Now that Marvel Studios have moved on from the decade-long Infinity Saga following Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is looking to really shake things up in Phase Four and beyond. While the studio’s upcoming slate of projects does feature its fair share of sequels and returning characters, only Black Widow and Black Panther 2 are what could be described as straightforward adventures.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is being touted as the MCU’s first venture into the horror genre, Thor: Love and Thunder will see Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster take up the mantle of the God of Thunder, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be the studio’s first blockbuster led by an Asian superhero. However, the most interesting installment in Phase Four could well be The Eternals, which looks to take the cosmic side of the comic book franchise to another level.
Only Marvel Studios could use a millennia-spanning space saga about immortal aliens to also take a huge step forward in terms of onscreen representation, and they’ve done just that, with Golden Globe winner Richard Madden set to play Ikaris, the MCU’s first openly-gay superhero. The actor has praised the diversity of the movie’s impressive ensemble cast, but he also seems to be excited at the prospect of reuniting with a familiar face.
Kit Harington was recently announced to be joining the MCU, and it was swiftly confirmed at D23 that he would be joining The Eternals as Black Knight. Both actors landed their breakout roles in Game of Thrones long before fans turned their back on the fantasy series, and Madden seems excited to link up with the man who knows nothing once again.
“It’s brilliant. It’s been about ten years since we’ve worked together, I think. So we’ve moved on a bit onto different things, so I’m really excited to get back on set.”
The fans have already made their excitement known about two of Westeros’ favorite sons reuniting in the MCU, but Madden and Harington are just two of the names in The Eternals‘ eclectic cast alongside Dunkirk’s Barry Keoghan, Captain Marvel’s Gemma Chan, Atlanta’s Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie.
