Kumail Nanjiani, who portrayed Kingo in Marvel’s Eternals, recently opened up about the plans Marvel had for his character that never came to pass. Despite signing on for multiple movies, video games, and theme park attractions, the lukewarm reception of Eternals in 2021 caused those ambitions to stall, leaving the future of Kingo uncertain. This setback reflects the broader hesitation within Marvel Studios to fully embrace the Eternals narrative in the post-Avengers: Endgame landscape.
The Impact of Eternals’ Reception on Nanjiani’s Career Expectations
During a candid conversation on the Working It Out podcast, Nanjiani shared how deeply disappointed he was when Eternals received poor reviews and underperformed at the box office.
“It came out, it got really bad reviews, and it didn’t do that well. It shattered me too much,”
he admitted. The actor described needing therapy to come to terms with the experience, highlighting how much he had invested emotionally and professionally in the project.
Eternals currently holds a 47% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, placing it among the lowest-rated MCU films—in fact, only slightly higher than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Nanjiani had expected a much different trajectory, revealing,
“I was like, ‘This is going to be my job for the next ten years.’ I signed on for six movies. I signed on for a video game. I signed on for a theme park ride. They make you sign on for all this stuff. You’re like, ‘Okay, so I’ll be doing Marvel movies every year, and in between, I’ll do my own little things. Whatever I want to do.’”
Kingo’s Appearances Across the MCU Despite Limited Development
Although the extensive plans for Kingo never materialized, the character has not been wholly forgotten within the MCU. Kingo received subtle nods in various productions, including being referenced in Ms. Marvel and spotted on posters in shows like Loki and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Additionally, Nanjiani reprised the role in animated form in the What If…? series, providing some continuity for his character.
Despite these small appearances, Nanjiani acknowledged that the original vision for Kingo’s storyline was more expansive. Reflecting on the mixed reactions, he stated,
“There were a few too many people in Eternals if the reviews are to be believed. I loved the movie. I’m very proud of it.”
Uncertain Prospects for Kingo and the Eternals in the MCU’s Future
Fans of Kingo and the Eternals still hope Marvel will revisit the team in upcoming installments. However, with the MCU poised to explore significant events such as the reality-altering crises expected in Avengers: Doomsday, the window for the Eternals to return remains unclear. Marvel Studios continues to reassess how to integrate these characters into its sprawling storyline amid shifting audience responses and studio priorities.
Marvel boss Kevin Feige has previously indicated that some Phase 5 cameos might never reappear, comparing potential character absences to Tim Blake Nelson’s The Incredible Hulk role, which took 17 years for a return. Feige noted,
“It’s about finding what the right moment is,”
hinting at the unpredictable nature of which characters will be spotlighted next.
While Eternals has struggled to gain the same traction as other MCU projects in recent years, the future for Kingo and his comrades remains a point of speculation among fans and industry watchers alike.
