‘You Gotta Do It’: Kit Harington Reveals Why He Chose Eternals Role

As a devoted follower of the cinematic world and a fan who has witnessed the rise and fall of various superhero franchises, I must admit that Eternals left me somewhat underwhelmed. However, the casting of Kit Harington as Dane Whitman was undeniably intriguing, given his stellar performance in Game of Thrones.


The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) continues to thrive, with both its theatrical releases and Disney+ content consistently growing in popularity. However, it’s important to remember that not every Marvel film has been a hit. One of the more significant misses was “Eternals,” directed by Chloe Zhao, which fell short of expectations for both critics and audiences. Despite its flaws, “Eternals” marked the MCU debut of Kit Harington, who previously starred in Game of Thrones. Recently, Harington shared an entertaining and honest reason for why he decided to join this project.

Kit Harington reflects on his Marvel debut

In the movie Eternals, Kit Harington played Dane Whitman, a character who was less prominent compared to the other main characters. A hint about his character’s possible expansion in future films was given at the end of the credits, but as of now, this is only speculative. So far, Dane Whitman has not reappeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It remains uncertain if he will appear in a future film, but Kit Harington himself recently revealed to GQ how he managed to secure the role.

Harington openly admitted, “I won’t pretend I accepted that role because it was unique and intriguing. If Marvel comes calling, you have to oblige.” This statement suggests that after Game of Thrones ended, he wasn’t just exposed to novel experiences but also to the vast possibilities that the Marvel Cinematic Universe presents for his future career.

Given that Marvel Studios is part of Disney, it’s wise to cultivate ties with one of the major forces in entertainment, even if Dane Whitman, the Black Knight, might wield a sword in a way reminiscent of Jon Snow from Westeros. However, whether or not Harington will embody that role within the MCU is yet to be determined.

Kit Harington on his franchise future

It appears that, for now, Harington seems content with keeping a low profile within the franchise; indeed, he allegedly declined even the prospect of a spin-off series centered around Jon Snow. He eventually turned down the project, attributing his decision to the quality of the storyline as a major concern. When queried about this opportunity, Harington stated: “All I can say is that HBO approached me with the question, ‘Would you consider this?’ My initial response was no. But then I contemplated, and I thought there could be an intriguing and significant narrative about the soldier following the war.”

Initially enthused about the project, Harington eventually decided to back out a couple of years later. He began to understand that pushing the concept further might lead to subpar results, which was something he desperately wanted to avoid.

Not to forget, Harington also recognized how emotionally heavy it was for him to return to the world of Jon Snow, as he mentioned that there was a lot of baggage in regards to reprising the character. That trepidation could provide an explanation for why he had been so choosy about what to do next, including over his uncertain future in the MCU. And even though Eternals has dominated the box office since its release, fans have had little reason to believe it’s advancing one bit further inside the MCU with its characters or story. Most recently, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige nipped an Eternals sequel right in the bud—snuffing out the desires created in fans who wanted to see the many plot points set up through the film’s credits sequences play out.

It’s been mentioned that Captain America: Brave New World could potentially reveal the fate of the celestial being, Tiamut, who was left unresolved at the end of The Eternals.

Though a follow-up film for Eternals isn’t currently in production, Kit Harington might still get another opportunity to reprise his role within the MCU, potentially in the upcoming Blade movie. The connection between Gemma Chan’s character and Mahershala Ali’s vampire hero hinted at in the Eternals post-credits scene has sparked excitement among fans about how these narratives could intertwine on screen. For now, it remains unclear when or if Harington will once again don his MCU costume. Nonetheless, he appears content with his decision to be part of the Marvel universe.

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2024-08-14 16:22