Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Marvel Studios’ 2021 filmEternalsdidn’t strike a chord with many superhero movie fans. While praised for its ambition, it quickly became the lowest-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe offering and the franchise’s first to be rated “rotten” on Rotten Tomatoes.
One of the movie’s stars, the Pakistani-American comedian and actorKumail Nanjiani– who played Kingo in the film – hasrecently revealedthat theEternals’poor reception prompted him to seek therapy. That’s so sad to hear, as Nanjiani is a lovely man, and no performer should ever feel like that after giving a project their all – andMarvel Cinematic Universefans, and Nanjiani’s fans, have jumped to both his and the movie’s defense in response.
However, to ensure it doesn’t happen again whenEternals 2inevitably goes into production, Marvel Studios should make these five things happen.
More Familiar Characters
One of the main reasonsEternalsfailed to connect with movie audiences is that it didn’t have any well-known characters. The eponymous team has long been known to comic book enthusiasts, but they’re relatively obscure in mainstream terms. Having the sequel include more establishedMCUcharacters is an obvious way to help it attract fans of the broader franchise. For example,Thor,Captain Marvel, and theGuardians of the Galaxyshare a cosmic nature with the Eternals and should be considered potential candidates for a role in their second film.
A More Recognizable Villain
Thebest Marvel Cinematic Universe villainsare distinct and easily recognizable; most already have a place in mainstream popular culture.Eternals’main villain wasKro, a member of the Deviant species who looked exactly like his fellow Deviants. The only difference between him and the others was that he’d absorbed more powers than them and was, therefore, more powerful.
He wasn’t easily distinguishable and, therefore, didn’t stand out and was easily forgettable. With poor villains being a significant target for criticism by MCU viewers, a more visually distinct antagonist that more casual moviegoers have heard of should be used inEternals 2.
Links to the Wider MCU
InEternals, it’s revealed that the eponymous group’s primary mission is to secretly pave the way for the Emergence, which renders their inactivity during the events of 2018’sAvengers: Infinity Warsomewhat confusing. Thanos’ plans would’ve set the Emergence back years, so why didn’t they intervene?
Regardless, now that the Emergence has been prevented, the Eternals are free to get involved in any issue they deem worthy – and that’s what should happen inEternals 2. In addition to more references to the wider MCU, which will make the film feel more like an MCU installment, viewers should see the group interacting with more characters, concepts, and locations in the franchise.
Resolve Unresolved Issues
The climax ofEternalsleft viewers with more questions than answers, and the sequel should ensure all loose ends are resolved. The gigantic corpse of Tiamat can’t be ignored, left sticking out of the sea and into the upper atmosphere.Arishemshould return to judge the Eternals, as he promised before the credits rolled. Given their role in the mid-credits scene,Starfoxand Pip the Troll should feature. Dane Whitman should become theBlack Knight, given his encounter withBladeand theEbony Bladein the post-credits scene. Essentially, all unresolved issues should be resolved.
Include Characters in Other MCU Projects Beforehand
The biggest problem withEternalswas undoubtedly its characters not connecting with audiences. It wasn’t the actors’ fault – the all-star cast did a great job – but the fact that mainstream moviegoers weren’t familiar with the characters didn’t help. Therefore, to further familiarize viewers with the characters from the movie, they should sporadically appear in other MCU projects beforehand. Examples include Dane Whitman in 2025’sBladeand the Eternals in 2027’sAvengers: Secret Wars. That way, fans will grow to love them and look forward to seeing them again, and hopefully flock to theaters worldwide to watch them in action.
Kevin Stewart
Articles Published :77
Kevin Stewart is a full-time professional freelance writer and editor with 10 years of experience in the industry. He’s produced more than 2000 pieces of published work on sports and entertainment topics - work that includes listicles, news articles, feature articles, voice-over scripts, quizzes, opinion pieces, and more. He’s worked for the likes of NBC SYFY, Paste Magazine, FourFourTwo, Screen Rant, Digital Spy, CBR, WhatCulture, College Humor, The Richest, SportsKeeda, The Sportsman, and SugarScape. As an editor, he’s managed the work of teams of up to 45 writers. He’s a former business owner who’s educated to degree level and has a BA Hons in Business Management. He loves movies (especially horror, 80s films, and superhero flicks), football (Tottenham Hotspur fan), keeping fit, and travelling the world.
More from Kevin Stewart
The Fantastic Four Theory: Reed Richards Will Be Hank Pym’s Professor and Form a Connection to the MCU’s Ant-Man Legacy
5 Great Sydney Sweeney Roles Where She Wasn’t Terribly Miscast Like in Madame Web
Every Upcoming Vanessa Kirby Project Including The Fantastic Four and Why They’ll Be Awesome
Recommended
Switch 2 Scores Another Huge Win, as Indiana Jones The Order of Giants Lands September 4
Sekiro: No Defeat Might Outshine the Elden Ring Movie as FromSoft’s Next Big Adaptation
Everything You Can Unlock In The New Final Final Fantasy 14 X Monster Hunter Wilds Crossover
Gen V Season 2: How Many Episodes Are in the Prime Video Series?
5 Addictive Discord Games That Will Hook Your Whole Squad
Helen Mirren Agrees With Ana de Armas for Next James Bond With Feminist Take
EternalsEternals 2kumail nanjianiMarvel Cinematic UniverseMCU
