The rumor that Eternals actor Kumail Nanjiani could play a race-swapped Booster Gold in James Gunn’s DC Universe just won’t die. Despite James Gunn addressing the chatter last year, speculation has roared back to life after a photo of the two together surfaced from the Peacemaker Season 2 premiere.
Kumail Nanjiani at the Peacemaker S2 Premiere! pic.twitter.com/uENQDHbHda
— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) August 17, 2025
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For many longtime comic fans, the idea of Nanjiani taking on the time-traveling, fame-chasing legacy hero is yet another reminder of Hollywood’s obsession with race-swapping characters instead of honoring their established identity.
A Rumor With History
This isn’t the first time Nanjiani’s name has been linked to Booster Gold. In late 2024, social media rumors caught fire suggesting the Eternals “star” was secretly cast in the role. At the time, James Gunn himself seemed to pour cold water on the speculation. When confronted online with a fan edit of Nanjiani as Booster, Gunn made clear the post wasn’t confirmation of anything.
Though his response wasn’t a hard denial, most assumed that was the end of it.
Oh it’s happening
— Apocalyptic Horseman (@ApocHorseman) August 17, 2025
Fast forward to 2025, and the rumor machine is grinding again. A simple photograph of Gunn hugging Nanjiani at the Peacemaker Season 2 red carpet was enough to spark another round of “confirmation” posts from insiders. One in particular, a social media account known as “Apocalyptic Horseman,” captioned the image with the words: “Oh, it’s happening.” That was all it took for speculation to reignite.
Who Is Booster Gold?
For casual readers, Booster Gold isn’t just another face in spandex. Introduced in 1986, Michael Jon Carter is a disgraced 25th-century athlete who steals advanced technology and travels back in time, reinventing himself as a superhero. Unlike the paragons of virtue who populate the DC Universe, Booster’s story is unique—he’s a glory hound, a media-savvy attention seeker, but ultimately someone who grows into a genuine hero.
The cover of Booster Gold #1 – YouTube, Variant Comics
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Part of what defines Booster Gold is his background: a blond-haired, cocky everyman with distinctly American roots. Fans see him as a legacy character who embodies not only his outlandish gadgets and humor but also a cultural identity that is part of the character’s DNA.
Why Kumail Nanjiani Is Controversial
The problem isn’t just that Kumail Nanjiani looks nothing like the traditional depiction of Booster Gold. It’s that the actor brings baggage from his time in Marvel’s Eternals.
(L-R): Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) and Karun (Harish Patel) in Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Back in 2021, when critics and audiences blasted the movie as one of the weakest entries in the MCU while pointing out the over-the-top identity politics (some involved in the project claimed the representation would actually “save lives”), Nanjiani infamously brushed off the backlash, saying, “We’re upsetting the right people.” He also publicly complained about the intense workout regimen required for the role, comments that rubbed fans the wrong way after Marvel heavily marketed his physical transformation.
Now, years later, suggesting Nanjiani could embody Booster Gold—a character built on charm, arrogance, and an everyman appeal—strikes many as tone-deaf. Add in the fact that it would mark yet another race-swapped legacy hero, and you can see why the rumor sparks frustration.
James Gunn’s Silence Isn’t Helping
To be fair, James Gunn hasn’t said a word confirming the casting. But he also hasn’t denied it this time around. That leaves a vacuum of information, and in the modern superhero fandom, silence often gets filled with outrage.
James Gunn sits for an interview – YouTube, GQ
If Nanjiani is just a friend of Gunn’s enjoying a premiere photo op, then the entire controversy is smoke without fire. But if there’s truth to the rumor, DC is setting itself up for a backlash it doesn’t need.
Fan Reaction: “Worst Casting in Comic Book History”
Across fan forums and Reddit threads, the sentiment is largely negative. One popular comment summed it up bluntly:
“That would probably be the worst casting in comic book history… he doesn’t fit the role at all.”
Other fans suggested that Nanjiani might work in a minor role—perhaps voicing Skeets, Booster’s robotic companion—but balked at the idea of him suiting up as the character himself.
(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.
The concerns aren’t just aesthetic. Many argue that Booster Gold, as conceived, is a legacy character whose appearance, attitude, and even cultural background matter. Changing that foundation simply to shoehorn a particular actor into the part feels like another example of Hollywood prioritizing identity politics over storytelling.
DC’s Reboot Can’t Afford This
Let’s be real: DC is already on shaky ground with fans. James Gunn’s rebooted slate has to win over an audience weary from years of misfires. Superman is supposed to be the cornerstone, and Booster Gold is lined up for his own HBO Max series.
A screenshot from a Booster Gold Comic Book – YouTube, Variant Comics
What DC desperately needs is trust—casting choices that excite the fanbase, not divide it. Risking a character like Booster Gold on a polarizing actor known for dismissing critics is not the way to build that trust.
The Bottom Line
As of today, there is no official confirmation that Kumail Nanjiani will play Booster Gold. The rumor is running on fumes—an embrace on a red carpet, a cheeky post from an online insider, and speculation recycled from last year.
A screenshot from a Booster Gold Comic Book – YouTube, Variant Comics
But even without confirmation, the mere suggestion highlights a deeper problem. When legacy characters are altered beyond recognition with divisive actors who are already antagonistic to the fanbase, those same fans see it as Hollywood spitting on the very source material that made these stories matter in the first place. Booster Gold deserves better than to become a test case in another controversy.
For now, it’s still a rumor. But if James Gunn wants his DC reboot to succeed, he would be wise to clarify it before speculation hardens into disappointment.
Do you think Kumail Nanjiani will play Booster Gold in DC? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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“Hey, let’s try to do the same thing that’s driven people away! Surely it’ll work this time!”
They never learn.
Woke has gotten to the point where even the satirical, egomaniac WASP characters are played by minorities.