The ranks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe continue to grow, and with some breaking news on Friday afternoon, another Oscar-nominee is set to join the franchise. Writer and comedian Kumail Nanjiani, who just starred in the series premiere of Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone reboot, is reportedly joining Angelina Jolie in The Eternals.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news on Friday, saying that Nanjiani was “in negotiations” to board the film, which is being directed by The Rider standout Chloe Zhao. His role has not yet been disclosed.
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While Nanjiani’s part in the film is being kept under wraps, it’s being reported that Jolie will indeed be playing Sersi, one of the most notable Eternals from the comics. She has never been shy about her dealings with human beings, and she even served as an Avengers for a time.
The Eternals will be based around the stories created by Jack Kirby, about an ancient race that were brought to life by the Celestials. However, the Celestials also created another race called Deviants, who are the violent antagonists to the Eternals.
Nanjiani burst onto the scene a few years ago, starring in the celebrate HBO sitcom Silicon Valley. His career took an even bigger upward turn in 2017 when he wrote the screenplay for romantic comedy The Big Sick, alongside his wife, Emily Gordon. The film told the true story of how they fell in love, and Nanjiani starred as a version of himself. The couple were nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for their work. Later this year, Nanjiani will appear in Men in Black: International alongside Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, and he will star opposite Guardians of the Galaxy scene-stealer Dave Bautista in Stuber.
What do you think of this new casting decision? Are you excited to see Kumail Nanjiani in the MCU? Let us know!
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