The cast forThe Eternalsis really starting to take shape as Ma Dong-seok has signed on for Marvel’s upcoming cosmic adventure. While a great deal of what Marvel Studios is planning beyondAvengers: Endgameremains a mystery, certain projects have made themselves known to the world. This being one of them. Now, we know of yet another key actor who is going to be portraying one of the ancient, cosmic beings created by the late, great Jack Kirby.
According to a new report,Dong-seok Ma, also known as Don Lee, will make his American movie debut inThe Eternals. Details regarding his role are currently being kept under wraps, as has been the case with any casting related to this project so far. That makes sense, considering that Marvel Studios hasn’t even formally announced it just yet. The South Korean actor is best known for his role in the zombie thrillerTrain to Busan. Some of his other credits includeThe Outlaws,ChampionandUnstoppable.
He joins a cast thatpossibly includes Angelina Jolie(Maleficent,Wanted), who is currently in talks and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick,Silicon Valley). As for Ma Dong-seok, there have been persistent rumors that Marvel will be casting a gay lead actor inThe Eternals, and more recent reports have suggested that actor will be Asian. If that turns out to be true, Dong-seok could fit the bill. Again, if these rumors pan out, that would make him a very significant member of the MCU right out of the gate, as many have been calling for an openly gay character in these movies for a long time. We’ve gotten close, but Marvel has yet to actually pull the trigger.
The Eternalsfirst appeared inthe pages of Marvel Comics in 1976in their own series that was written and illustrated by comic book legend Jack Kirby. Very basically, it centers on a group created by the Celestials, a powerful group that has been teased briefly in the MCU in the past, along with their nemesis, The Deviants. The two groups have been at war with one another for thousands of years to determine who is the ultimate race. Much likeGuardians of the Galaxybefore the movie was made, this is a very obscure title that most people outside of very hardcore comic book readers likely aren’t very familiar with.
Scarlett Johansson’sBlack Widowmovie is very likely going to be thenext MCU movie to enter production. Given the casting we’ve been hearing about, it feels like a safe bet thatThe Eternalswill go after that. Chloe Zhao (The Rider) will be in the director’s chair for this one, working from a screenplay by Matthew and Ryan Firpo (Ruin). We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details on the project are made available. The movie does not yet have a release date set. This news was first reported byThe Wrap.
