The eleventh key character of Eternals, Dane Whitman, has been shrouded in mystery since the release of Marvel’s next high-budget film, which introduces ten new characters to the MCU.
The Eternals version of Whitman, represented by Kit Harington of Game of Thrones and 7 Days in Hell, is shown to be a rather typical human who is in a relationship with Sersi, the intelligent Eternal played by Gemma Chan. Whitman’s ability to take on the role of the Black Knight in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as he does in the comics, is still up for debate.
The Ebony Blade, a blade blessed by Merlin that may both protect and drive its user insane, is in the possession of the Black Knight in the comics. Whitman, one of a several Black Knights, is a relative of the original (good) Black Knight and the nephew of a subsequent (evil) Black Knight who later joins the Avengers.
The part Whitman (and Harington) will play in next MCU instalments is still unknown.
Producer of Eternals Nate Moore told the Toronto Sun on location: “[Harington’s] not going to be Black Knight necessarily, but that is something we get to play with down the road.”
It’s difficult to say whether Whitman will appear in a sequel because Eternals was made to be more of a standalone experience than some other Marvel movies and was less concerned with in-universe crossovers. This is difficult to predict not only because of the movie’s “contained universe” nature but also because the movie itself had a lacklustre buildup and received a lot of mixed reviews from critics before it was released.
At this point, a character-focused sequel does seem a bit implausible, which Marvel seems to have already embraced as a necessary component of its development.
In regards to a prospective sequel, Moore remarked, “It’s not something that is a must-have.” Undoubtedly, we have ideas for potential destinations, but there is no absolute requirement that we have three of these and this is the first.
For Harington, Eternals is only the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of Whitman’s career.
According to Harington, “I’ve got no idea whether my role continues or not.” “I did some research on who he might be or could be. There is hence a chance for a longer trajectory. And perhaps this is only the beginning for my character. I hope. But, you know, I just don’t know. I’m just as clueless as everyone else. Additionally, I make an effort to not plan things out too far in advance. Even during the sixth season of Game of Thrones, when I was a cast member, I thought the seventh season would never come!
We shouldn’t rule out the idea that Whitman will eventually become the Black Knight, even if that story develops as part of a lengthier arc than perhaps some fans hoped for, as any number of characters from Eternals could appear in later MCU films, even though there won’t be a direct sequel.
Chloé Zhao directed Eternals, and she co-wrote the script with Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo, and Kaz Firpo. It premieres this Friday and features the voices of Chan, Harington, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Harish Patel, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie.
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