Following on from last week’s news that Angelina Jolie is poised to star in The Eternals, THR reports that Kumail Nanjiani is now in talks to join the cast of the upcoming MCU flick.
The Pakistani-American actor is perhaps best known for his work in comedies like HBO’s Silicon Valley and The Big Sick, the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Nanjiani also has some experience in major franchise fare, including the upcoming Men in Black: International. While details on his Eternals role are currently under wraps, it was recently reportedly that Chloe Zhao’s film will begin shooting in London this September, so here’s hoping that further details are just around the corner.
The THR piece also doubles down on the recent rumor that Jolie is set to play Sersi, a more outgoing Eternal who relishes moving amongst humankind. In a previous report, the outlet mentioned that the film will feature a love story between the heroine and Ikaris, a man fueled by cosmic energy.
As it stands, Marvel Studios has offered no comment on these recent casting reports, and is unlikely to do so at least until after Avengers: Endgame has brought the saga’s current era to a close. In the meantime, the rumor that the film will feature the MCU’s first gay lead is proving persistent. A report from last week, for instance, even suggested that the actor might be cast in the role of Marvel Comics hero and frequent Avenger, Hercules.
There’ll be plenty of time for confirmation on these claims before The Eternals arrives in theaters in the final quarter of 2020. In the meantime, you catch Nanjiani in Men in Black: International, which is set for release on June 14th.