Kumail Nanjiani is back in the news commenting on the backlash against Marvel’s Eternals, and it’s once again reminding audiences why this film remains one of Marvel Studios’ most embarrassing misfires.
In a new interview with Variety, Kumail Nanjiani revisited the long-running fallout from the critically panned 2021 Marvel flop, offering a familiar mix of deflection, self-congratulation, and frustration that audiences simply didn’t respond the way the cast and creatives believed they should have.
(L-R): Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), Gilgamesh (Don Lee), Thena (Angelina Jolie), Ikaris (Richard Madden), Ajak (Salma Hayek), Sersi (Gemma Chan), Sprite (Lia McHugh), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and Druig (Barry Keoghan) in Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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Despite overwhelming criticism and disappointing box office results, Nanjiani insisted he remains proud of his work, saying, “I’m very proud of my performance in it,” and adding that he “wouldn’t change anything” about how he appeared in the film.
That sentiment might be admirable in a vacuum — but it rings hollow when placed against the broader context surrounding Eternals.
Eternals Was Sold as More Than a Movie — Until Audiences Rejected It
When Eternals was released, it wasn’t marketed as just another Marvel entry. Promotional interviews, press coverage, and industry commentary repeatedly framed the film as culturally important, groundbreaking, and socially meaningful (many claimed the film would “save lives”). The implication was clear: this movie mattered beyond entertainment.
(L-R): Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Sprite (Lia McHugh) in Marvel Studios‘ ETERNALS. Photo by Sophie Mutevelian. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
So when audiences rejected it — delivering poor word of mouth, weak repeat viewership, and Marvel’s first “rotten” score — the reaction from those involved wasn’t introspection. It was defensiveness.
Nanjiani now claims he doesn’t control how a film is received, saying, “I do not get to choose how the audience is going to receive it… or what the reviewers are going to think of it.”
That’s true — but it also conveniently ignores how aggressively Eternals was shielded from criticism at the time, with detractors frequently dismissed as morally suspect rather than simply unimpressed.
From “Saving Lives” to Therapy Sessions
The tonal whiplash is impossible to ignore.
During release, supporters framed Eternals as a vital cultural statement. And now, years after its utter failure, Nanjiani frames the backlash as a personal emotional burden.
Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) in Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2021 Marvel Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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The actor previously admitted the reaction to Eternals led him to therapy — an extraordinary outcome for a massively funded franchise film marketed as prestige cinema.
At no point, however, does the conversation fully acknowledge the obvious: audiences didn’t reject Eternals because they “didn’t get it.” They rejected it because they didn’t like it.
Six Movies That Never Happened
Nanjiani previously admitted he signed a long-term Marvel deal that evaporated overnight.
“I signed on for six movies… and then none of that happened,” he said.
(L-R): Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) and Karun (Harish Patel) in Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
That isn’t bad luck. That’s Marvel quietly admitting Eternals failed so badly it couldn’t justify continuing the experiment.
The Real Lesson Marvel Still Won’t Learn
The Kumail Nanjiani Eternals backlash isn’t really about one actor’s feelings. It’s about an industry that still struggles to accept that audiences don’t owe filmmakers praise, validation, or approval — no matter how important they believe their work is.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 11: Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios speaks onstage during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2024. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Eternals wasn’t rejected out of malice. It wasn’t rejected out of ignorance. It was rejected because viewers found it dull, bloated, and disconnected from what made Marvel successful in the first place.
Until Marvel — and the people it hires — learn to accept that simple truth, Eternals will remain exactly what it is today: one of the biggest disasters in the studio’s history.
How do you feel about Kumail Nanjiani and his comments on the Eternals backlash? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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