Marvel Studios' most recent phase has done the impossible and pushed the boundaries of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's canon. On one end, torches are being passed with a new Captain America and Black Widow, while the other end has the birth of the multiverse and a further expansion of the MCU's magical realms. Somewhere between all of this is the introduction of the Eternals, a superpowered race that has influenced Earth for centuries. Being virtually unknown, these characters are a massive risk for the studio, but their success may help rehabilitate another forgotten Marvel property: the Inhumans.
At first, Inhumans was announced as a part of Marvel Studios' slate of upcoming films. However, a shift took place that put the movie in the hands of Marvel Television, and it was released as a TV show. But instead of being a success like the other Marvel films and shows, this entry failed to live up to expectations and was canceled after one season. The characters have been kept out of the spotlight ever since. The Inhumans were a race of beings created by the Kree who lived in an isolated colony with their own unique sets of powers. While their reality works well with the MCU, there's still no confirmation if they will return on the big screen.
A similar risk is possible with the Eternals film. This is because, as with the Inhumans, these characters are largely untested. In fact, compared to their counterparts, the Eternals are even more obscure. While this leaves room for changes to be made that can improve certain aspects, there's still plenty of room for error. That being said, if Eternals succeeds on a massive scale, similar to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, there's more than enough hope for the Inhumans.
In the comics, the two factions went to war centuries ago. While the war wasn't explored, it could serve as a foundation for the Eternals, and the audience, to develop a relationship with or understanding of the Inhumans again. Additionally, since the MCU is known to change established stories to fit in their world, this war could be expanded in new ways to show that the Inhumans are just as complex as the Eternals.
However, even though there are ways the Inhumans could return, the question remains if audiences are still interested in the characters. Because the TV show infamously failed, many fans' interpretations of the characters were skewed. As a result, some characters that should be regarded as powerful, like Black Bolt, don't garner the same regard as the Black Panther or Captain America. But with the multiverse still expanding, it's possible new versions of the characters could overshadow the previous iteration.
The Eternals, whether large or small, are still a risk. As all-new characters are introduced into the MCU, there's always a chance that audiences won't connect, or the film will fail to capture the spirit of the characters. But if Eternals is the massive success that it's slowly shaping up to be, there's a glimmer of hope that it could reignite the Inhumans flame once again. If that comes to pass, fans will be able to celebrate a universe that features one of Marvel's most powerful and regal families.
Will the Eternals reignite interest in the Inhumans in the MCU? Check out Eternals, opening exclusively in theaters on Nov. 5, to find out.