Marvel’s The Eternals is gearing up to be the MCU’s next big franchise. Recently, reports have claimed that none other than Angelina Jolie will join the cast, likely playing the female lead. And we now have a clue as to which character will take the role of the movie’s male lead.
According to MCU Cosmic, Hercules could be the protagonist of the film. Like Thor, Hercules is a Marvel hero who’s derived from the mythological figure of the same name. In fact, the God of Thunder and the ancient Greek strongman have long been allies and occasionally rivals. Hercules is also a frequent member of the Avengers on the page, so there’s a lot of potential for the character in the MCU.
MCU Cosmic also notes that, if this rumor is correct, it would mean that Hercules is the film’s openly gay lead character, which will be a milestone for the franchise. Earlier this month, it was reported that Marvel was looking to cast an openly gay actor for The Eternals and this info suggests that the character will also be of the same sexuality.
This would mark a change from both the myths and the comics, though, so you can already imagine the backlash it’ll receive. Seeing how left-field castings for mythical characters like Heimdall (Idris Elba) and Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) have worked so well before for Marvel though, we’re sure this contemporary take on Hercules is the right decision.
I’ll stress again, however, that this is just a rumor for now and we can’t be sure that Hercules will be part of the movie. Still, seeing as the Eternals is a property so closely drawn from Greek myths, it makes sense to feature the most famous legendary Greek hero in the lead role. Even if he’s usually separate from the Eternals mythos in the comics.
The Eternals is looking to start filming in London this September, with a speculated release date of 2021. In other words, more official updates should be on the way soon.