‘The Eternals’: Will Angelina Jolie and Other New Characters Appear in Other MCU Movies or Shows?
In The Eternals, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will get a time-jumping journey unlike any that the fans have seen before.
While time travel, intergalactic travel, and superhero team-ups are far from uncommon in the wildly popular franchise, the next chapter will take concepts that have already played out and expand on them extensively. With an all-star cast of Angelina Jolie and Kumail Nanjiani, the fans are excited, too.
However, while the all-star cast is sure to bring an audience, many wonder if the film will have the universal impact that other MCU films had.
What are the Eternals?
Like Thor, Ego, and countless other MCU characters, the Eternals do not get their powers from super suits and accidents gone awry. They are born into a life of godlike power that renders them unique from the very beginning. As such, the titular beings have a special place in the eyes of Marvel fans. With a history going back to before humanity, they also serve as gatekeepers, watchmen, and occasional protectors.
Led by a Prime Eternal, a powerful leader within the bunch who bears the burden of extra power, the super collective is joined together by fate and answers, not to any government or one leader.
Still, a collective who, when working together, can be more potent than anything the MCU has ever seen. Of course, being a Marvel property, this also means that someone uses powers for ill. Their main enemy, Kro, is often seen trying to manipulate his way to intergalactic domination.
Fresh off of Thanos could make for an exciting look into a different type of all-powerful being.
What is the movie?
One of several projects on the slate for 2021, The Eternals boasts a larger cast than any MCU property that isn’t an event film. Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, Kit Harrington, and Kumail Nanjiani flesh out the star-studded affair directed by indie darling Chloe Zhao. The film will follow the history of the earth through their minds, likely ending wherever the MCU’s events go at the time.
According to MCU overseer Kevin Feige, the makers have ensured that this is presented in a way that fits right into the MCU and expands the universe in ways we haven’t seen until now.
“[Eternals is] an epic that spans 7,000 years of human history, has cosmic connotations, and changes everything we know about the MCU,” he said at a recent event. (Per Cosmic Book News). “The movie, it’s ambitious, and takes place over 7000 years from present-day to Mesopotamia to all sorts of locations and time periods and really feels like nothing we’ve done before.”
However, with such an ambitious project coming in later this year, many fans on Reddit are left wondering why the cast hasn’t been announced for any other Marvel projects.
The fans chime in
Being cast in a Marvel movie often means that you’ve been cast in several others. Whether someone holds the massive star power of Robert Downey Jr. or appears sporadically like William Hurt has since Incredible Hulk, being in a Marvel movie often offers more job security than nearly any Hollywood franchise. Because of this, many fans are surprised that the cast’s further involvement hasn’t been confirmed.
When a user asked other posters what they thought would come from the ambitious project’s cast, most assumed that fate would be revealed after the movie premieres like most other Marvel properties. To see this, look no further than The Guardians of the Galaxy, who spent two films largely independent of the universe below before joining the Avengers to fight Thanos. Reddit user u/cbekel3618 said as much.
“There’s no way these are “one and done” characters. I think they’ll probably act as this new saga’s equivalent to the Guardians where they have their own movies and officially merge with the greater MCU in the IW/EG-level movie. Or Sersi and/or Black Knight can appear in Avengers movies or Black Knight in an Excalibur movie,” wrote the user.
It was a sentiment that was echoed by most other fans. While the MCU is meant to entertain, it’s also meant to make money. Until the franchise has an unabashed flop or another contract disagreement like they did with Spider-Man, it isn’t likely that any project is built as a one-off adventure for the characters.
Now, fans only have to wait until November 6. 2021 to see where[p they will fit inside the MCU. From there, it might take a little bit of time to figure out what’s happening next.
