Kumail Nanjiani on His MCU Commitment
Kumail Nanjiani, best known for his role as Kingo in Eternals, recently revealed the scale of Marvel’s original plans for his character. In fact, speaking on the Working It Out podcast, the actor explained that his contract suggested a long-term journey with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“I signed on for six movies. Then they asked me to commit to a video game. At that point, I was like, ‘This is going to be my job for the next ten years.’ 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.’”
For Nanjiani, the agreement meant preparing for a decade-long commitment. Moreover, it could have placed Kingo at the center of several Marvel projects.
The Impact of Eternals’ Reception on Kumail Nanjiani
However, the ambitious plans quickly faded when Eternals underperformed both critically and commercially. The 2021 film, directed by Chloé Zhao, attempted to introduce a new team of ancient heroes but struggled to connect with audiences in the same way other MCU entries had.
“It came out, it got terrible reviews, and it didn’t do that well. It shattered me too much. That was when I was like, ‘Oh, I need to go to therapy to figure this out.’”
The actor candidly admitted that the harsh reception took a serious emotional toll. While some fans appreciated the movie’s bold storytelling and cosmic scale, others felt the large ensemble cast left too little room for individual characters like Kingo to shine.
How Kumail Nanjiani Views His Role Today
How Kumail Nanjiani Views His Role Today
“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.”
For him, the experience was both a career milestone and a lesson in resilience.
Kingo’s Presence Beyond Eternals
Although Kingo has not taken center stage since his debut, Marvel has kept subtle references to the character alive.
- Name-dropped in Ms. Marvel – acknowledging Kingo’s fame as a Bollywood superstar.
- Poster Cameos – his likeness appeared in background shots of Loki and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
- Animated Return – Nanjiani reprised his role to voice Kingo in What If…?, keeping the character within MCU canon.
These moments, while small, remind fans that Kingo has not been completely erased from Marvel’s vast universe.
Will Kumail Nanjiani Return to the MCU?
With Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars on the horizon, speculation grows about which characters will return. Marvel Studios has been known to bring back heroes—even those from less successful projects—when a larger crossover demands it.
Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo remains one of the few Eternals referenced outside the 2021 film, suggesting Marvel may still see potential in the character. However, with no official announcements, his future remains unclear.
The Larger Picture: Marvel’s Changing Landscape
The uncertainty surrounding Kingo reflects Marvel’s broader challenges. In recent years, the MCU has experimented with new characters and stories while facing audience fatigue. Eternals was meant to expand the cosmic side of the universe, yet its reception caused Marvel to scale back some of those plans.
For actors like Kumail Nanjiani, this shift has meant adjusting expectations. Signing on to Marvel once guaranteed long-term stability, but the studio now seems more selective about which characters it pushes forward.
For fans, Nanjiani’s honesty offers a rare look at the pressures actors face within the MCU machine. His story highlights both the opportunities and risks of joining the franchise. Even when characters don’t receive the spotlight originally promised, the cultural impact of being part of Marvel remains significant. As the next Avengers films approach, viewers will continue to wonder whether Kingo—and Kumail Nanjiani—will step back into the spotlight or remain on the sidelines of Marvel’s evolving narrative.
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