Gemma Chan, known for her recent role of Sersi in the Marvel film Eternals, confirms in an interview that she will be returning as the character. The actress was initially cast in Captain Marvel as Minn-Erva, however, she could also appear in Eternals because Minn-Erva is a blue-skinned alien. Even though Captain Marvel grossed $1 billion, Chan is probably more easily recognized for her more recent role of Sersi. Although, Eternals didn't perform as well as Marvel had hoped.
In fact, Eternals was the first rotten MCU score on Rotten Tomatoes. Compared to most Marvel films, it was also a box office disappointment, grossing just $400 million. The Chloe Zhao-directed film was a gamble for Marvel, as it is the most unique film they have made yet. The Eternals were created thousands of years ago by the Celestial Arishem to eliminate all Deviants that came to Earth. This concept was a far cry from the relatability of a kid from Queens like Peter Parker in the Spider-Man movies. Still, the plot of Eternals (and the characters themselves) holds a lot of potential for the future (and past) of the MCU, so audiences shouldn't count these characters out of the sprawling cinematic universe just yet.
In an interview for W Magazine, Chan confirmed that she would be returning as Sersi in future Marvel projects. When asked if she'll play Sersi again, Chan jokingly responded, "Yes. Marvel owns us for life," before laughing. Notably, she did not give any specifics about what said projects would be. While the end tag line for Eternals was "The Eternals Will Return," the response to the film made the possibility of a standalone Eternals sequel questionable.
Screenwriter Kaz Firpo recently stated that sequels to Eternals would have to include Thanos. Should these films happen, Thanos would probably be somewhat of an attraction. As the main villain in the wildly successful Infinity War and Endgame films, he would bring in some Avengers fans that did not find the Eternals themselves appealing. It is also possible that Harry Styles would reprise his role of Eros, brother of Thanos, from the post-credits scene.
With the response to the film, Marvel would be taking a risk by producing a sequel. Eternals will be released on Disney+ on January 12, so it may gain a more significant following on the platform. An alternative option would be to include the Eternals in a future crossover project, whether in theatres or on streaming. Eventually, there is bound to be another Avengers-level threat in the MCU, which might be an excellent way to continue the Eternals legacy.
Source: W Magazine
