with her for the first time, and she’s just such a talented actor and such a wonderful human being and I think we’d be great on screen together," Nanjiani said. "I’d love to be paired up with Ms. Marvel."
While Eternals had a divided response from MCU fans, which Zhao commented on, the performances weren't necessarily what fans took issue with. The movie feels a bit disjointed at times and takes itself just a bit too seriously when it stars characters named Kingo, Ikarus (Richard Madden), and Sersi (Gemma Chan). Fans also took issue with some of the liberties the film took with the source material.
Nanjiani's return, on the other hand, would probably be welcome, especially if he's teaming up with Ms. Marvel, another character played by a South Asian actor. There's also been speculation that Shang-Chi may be linked to the Eternals, which means a team-up between him and the Eternals could happen. The characters could also appear in an Avengers film. Hopefully, the cliffhanger that Eternals ended on is addressed one way or another.
Eternals is now available on Disney Plus.
Source: Bingeworthy Podcast via The Playlist
