Avengers 4: How Kronos & the Eternals Can Fit

There are rumors the as-yet-untitled Avengers 4 could actually feature Kronos and the Eternals. There's a sense in which that's hardly a surprisel; Marvel is known to be working on an Eternals movie as part of the post-Phase 3 MCU, and Jim Starlin recently hinted that Avengers 4 would introduce another one of his comic book characters.

Avengers: Infinity War set up the Eternals in a number of subtle ways. When the Red Skull speaks to Thanos, he identifies him as the son of A'lars. That's a crucial detail, given that in the comics A'lars (sometimes known as Mentor) isn't just Thanos's father. He's also the founder of the Eternals. There's a brief scene where Thanos uses the Reality Stone to show Titan in its glory days, and the beings there are clearly humanoid - and, just as in the comics, don't share Thanos's distinctive physical appearance. While Thanos is an Eternal in the comics, he possesses the Deviant gene, making him appear significantly different than the rest of his race. It seems that's true in the MCU as well. VFX supervisor Matt Aitken told Screen Rant that this was originally a longer sequence, and would have involved a clearer glimpse of Titan's inhabitants.

But could Avengers 4 actually continue this setup, and even introduce one specific Eternal, the powerful Kronos? Let's explore the evidence and the possibilities.

Kronos Could Appear in the MCU

Kronos and other cosmic beings from Marvel Comics

In the comics, Kronos is one of the most powerful of the Eternals. A scientist, one of his experiments went tragically wrong and destroyed his body. His mind, however, became one with the universe. He's essentially the master of time, and Thanos has classified him as having the same kind of power-level as Galactus or Odin. As an embodiment of time itself, Kronos can exert an unknown degree of control over the passage of time, although he prefers to be subtle in his use of this power. Created by Jim Starlin, Kronos is the grandfather of Thanos, and played a role in opposing the Mad Titan in the famous Infinity Gauntlet arc.

There are a growing number of rumors that Kronos will actually appear in Avengers 4. One Reddit user claimed he has a friend who's working on the film, and that he's been shown concept art for the powerful Eternal. According to the Redditor, instead of being purple as in the comics, the character is more black-and-white. This rumor has been supported by MCUCosmic, claiming a previously-reliable source has reached out to them confirming Kronos will appear in the movie.

It would certainly make sense for Kronos to be introduced in Avengers 4; there's strong evidence the Avengers will use time-travel to avert the cliffhanger ending of Avengers: Infinity War, preventing the deaths of half the lives in the universe. Meanwhile, in November last year a major potential leak - which accurately predicted a lot of major plot twists in Avengers: Infinity War - hinted at just how Kronos could play a part in the film. They claimed that there's a pivotal scene between Doctor Strange and a fully CGI character being shot in a secret location, with a skeleton crew. Given Doctor Strange used the Time Stone while on Titan in Avengers: Infinity War, it's possible he caught the eye of Kronos, and the two put together a plan to defeat Thanos. If so, this scene could show how Doctor Strange and Kronos conspired to defeat the Mad Titan.

It's important to stress that this is still rumor at this point. The sources reporting it have been hit-and-miss in the past, but at the same time, there's a fascinating degree of repetition, increasing the chances these leaks are actually accurate. What's more, Kronos's presence would fit very well with what we're expecting for Avengers 4.