Eternals 2 - Will It Ever Happen?
Out of every film from Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "Eternals" stands as arguably the most ambitious entry of them all. Not only does it introduce fans to an entirely new cast of colorful superpowered characters, but it turns much of what fans know about the cosmic history of the MCU on its head with explorations of concepts like Celestials and Deviants.
"Eternals" leaves viewers with quite a few loose ends regarding the fate of several major characters and the last-minute introduction of several key figures who may have a major impact on the MCU's status quo going forward. As such, it may be surprising to learn that — as far as Marvel Studios' publicly announced plans go — a sequel to "Eternals" does not appear to be in development. Still, there have been some intriguing rumblings regarding such a project that are worth examining. Here's what we know about what has been holding up "Eternals 2," its chances of eventually coming out, and what it might look like if it does.
Why isn't Eternals 2 happening yet?
While no official reason has been given as to why "Eternals 2" isn't happening yet, one of the most likely reasons is that Marvel Studios has a lot of other movies to get to first. The studio has outlined its plans for a sizable number of projects all the way through 2027. "Eternals 2" could very well show up at a future point in the slate when Marvel has the resources available to commit to its production.
In any case, the absence of plans for "Eternals 2" certainly isn't from a lack of desire on the part of "Eternals" director Chloé Zhao. In October 2021, fresh off the premiere of "Eternals," the filmmaker told The Playlist that she would happily return for a sequel. "I would be back in a second working with the team at Marvel for sure," she said at the time. However, her stance has become decidedly vague in more recent times. When asked about plans for "Eternals 2" by The Hollywood Reporter in March 2023, she bluntly replied: "No comment."
Some have taken Zhao's coyness as an implicit indication that "Eternals 2" has entered development behind the scenes and simply hasn't been publicly announced yet. Some buzz on the rumor front supports this idea, with ostensible industry insiders like KC Walsh and Daniel Richtman suggesting that "Eternals 2" has been added to Marvel Studios' internal production calendar. It's all still speculation for now.
What the Eternals cast has said about Eternals 2
In the time since the release of "Eternals," multiple members of the cast have made various comments on the possibility of an "Eternals 2" and what they personally know about the project. Unfortunately, the public stance for many of them is that they haven't yet heard about any plans for such a project. In a November 2022 interview with The Playlist, Kumail Nanjiani said that he had no idea whether a sequel to "Eternals" was happening, but that he would like to return to the role of Kingo. Around that same time, Barry Keoghan and Kit Harington indicated to GQ and the Happy Sad Confused podcast, respectively, that they had not heard word of such a project, either.
There has been some muddying of the waters, however. "Eternals" actor Patton Oswalt made headlines in August 2022 when he suggested on the Today Show that "Eternals 2" was in the works and that Chloé Zhao was returning to direct it. However, he later clarified his comments in a February 2023 issue of Empire Magazine, stating that it was a misunderstanding. "If there is going to be a sequel, I'll be the last to know," he said. "I was catfished by the Internet."
Perhaps the strangest piece of evidence on the actors' front comes from "Eternals" star Don Lee — or, rather, his management agency. On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @UPDATESETERNALS posted a translation of a post from Lee's agency, which lists out some of his upcoming projects. Among those noted was "Eternals 2," and no efforts have been made to clarify or correct the statement since its original posting in December 2022.
What Marvel Studios executives have said about Eternals 2
When it comes to learning more about a potential film project, there's no better source than the studio itself. Fortunately, a couple of key Marvel Studios executives have commented on the idea of an "Eternals 2," but that doesn't mean it's all good news. In an interview with The Toronto Sun, "Eternals" producer and vice president of production and development at Marvel Studios Nate Moore described a potential sequel to the 2021 film as non-essential. "It's not something that is a must-have," he explained. "Obviously, we have ideas of where we could go, but there isn't a hard and fast rule where we have to have three of these things and this is the first."
Nonetheless, while Marvel Studios execs won't commit to an "Eternals" sequel, they have remained steadfast that audiences will see many of the characters in the MCU again. After all, the first movie ended with the stinger that the "Eternals will return." "I don't want to spoil anything, but we have not seen the last of those characters," Moore said in an interview with ComicBook.com.
Meanwhile, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has particularly singled out Harry Styles' Starfox and Patton Oswalt's Pip the Troll as characters with a concrete future in the MCU. "The adventures of Eros and Pip is something that is very exciting for us," he told MTVNews at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.
What could be explored in Eternals 2
Owing to its lack of an official announcement, there are no concrete details on what "Eternals 2" might focus on in terms of its plot. However, the ending of "Eternals" offers some pretty clear clues at what the focus for the next installment could be.
At the end of "Eternals," the Eternals split into two distinct groups. Druig, Thena, and Makkari leave Earth to travel the cosmos and inform the Eternals of other planets about potential Celestial Emergences like the one they stopped on Earth. Meanwhile, Sersi, Kingo, and Phastos return to their peaceful lives on Earth — that is, until Arishem kidnaps the trio and informs them that they will stand trial for the fate of humanity. It's quite the cliffhanger.
"Eternals 2" would likely follow these two groups, with Sersi's party facing off against Arishem and attempting to save humankind while Druig's group searches for them in the hopes of a potential rescue. Of course, the first "Eternals" has quite the complex story, so there would surely be a few narrative wrinkles tossed in to keep audiences guessing.
Who would star in Eternals 2?
If "Eternals 2" happens, it would likely star many of the same cast members as the first film. Among those likely to return include Gemma Chan as Sersi, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Barry Keoghan as Druig, and Angelina Jolie as Thena. Based on a couple of teases from the ending of "Eternals" and its post-credits scenes, it stands to reason that the cast may also include Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, Harry Styles as Starfox, and Patton Oswalt as Pip the Troll.
There are several main "Eternals" actors whose potential returns are a bit on the iffier side due to the events of the first film. For instance, Lia McHugh's Sprite finishes "Eternals" by voluntarily losing her superpowers in order to become human and grow old, so it's unclear whether she would come back. Then, there's Richard Madden's Ikaris, who "Eternals" writer Kaz Firpo told Comic Book Resource is dead for good after flying into the sun at the end of the first movie. However — and this isn't confirmed yet — industry insider Daniel Richtman has reported that Ikaris will indeed be returning for a sequel, although we don't know how know how he's coming back to life just yet. There are also rumors that Don Lee will reprise his part of Gilgamesh, so it seems the Eternals really are eternal.
As for whether any stars from other branches of the MCU might make a cameo, that's a roll of the dice at the moment. Arguably the most likely candidate on this front is Mahershala Ali's Blade, who had a speaking-only role in "Eternals." Perhaps fans might see him in the flesh for the second movie.