Kumail Nanjiani Set to Join Marvel’s The Eternals

Kumail Nanjiani is the latest star set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Big Sick and Silicon Valley star is in talks to appear alongside Angelina Jolie in The Eternals, one of two superhero films that Marvel is planning to shoot this year, per THR.

The Eternals is based on one of Jack Kirby’s more obscure and complex 1970s comic series, which was revived by Neil Gaiman early in the 2000s. The movie will revolve around a near-immortal group of god-like beings known as the Eternals, and will feature a “love story between Ikaris, a man fueled by cosmic energy, and Sersi, who relishes moving amongst humans,” per THR.

While much of The Eternals is being kept under wraps, some have speculated that Marvel intends the series to be a major offshoot of the Avengers franchise, and have attempted to draw connections between The Eternals and Avengers antagonist Thanos.

Feige tapping someone like Jolie for THE ETERNALS means they’re putting a lot behind the movie. They hope it to be a franchise like Guardians or Avengers.

— Jeremy Conrad (@ManaByte) March 27, 2019

Chloe Zhao, hot off of her critically-acclaimed drama The Rider, will direct for the Disney-owned giant.