Eternals Star Reveals Marvel’s Scrapped Plans as Director Opens Up About Film’s Struggles

August 29, 2025 - New revelations continue to emerge about Marvel Studios’ troubled 2021 film Eternals, with star Kumail Nanjiani opening up today about ambitious plans that were ultimately scrapped following the movie’s disappointing reception, while director Chloé Zhao has been candid about the production challenges that led to the film’s struggles.

Nanjiani Discusses Abandoned MCU Plans

In breaking news today, Kumail Nanjiani, who portrayed Kingo in Eternals, has revealed details about the extensive plans Marvel Studios had for the cosmic superhero team that never came to fruition. The actor opened up about the fallout from Eternals and what appears to have been ambitious expansion plans for the characters within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Eternals became the first MCU film to receive a “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, despite earning $402 million worldwide during the early period of audiences returning to theaters following the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was ultimately deemed a box office disappointment, leading to the apparent shelving of sequel plans and the team’s integration into larger MCU storylines.

The revelations come as part of ongoing discussions about the film’s legacy and missed opportunities within Marvel’s Phase 4 expansion. Nanjiani’s comments shed light on just how significant Marvel’s plans were for the Eternals characters before the film’s reception changed the studio’s direction.

Director Reflects on Production Challenges

This news follows recent candid admissions from Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao about why Eternals struggled to connect with audiences. In interviews over the past few days, Zhao has been remarkably open about the production’s challenges and her learning experiences from working within the Marvel system.

On August 28, Zhao revealed that the film’s massive budget actually worked against the creative process. “Eternals had, like, an unlimited amount of money and resources,” Zhao explained, describing how the lack of limitations proved “quite dangerous” for the filmmaking process. She contrasted this with her current project Hamnet, where budget constraints forced more meaningful creative decisions.

Zhao also attributed some of the film’s struggles to its delayed release timing, noting that Eternals “was planned to be released soon after Endgame, and not at a time when everyone is having an existential crisis” during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The director acknowledged that the film’s themes about existential crisis for both humanity and gods may have been poorly timed for audiences grappling with real-world uncertainty.

Personal Impact on Cast Members

The film’s reception has had lasting effects on its cast. In recent interviews, Nanjiani has been particularly candid about how the failure affected him personally. “I had waited a year and a half during the pandemic thinking, ‘When this comes out, everything changes.’ But then it came out, got bad reviews, and bombed,” Nanjiani revealed, adding that he needed therapy to process the experience.

The actor had reportedly signed contracts for six films, a video game, and even a theme park attraction, expecting his future in the MCU to be secure before the film’s poor performance changed those plans.

Current Status in the MCU

The Eternals have been largely absent from the MCU since their 2021 debut, with only minor references appearing in subsequent projects. Recent developments have seen the characters return in limited capacity through animated projects, though their treatment has been somewhat diminished from their original presentation.

The body of Tiamut, the Celestial whose emergence the Eternals prevented, has appeared in promotional materials for upcoming MCU projects, suggesting the events of Eternals may still have relevance to future storylines despite the apparent abandonment of direct sequel plans.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed there are currently no plans for an Eternals sequel, marking a rare instance of the studio stepping back from a property after its initial introduction. The revelations from Nanjiani and Zhao’s recent interviews provide insight into both the ambitious plans that were scaled back and the creative challenges that contributed to the film’s struggles within the broader MCU narrative.