After nearly two years without an MCU movie in theaters, Marvel is coming back full force in the second half of 2021, with a string of anticipated releases including Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, and Spider-Man: No Way Home all on the way. However, there hasn’t been a massive A-list superhero team-up since the MCU's record-shattering blockbuster achievement, Avengers Endgame. Well, at least not until now! After much anticipation, the Eternals trailer finally arrived in May, offering our first look at the new superhero team taking center stage in the MCU - and the outstanding ensemble of performers playing them.

As a quick primer on the comics mythology, the Eternals are a race of enhanced humans who were created by the Celestials. Eternals have a core set of shared powers and abilities, derived from cosmic energy, which include super-strength, telepathy and telekinesis, levitation and flight, and the ability to manipulate matter - even their own molecules, which gives them tremendous healing abilities and makes them incredibly difficult to kill. Their individual abilities usually come from their skill at manipulating matter in specific ways, granting them distinct or stronger powers that other Eternals might not share. The Celestials created the Deviants, a less powerful but dangerous race that are instantly recognizable for their mutations (Thanos himself was part Deviant), who wage war against their Eternal counterparts.

So now, let's get down to the Eternals themselves, who they are in the comics, what we know about how they've been reinvented for the film, and the actors playing them. The cast includes Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, and Kit Harrington to name just a few. And the prestige doesn't end in front of the camera. Eternals sees recent Best Picture and Best Director Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao make her blockbuster debut as director and co-writer of the MCU epic. Before we get to see the Zhao-led production in theatres later this year, here is some info on the characters and actors that will take part in the film.

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Angelina Jolie as Thena

Angelina Jolie as Thena in Marvel's Eternals
Image via Marvel Studios

Thena is a fierce warrior and an Eternal who has lived for thousands of years. According to the comic books, she is the daughter of Zuras and has the power to transform anything into a lethal weapon by harnessing cosmic energy, in addition to the superstrength and ageless longevity that comes with being an Eternal. Thena is also involved in a forbidden love affair since she falls for Kro, who is a Deviant and among the Eternals’ greatest enemies.

An Oscar-winning actress who became an international superstar and one of the first women to dominate the box office as a go-to action star with films like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Salt, Angelina Jolie had left the action scene for a while but is now ready to make her comeback. Not only is she playing Thena in the MCU, she also recently starred as survival expert Hannah Faber in Taylor Sheridan's Those Who Wish Me Dead. In addition to being one of the most well-known actors in the world, Jolie has a resume of extensive humanitarian work and has established herself as an acclaimed director with films like First They Killed My Father and Unbroken.

Richard Madden as Ikaris

Image via Marvel Studios

As one of the main leaders of the Eternals’ squad, Ikaris is tactical and powerful, but also kind and charismatic. His focus is to maintain the group’s safety amidst the battle with the Deviants. He possesses all the abilities and immunities that come with being an Eternal, and in the comics, he's often portrayed as the Prime Eternal, the most powerful of them all. In the film, he is romantically linked to Sersi.

Richard Madden has been in the spotlight for quite some time following his breakout role as Robb Stark, aka the King in the North, in Game of Thrones. He's also known for playing Cinderella’s prince charming, John Reid in Rocketman, and his starring role in the breakout British thriller series Bodyguard.

Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo

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Image via Marvel Studios

In the comics, Kingo is considered one of the most skillful swordsmen on Earth, having spent years training as a Samurai in Japan. He is not only a cosmic-powered member of the Eternals, but uses his swordsman skills to become a famous movie action star. Like many of the characters, he's being a bit reinvented, and in the trailer, we get a glimpse of Kingo as a Bollywood star (where eagle-eyed observers might note that his costume looks an awful lot like Ikaris' super suit). There isn’t much insight into his upbringings in the comic books, but they might expand his narrative in the film.

In Eternals, Kingo is played by Kumail Nanjiani, popularly known for his comedic work in HBO's Emmy-winning series Silicon Valley, as well as film roles in Stuber, The Lovebirds, and his Oscar-nominated semi-autobiographical romantic drama The Big Sick, which he co-wrote with his wife Emily V. Gordon.

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Lauren Ridloff as Makkari

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Image via Marvel Studios

A couple of characters were gender-swapped in the upcoming feature. Amongst them is Makkari, whose origins are related to the Greek god Mercury. She is a member of the Eternals’ ensemble, with all the standard cosmic superpowers that come with the territory, but Makkari is distinct as the film's speedster and the fastest Eternal of them all. Though the character is not deaf in the comics, Makkari is played by deaf actress Lauren Ridloff, who is best known for her role as Connie on The Walking Dead and recently appeared in Sound of Metal.

Ridloff's work as Makkari introduces the first deaf superhero in the MCU, and in an interview with HeyUGuys, the actress spoke how excited she is to represent the deaf community, "I am more thrilled than overwhelmed about being given the opportunity to represent the deaf community. I'm very thrilled about that - just to bring in that storyline within the MCU. I think there's plenty of room for more stories like that."

Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos

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Image via Marvel Studios

Phastos was not included in the original lineup of Eternals in Kirby's comic book series, introduced later in 1985's Eternals Vol 2 #1. However, the character played by Brian Tyree Henry will already be part of group in the feature film and will utilize all his abilities forging weapons in the battle with the Deviants. Phastos is a genius inventor and engineer, and in the film, he will introduce the MCU's first openly gay superhero. Actor Haaz Sleiman (Little America) plays Phastos' husband, and in an interview with Logo's NewNowNext, he revealed, "I just shot a Marvel film with the first openly gay superhero, The Eternals. I’m married to the gay superhero Phastos, played by Atlanta’s Brian Tyree Henry, and we represent a gay family and have a child...For me it’s very important to show how loving and beautiful a queer family can be."

Henry is an Emmy-nominated actor who has emerged as quite the scene-stealer in recent years, earning acclaim for his performance as Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles in Donald Glover's FX series Atlanta. His film performances include in Widows, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and most recently, Godzilla vs. Kong.

Salma Hayek as Ajak

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Image via Marvel Studios

Ajak is the Eternals’ headmaster and has the power to teleport. She is also another character who has been gender-swapped in this production. Her origins are linked to the Incans and she took part in the Trojan War. Ajak is the voice we hear narrating in the first Eternals trailer, teasing, "We have watched and guided. We have helped them progress, and seen them accomplish wonders. Throughout the years, we have never interfered. Until now."

In the film, Ajak is played by Salma Hayek, the Oscar-nominated international superstar known for films like Frida, Savages, Desperado, and Dogma. Most recently, Hakey appeared in Amazon's sci-fi thriller Bliss and the action sequel Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, and later this year, she'll be in Ridley Scott's House of Gucci. In an interview with Variety, the actress revealed that she felt claustrophobic when seeing the costume for the first time, but the feeling didn’t last after the fitting process. Instead, it was replaced with the pride of representing a Mexican woman leading the superhero group. "I forgot about how does it fit? Am I going to get a claustrophobic attack?" Hayek said, "All I could see was, ‘Oh my God, here’s a Mexican female in this outfit and this is really happening. And yes, we get to be superheroes.’"

Lia McHugh as Sprite

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Image via Marvel Studios

Sprite might look like a child, but she has lived for thousands of years and in the comics, the character is known for being a trickster who excels at using Celestial powers of manipulation. Throughout her life as an Eternal, Sprite spent most of her time on Earth developing her trickery and illusion-casting skills.

Lia McHugh will play the gender-swapped version of this comic book character. She is the youngest actress within the Eternals cast, and her recognizable roles include The Lodge and Songbird. In an interview with EW, the young actress discussed why she wasn't daunted by playing Sprite as an adult, “I find it easier than the average kid to play an adult because I’ve been around so many and I understand the maturity a bit more that comes with being an adult,”

Don Lee as Gilgamesh

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Image via Marvel Studios

His proper identity is Gilgamesh, but he is called by multiple names. In the comic books, he is referred to as the “Forgotten One”, because he spends the majority of his life with humankind, and he is thought to be the figures humankind came to know as Hercules and Sampson. As you might expect from that description, he's considered one of the strongest beings in the Marvel universe. Gilgamesh also becomes one of the Avengers in the original storyline.

Don Lee (who also goes by Ma Dong-seok) will portray the character on-screen. The actor is a superstar in South Korea, with an extensive resume that includes The Good the Bad the Weird, The Outlaws, Familyhood, and his international breakout role in Train to Busan.

Gemma Chan as Sersi

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Image via Marvel Studios

Sersi is an Eternal that decides to take the form of a museum curator in New York City. Just like Gilgamesh, she becomes part of the Avengers in the comic books, and her greatest strength is her capacity to transform any object or person. And among the Eternals, she's taking on one of the largest roles in the film. In an interview with Variety, Kevin Feige explained, "if there was a lead in this ensemble, it is Sersi, it is Gemma Chan." The character is also caught up in a love triangle in the film, romantically linked to both Ikaris and Dane Whitman. In an interview with Vanity Fair Italy, Chan revealed, "Sersi is the one that has the most affinity with humans, indeed is even involved in two love stories, an absolute novelty for Marvel events and one of the reasons that attracted me to this project."

Gemma Chan is best known for starring in Crazy Rich Asians and the critically celebrated sci-fi series Humans. She is also amongst the few actors to more than one character within the MCU, having previously starred as Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel.

Kit Harrington as Dane Whitman

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Image via Marvel Studios

Setting aside the characters with supernatural powers, Dane Whitman isn't an Eternal. He is a genius physicist who inherits from his uncle a mantle that belonged to the Black Knight. Little does he know that the Black Night is a villain! He's not just a genius who's skillful with a sword; Dane Whitman also goes on to fight with the Avengers several times in the comics, and he also inherits a curse thanks to his signature sword, Ebony Blade. In the film, he's romantically involved with Sersi.

Dane Whitman is played by Game of Thrones star Kit Harrington, bringing Eternals' King in the North tally to two! Harrington is also known for the action epic Pompeii, the HBO comedy 7 Days in Hell, and voicing Eret in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.

Barry Keoghan as Druig

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Image via Marvel Studios

Druig is a powerful Eternal, Ikaris’ cousin, and is expected to be the villain of the film as an Eternal who sides with the Deviants. The character is constantly searching and scheming for power and used to be a tyrannical KGB mastermind, and he possesses tremendous telepathic abilities to help him get whatever he wants. All it hasn't been confirmed that he'll be the big bad in Eternals, based on the trailer, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were - he's also known as the "Lord of Flames and Nightmares", after all.

Barry Keoghan will play Druig in the film. The Irish actor is best known for his roles in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, Yorgos Lanthimos' Killing of a Sacred Deer, and will next be seen in David Lowery's highly-anticipated A24 epic The Green Knight. DC fans can also expect to see the actor soon, as Keoghan was cast as Officer Stanley Merkel in The Batman.

Eternals is set to hit the theatres on November 5th.

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