Retro-Casting Marvel’s Eternals In The 1980s

Eternals features a sprawling cast of diverse characters, but how would this ensemble look if the film had come out in the 1980s?

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Eternals features one of the most diverse and intriguing ensembles of any Marvel movie. A whopping 10 characters make their debuts in the film, each one with a set of powerful abilities that rank them as some of the most powerful characters in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In many ways, Eternals is a movie that wouldn’t have come out before 2021. However, it’s fun to imagine how it might’ve looked had it premiered back in the 1980s. The cast would’ve certainly looked different, with big hair and even bigger shoulder pads, but the movie’s essence and message would’ve remained intact.

Ajak – Rita Moreno

Rita Moreno won the Academy Award for best supporting actress in 1962 for her role in West Side Story, one of the highest-grossing movies of the 1960s. Throughout the 1970s, she had a successful stint on the children’s show The Electric Company and played roles in movies such as Carnal Knowledge, The Ritz and The Four Seasons.

Moreno would provide a lot of dignity to a 1980s version of Eternals. As an Oscar winner and respected actress from Hollywood’s Golden Age, she would help elevate the film beyond the typical superhero fare. Her commanding of the screen would also go well with Ajak’s place as the Prime Eternal.

Dane Whitman – Mel Gibson

In the 1980s, Mel Gibson was just beginning to stand out. The still relevant and respected Mad Max franchise established him as a promising leading man, along with prestige films like Gallipoli and The Year of Living Dangerously. However, it was the Lethal Weapon franchise that turned him into a bona fide superstar.

Gibson would’ve been a prime candidate to play Dane Whitman in the 1980s. He would’ve been cast during the early days of his career and become a star by the time the movie premiered. This journey would’ve also fit perfectly with Dane’s character arc, as he plays a limited role during Eternals but will surely become more prominent in future MCU projects.

Makkari – Marlee Matlin

Already a seasoned stage actress, Marlee Matlin rose to prominence with her debut performance in Children of a Lesser God, for which she won the Academy Award for best actress. She remains the only deaf winner and the youngest person to win the best actress Oscar.

Matlin would be a no-brainer for the role of Makkari. Her gifts as an actress, including an impressive ability to convey strong emotions with the slightest facial gestures, would fit the speedster Eternal perfectly. Her status as an Oscar winner would further establish Eternals as a prestigious project.

Druig – Timothy Hutton

Another young Oscar winner, Timothy Hutton claimed the best supporting actor trophy in 1981 for his role in Robert Redford’s family drama, Ordinary People. Like Matlin, he won for his feature film debut, and he remains the youngest winner in the category to this day.

Following his Oscar win, Hutton would’ve been the obvious choice to play the aloof Druig. As a relative newcomer, Hutton would’ve had all the allure and mystery to accurately bring Druig to life. He would’ve also made an incredible pairing with Matlin, creating a couple for the ages.

Gilgamesh – Sho Kosugi

Sho Kosugi is arguably the most influential Asian actor of the 1980s. A Japanese martial artist and expert in numerous disciplines, Kosugi starred in and choreographed multiple movies, most notably Enter the Ninja and its two sequels, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination.

Kosugi could’ve displayed his considerable martial artistry with a role like Gilgamesh, enhancing the movie’s already impressive action sequences. The part is also one of the best in the film, as Gilgamesh is arguably the bravest character in Eternals.

Phastos – Danny Glover

After playing supporting roles in movies like Witness and The Color Purple, Danny Glover reached stardom thanks to his leading part in the Lethal Weapon franchise. Glover is also famous for his considerable advocacy for justice and human rights, for which he’ll win the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2023 Oscars.

Phastos doesn’t have as much screen time as his fellow Eternals, but he has the most emotional role in the story. He is the only Eternal with actual bonds to humanity, having a husband and a son. Much like Bryan Tyree Henry, Glover would’ve done justice to Phastos’ character, elevating him beyond the film’s limitations.

Kingo – Anil Kapoor

Anil Kapoor has starred in multiple successful Bollywood films, cementing his reputation as one of the most famous and acclaimed Indian actors in history. Films like Mashaal and Tezaab earned him raves in his native India, paving the way for his immense success during the 1990s.

Kingo is one of the most likable characters in Eternals. He also has one of the best backstories, becoming a Bollywood actor while away from the team. Thanks to his previous experience in action films, most notably Mashaal, Kapoor would be the ideal choice to play the part. He would excel in the film’s action sequences and provide extra gravitas to the character’s dramatic moments, all while flexing his comedic muscles.

Thena – Sigourney Weaver

Following the 1986 release of Aliens, Sigourney Weaver became a bonafide action star. The movie also gave her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress; two years later, she’d achieve two nominations on the same year for her work in Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl.

Weaver, the A-list superstar of the 1980s, would be the perfect actress to play Thena. She has the right combination of toughness and vulnerability to bring the troubled Thena to life. She would also bring considerable star power to the project, much like Angelina Jolie does with the 2021 version.

Sersi – Melanie Griffith

Weaver’s Working Girl co-star, Melanie Griffith, was the ingenue of the late 1980s. The daughter of screen legend Tippi Hedren, Griffith received acclaim for her performance in Brian de Palma’s Body Double before rising to stardom with Working Girl, for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Sersi’s role calls for a gentle and sympathetic performer, capable of portraying the character’s innate vulnerability and sense of leadership. Griffith seems tailor-made for the part, displaying many of these qualities in previous performances, notably Something Wild and Working Girl.

Ikaris – Kurt Russell

A child star turned Hollywood hunk, Kurt Russell starred in some very memorable movies, especially during the 1980s. Russell is particularly famous for playing several anti-heroes, such as Snake Plissken in Escape from New York, MacReady in The Thing, and Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China, making him the only logical choice for the dubious and duplicitous Ikaris.

Russell’s rugged good looks and undeniable charisma would’ve fit the character like a ring. His substantial star power would’ve also been perfect, considering the sheer amount of talent with whom he’d be sharing the screen.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/eternals-marvel-mcu-retro-casting-1980s/