‘Eternals’ Actor Kumail Nanjiani Laments Six-Picture Deal At Marvel Studios For Kingo Going Nowhere

To say we were thrilled when comedic actor Kumail Nanjiani (“The Big Sick,” “Silicon Valley”) joined the MCU with his role of Kingo in “Eternals” would be an understatement, but he’s now revealing his original contract with Marvel included a six-picture deal, including the possibility of being involved with a video game and theme park ride.

Earlier in the month, Nanjiani spoke with fellow stand-up comedian and podcaster Mike Birbiglia on his podcast “Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out” about his experience on the MCU installment helmed by Chloé Zhao (which earned $402 million at the box office) and detailed his contract.

“I was like, ‘This is going to be my job for the next ten years.’ 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, ‘Okay, so I’ll be doing Marvel movies every year, and in between, I’ll do my own little things. Whatever I want to do,'” Nanjiani said.

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“None of that happened. For me, what really hit me was realizing that too much of my self-esteem is wrapped up in other people’s reactions to my work. People have way bigger problems than this…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 it.”

Kingo, one of the more public-facing members of the long-living Eternals, has the alter ego of a Bollywood actor, making him not only famous across the globe but also exceedingly wealthy.

Kumail, like other MCU comedians turned superheroes such as Chris Pratt and Paul Rudd, worked his butt-off to get into amazing shape for the role, so that was likely another annoying factor involved. Then again, it looks like Nanjiani has been keeping up with the training and exercising, so maybe Marvel will reconsider the return of the “Eternals” after the cliffhanger ending when the group is off in outer space, teasing a follow-up that never happened (persistent internet rumors claimed “Eternals 2” was in the works, but never materialized).

We have to assume that with this six-picture deal, the cast was being lined up to appear in the next round of “Avengers” movies alongside “Eternals” sequels, although their names haven’t popped up in that previous casting reveal by Marvel for “Avengers: Doomsday.”

It should be noted that Nanjiani doesn’t sound terribly optimistic about a return and could rebuff various corners of the internet claiming the Eternals’ grand return for “Avengers,” nothing official is pointing toward that and should be treated as a rumor for the moment (if the internet is to be believed, every actor who has ever appeared in the MCU or a Marvel movie is showing up, which doesn’t sound all that logical or appealing).

The movie’s disappointing returns at the box office seemed to be an extremely early sign that future MCU movies could see hurdles attracting audiences, as seen with things like “Captain America: Brave New World” ($415 million) and “Thunderbolts” ($382.4 million) recently earning similar but lower than expected numbers. Something like Nia DaCosta‘s “The Marvels” got hit the hardest, only mustering $206 million.

Not like “Eternals” misfiring damaged Nanjiani’s career as he ended up joining the “Star Wars” franchise, appearing as a con-artist in the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series, and is continuing to get work.

Listen to that full conversation between Nanjiani and Birbiglia below.