Kumail Nanjiani is opening up about how the fallout from Eternals left him shaken and uncertain about his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Nearly four years after the 2021 film’s release, the actor admits the experience was far from what he imagined when he first signed on.
Speaking on the Working It Out podcast, Nanjiani revealed that he had agreed to a six-movie deal, along with commitments for a video game and even a theme park ride, believing Marvel would shape the next decade of his career.
“I was like, ‘This is going to be my job for the next ten years,’” he shared.
“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, ‘This is the next ten years of my life. Okay, so I’ll be doing Marvel movies every year, and in between, I’ll do my own little things.’”
But when Eternals was met with underwhelming reviews and a mixed box office response, the actor said it hit him harder than expected.
“It came out, it got really bad reviews, and it didn’t do that well. It shattered me too much,” he admitted, adding that the disappointment ultimately pushed him to seek therapy.
“For me, what really hit me, was just realizing too much of my self esteem was tied up in other people’s reaction to my work.”
Directed by Chloé Zhao, Eternals featured an ensemble cast including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan and Brian Tyree Henry.
Despite the negative reception, Nanjiani still stands by the project.
“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 the movie,” he said.
The film earned $402 million worldwide and currently holds a 47% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, the future of the franchise remains unclear.
Back in 2022, Nanjiani admitted he had “no idea” if a sequel was in the works, though reports at the time suggested discussions were happening. “I honestly don’t know anything,” he said.
“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?”
For now, fans of Nanjiani and his scene-stealing Kingo will have to wait and see if Marvel decides to bring the character back, but the actor’s candid reflections show just how much the highs and lows of Hollywood can shape even a superhero’s journey.
