by Conan Simmons – November 2, 2021 – 7:16 pm
As the weekend approaches so does the latest installment in the phenomenally popular Marvel Cinematic Universe, ‘Eternals’. Directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao and starring Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani and Kit Harrington the movie is expected to be a big hit at the box office. It will also feature a couple of new additions to the franchise going forward.
As revealed by both a reporter and an editor at trade publication Variety, pop singer Harry Styles makes an appearance as the other-worldly Eros, a.k.a. Starfox, an Eternal who is brother to supervillain Deviant Thanos.
Eros is a character created by Jim Starlin and first appeared in the comic book Iron Man #55 all the way back in 1973. Eros is from the moon of Jupiter, Titan, and has super strength, enhanced stamina and the power to stimulate the pleasure centers of those he so chooses thereby manipulating emotions, hence the namesake Eros as in the god of love.
The addition of Harry Styles into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is most likely a ploy to set up a future installment in the franchise. Given who is said to appear alongside Eros, it may not be hard to fathom where he shows up next.
In ‘Eternals’, Eros appears alongside another lesser known character, Pip the Troll, played by popular comedian Patton Oswalt. The character is most closely associated with the mysterious intergalactic entity known as Adam Warlock.
Adam Warlock was hinted at entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the post credits scenes of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2’. As director James Gunn begins filming the sequel to that film in Atlanta, Georgia and given that it was recently announced that actor Will Poulter will be playing Adam Warlock in the sequel, it is most likely that both Eros and Pip will appear again in that highly anticipated adventure.
Though, it should be noted, their casting in said film has not been confirmed. Therefore it is possible they may show up elsewhere.
An obvious choice would be in director Taika Waititi’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ given that Eros is named after the god of love. However, it has already been revealed that Russell Crowe will be playing the Greek god, Zeus, in that picture. The film is currently in post production readying for release next year after filming in Australia. It may be too much for two Greek named gods to appear in the film, albeit much too obvious as well, Eros and Zeus in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’.
Eros, a.k.a. Starfox, also has a long history in the comic books associating with Captain Marvel. As the sequel to 2019’s ‘Captain Marvel’ nears completion of filming, there is some chance Eros may appear there. The sequel, entitled ‘The Marvels’, features Brie Larson as Captain Marvel alongside Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, a.k.a. Photon. It would make for an interesting story if Eros showed up to be not entirely heroic.
Wherever Eros and Pip the Troll show up after ‘Eternals’ it remains to be seen how important they will be to the overall arc of the franchise. Then, of course, there is Kit Harrington receiving the Ebony Blade, a magic sword that will turn him into the superhero the Black Knight, whom rumor has it may show up again in Sam Raimi’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’.
