I Took the MCU Role in ‘Eternals’ Because It Was Different and Interesting

“Game of Thrones” isn’t the only significant franchise Kit Harington is unlikely to revisit at the moment. Harington made his Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut in 2021 as Dane Whitman in “Eternals.” While his role was minor, it was meant to introduce him as a major new addition to the MCU. The post-credits scene for “Eternals” hinted at Dane becoming the Black Knight in an upcoming “Blade” movie.

Despite “Eternals” ending on a note suggesting a sequel, the film directed by Chloe Zhao was a box office disappointment, earning $402 million worldwide, which did not meet Marvel’s high standards. Reports have since indicated that plans for a sequel have been shelved. The “Blade” movie, meant to feature Harington’s Black Knight alongside Mashersala Ali, has also faced various setbacks, leaving Harington’s future in the MCU unclear.

In a recent GQ magazine profile, Harington didn’t provide specifics about his continuity with Marvel but jokingly remarked about his brief MCU stint: “I’m not gonna pretend I took that [role] because it was different and interesting. If Marvel calls, you gotta do it.”

The development of Marvel’s “Blade” reboot featuring Ali has been rocky. Announced in July 2019, two years before “Eternals” connected Whitman to Blade, it has since encountered numerous challenges. Bassam Tariq was initially set to direct but exited in September 2022, just two months before filming was scheduled to begin. Over the years, several screenwriters have joined the project, including Stacy Osei-Kuffour from “Watchmen” and Michael Starrbury. On June 12, it was revealed that director Yann Demange was also exiting, with a new screenwriter, Eric Pearson (“The Fantastic Four,” “Black Widow”), being brought in.

Harington remains distant from major franchise projects for now. Although he considered reprising his role as Jon Snow in a “Game of Thrones” spinoff series, he ultimately decided against it due to the lack of a compelling story.

“It was HBO that came to me and said, ‘Would you consider this?’ My first reaction was no,” he told GQ. “But then I thought there could be an interesting story about the soldier after the war. We spent a couple of years developing it, but it didn’t excite us enough. In the end, I backed out as pushing it further might result in something subpar, which none of us wanted.”

Harington also acknowledged the baggage that comes with playing Jon Snow. “You need to divorce completely from this previous thing, and we’re only a few years after it. The role will always be significant in my life. I met my wife on it, have kids, and lifelong friends from it. I’m recognized on the street because of it. But it also works against my efforts to separate myself from the show. By still being associated with it, it would be hard to ask people to see me as something else.”

Source: GQ, Marvel Studios