Kit Harington’s MCU Future Uncertain Following Blade Cancellation

Marvel Studios’ Eternals famously ended with a post-credits scene that introduced Harry Styles as Thanos’ brother into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That loose thread has not been addressed since the film was released in 2021. Another post-credits scene teased a heroic future for Kit Harington‘s Dane Whitman. This storyline has also been ignored by the MCU, and Kit Harington revealed that the situation will not change anytime soon.

The Game of Thrones star told MovieWeb that while he would love to return, he does not think any plans exist. That outcome is unsurprising given Marvel’s treatment of Eternals and its characters since the movie debuted. The star-studded picture directed by Chloé Zhao, the award-winning director behind 2021’s Nomadland, was a critical and commercial flop by Marvel standards. No talks of a sequel or appearances by the main cast in other MCU projects have surfaced since then.

Who was Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman supposed to become in the MCU?

The post-credits scene showed Whitman finally acquiring his iconic Ebony Blade while an off-screen character asked if he was ready for it. That interaction teased that Kit Harington would reprise Whitman in a future project to take on the Black Knight moniker. In another twist of fate, that off-screen voice belonged to Mahershala Ali in his only performance as Blade in the MCU.

After years of delays, Mahershala Ali revealed in July that he had moved on from the role. He placed the blame squarely on Marvel, stating that the studio had him under contract and possessed billions of dollars. He explained that if Marvel wanted to make the movie, they would have made it, concluding that the project is not happening. Kit Harington shares the disappointment felt by fans, calling Whitman a wicked character and a great parable of addiction.

A slight chance remains that Kit Harington is simply playing coy before a surprise appearance in a project like Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel loves its secrecy. However, the connection to one of the most derided projects in the MCU makes a return seem increasingly unlikely, even if Kit Harington has not closed the door as firmly as Mahershala Ali. With a new phase of the MCU approaching, Marvel appears more focused on the future than on tying up loose ends from the past.

Source: Polygon