After nearly two years without an MCU movie in theaters, Marvel is coming back full force in the second half of 2021, with a string of anticipated releases includingBlack Widow,Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, andSpider-Man: No Way Homeall on the way. However, there hasn’t been a massive A-list superhero team-up since the MCU’s record-shattering blockbuster achievement,Avengers Endgame.Well, at least not until now! After much anticipation, theEternalstrailer finally arrived in May, offering our first look at the new superhero team taking center stage in the MCU - and the outstanding ensemble of performers playing them.
As a quick primer on the comics mythology, the Eternals are a race of enhanced humans who were created by the Celestials. Eternals have a core set of shared powers and abilities, derived from cosmic energy, which include super-strength, telepathy and telekinesis, levitation and flight, and the ability to manipulate matter - even their own molecules, which gives them tremendous healing abilities and makes them incredibly difficult to kill. Their individual abilities usually come from their skill at manipulating matter in specific ways, granting them distinct or stronger powers that other Eternals might not share. The Celestials created the Deviants, a less powerful but dangerous race that are instantly recognizable for their mutations (Thanos himself was part Deviant), who wage war against their Eternal counterparts.
So now, let’s get down to the Eternals themselves, who they are in the comics, what we know about how they’ve been reinvented for the film, and the actors playing them. The cast includesAngelina Jolie,Richard Madden,Salma Hayek,Kumail Nanjiani, andKit Harringtonto name just a few. And the prestige doesn’t end in front of the camera.Eternalssees recent Best Picture and Best Director Oscar-winnerChloe Zhaomake her blockbuster debut as director and co-writer of the MCU epic. Before we get to see the Zhao-led production in theatres later this year, here is some info on the characters and actors that will take part in the film.
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Angelina Jolie as Thena
Thena is a fierce warrior and an Eternal who has lived for thousands of years. According to the comic books, she is the daughter of Zuras and has the power to transform anything into a lethal weapon by harnessing cosmic energy, in addition to the superstrength and ageless longevity that comes with being an Eternal. Thena is also involved in a forbidden love affair since she falls for Kro, who is a Deviant and among the Eternals’ greatest enemies.
An Oscar-winning actress who became an international superstar and one of the first women to dominate the box office as a go-to action star with films likeLara Croft: Tomb Raider,Mr. and Mrs. Smith, andSalt, Angelina Jolie had left the action scene for a while but is now ready to make her comeback. Not only is she playing Thena in the MCU, she also recently starred as survival expert Hannah Faber inTaylor Sheridan’sThose Who Wish Me Dead. In addition to being one of the most well-known actors in the world, Jolie has a resume of extensive humanitarian work and has established herself as an acclaimed director with films likeFirst They Killed My FatherandUnbroken.
Richard Madden as Ikaris
As one of the main leaders of the Eternals’ squad, Ikaris is tactical and powerful, but also kind and charismatic. His focus is to maintain the group’s safety amidst the battle with the Deviants. He possesses all the abilities and immunities that come with being an Eternal, and in the comics, he’s often portrayed as the Prime Eternal, the most powerful of them all. In the film, he is romantically linked to Sersi.
Richard Madden has been in the spotlight for quite some time following his breakout role as Robb Stark, aka the King in the North, inGame of Thrones. He’s also known for playingCinderella’s prince charming, John Reid inRocketman, and his starring role in the breakout British thriller seriesBodyguard.
Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo
In the comics, Kingo is considered one of the most skillful swordsmen on Earth, having spent years training as a Samurai in Japan. He is not only a cosmic-powered member of the Eternals, but uses his swordsman skills to become a famous movie action star. Like many of the characters, he’s being a bit reinvented, and in the trailer, we get a glimpse of Kingo as a Bollywood star (where eagle-eyed observers might note that his costume looks an awful lot like Ikaris' super suit). There isn’t much insight into his upbringings in the comic books, but they might expand his narrative in the film.
InEternals,Kingo is played byKumail Nanjiani, popularly known for his comedic work in HBO’s Emmy-winning seriesSilicon Valley, as well as film roles inStuber,The Lovebirds, and his Oscar-nominated semi-autobiographical romantic dramaThe Big Sick, which he co-wrote with his wifeEmily V. Gordon.
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Lauren Ridloff as Makkari
A couple of characters were gender-swapped in the upcoming feature. Amongst them is Makkari, whose origins are related to the Greek god Mercury. She is a member of the Eternals’ ensemble, with all the standard cosmic superpowers that come with the territory, but Makkari is distinct as the film’s speedster and the fastest Eternal of them all. Though the character is not deaf in the comics, Makkari is played by deaf actressLauren Ridloff, who is best known for her role as Connie onThe Walking Deadand recently appeared inSound of Metal.
Ridloff’s work as Makkari introduces the first deaf superhero in the MCU, and in an interview withHeyUGuys, the actress spoke how excited she is to represent the deaf community, “I am more thrilled than overwhelmed about being given the opportunity to represent the deaf community. I’m very thrilled about that - just to bring in that storyline within the MCU. I think there’s plenty of room for more stories like that.”
Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos
Phastos was not included in the original lineup of Eternals in Kirby’s comic book series, introduced later in 1985’s Eternals Vol 2 #1. However, the character played byBrian Tyree Henrywill already be part of group in the feature film and will utilize all his abilities forging weapons in the battle with the Deviants. Phastos is a genius inventor and engineer, and in the film, he will introduce the MCU’s first openly gay superhero. ActorHaaz Sleiman(Little America) plays Phastos' husband, and in an interview with Logo’sNewNowNext, he revealed, “I just shot a Marvel film with the first openly gay superhero, The Eternals. I’m married to the gay superhero Phastos, played by Atlanta’s Brian Tyree Henry, and we represent a gay family and have a child…For me it’s very important to show how loving and beautiful a queer family can be.”
Henry is an Emmy-nominated actor who has emerged as quite the scene-stealer in recent years, earning acclaim for his performance as Alfred ‘Paper Boi’ Miles inDonald Glover’s FX seriesAtlanta. His film performances include inWidows,Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and most recently,Godzilla vs. Kong.
Salma Hayek as Ajak
Ajak is the Eternals’ headmaster and has the power to teleport. She is also another character who has been gender-swapped in this production. Her origins are linked to the Incans and she took part in the Trojan War. Ajak is the voice we hear narrating in the firstEternalstrailer, teasing, “We have watched and guided. We have helped them progress, and seen them accomplish wonders. Throughout the years, we have never interfered. Until now.”
In the film, Ajak is played bySalma Hayek, the Oscar-nominated international superstar known for films likeFrida,Savages,Desperado, andDogma. Most recently, Hakey appeared in Amazon’s sci-fi thrillerBlissand the action sequelHitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, and later this year, she’ll be inRidley Scott’sHouse of Gucci.In an interview withVariety, the actress revealed that she felt claustrophobic when seeing the costume for the first time, but the feeling didn’t last after the fitting process. Instead, it was replaced with the pride of representing a Mexican woman leading the superhero group. “I forgot about how does it fit? Am I going to get a claustrophobic attack?” Hayek said, “All I could see was, ‘Oh my God, here’s a Mexican female in this outfit and this is really happening. And yes, we get to be superheroes.’”
Lia McHugh as Sprite
Sprite might look like a child, but she has lived for thousands of years and in the comics, the character is known for being a trickster who excels at using Celestial powers of manipulation. Throughout her life as an Eternal, Sprite spent most of her time on Earth developing her trickery and illusion-casting skills.
Lia McHughwill play the gender-swapped version of this comic book character. She is the youngest actress within theEternalscast, and her recognizable roles includeThe LodgeandSongbird. In an interview with EW, the young actress discussed why she wasn’t daunted by playing Sprite as an adult, “I find it easier than the average kid to play an adult because I’ve been around so many and I understand the maturity a bit more that comes with being an adult,”
Don Lee as Gilgamesh
His proper identity is Gilgamesh, but he is called by multiple names. In the comic books, he is referred to as the “Forgotten One”, because he spends the majority of his life with humankind, and he is thought to be the figures humankind came to know as Hercules and Sampson. As you might expect from that description, he’s considered one of the strongest beings in the Marvel universe. Gilgamesh also becomes one of the Avengers in the original storyline.
Don Lee(who also goes by Ma Dong-seok) will portray the character on-screen. The actor is a superstar in South Korea, with an extensive resume that includesThe Good the Bad the Weird,The Outlaws,Familyhood, and his international breakout role inTrain to Busan.
Gemma Chan as Sersi
Sersi is an Eternal that decides to take the form of a museum curator in New York City. Just like Gilgamesh, she becomes part of the Avengers in the comic books, and her greatest strength is her capacity to transform any object or person. And among the Eternals, she’s taking on one of the largest roles in the film. In an interview withVariety, Kevin Feige explained, “if there was a lead in this ensemble, it is Sersi, it isGemma Chan.” The character is also caught up in a love triangle in the film, romantically linked to both Ikaris and Dane Whitman. In an interview withVanity Fair Italy,Chan revealed, “Sersi is the one that has the most affinity with humans, indeed is even involved in two love stories, an absolute novelty for Marvel events and one of the reasons that attracted me to this project.”
Gemma Chan is best known for starring inCrazy Rich Asiansand the critically celebrated sci-fi seriesHumans. She is also amongst the few actors to more than one character within the MCU, having previously starred as Minn-Erva inCaptain Marvel.
Kit Harrington as Dane Whitman
Setting aside the characters with supernatural powers, Dane Whitman isn’t an Eternal. He is a genius physicist who inherits from his uncle a mantle that belonged to the Black Knight. Little does he know that the Black Night is a villain! He’s not just a genius who’s skillful with a sword; Dane Whitman also goes on to fight with the Avengers several times in the comics, and he also inherits a curse thanks to his signature sword, Ebony Blade. In the film, he’s romantically involved with Sersi.
Dane Whitman is played byGame of ThronesstarKit Harrington, bringingEternals' King in the North tally to two! Harrington is also known for the action epicPompeii, the HBO comedy7 Days in Hell, and voicing Eret in theHow to Train Your Dragonfranchise.
