Eternals may not have been Marvel Studios' most popular movie - in fact, it's among the lowest grossing and rated - but there's still plenty of anticipation for the sequel. That comes in part due to the epic cliffhanger from the first installment that saw half the team taken by the Celestial Arishem to judge Earth, and the others circling the galaxy looking for other Eternals. That came on top of the debut of Harry Styles' Eros, aka Starfox.
The sequel may have been omitted from Marvel Studios' Comic-Con presentation and the Phase 5 slate, but that didn't stop Pip the Troll actor Patton Oswalt from confirming Eternals 2 in recent weeks. Included in that reveal was the news that Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao will be returning to direct the follow-up.
As fans of the immortal ensemble hope Disney's D23 convention will bring a promising update next month, one can only wonder where Eternals 2 could land in the Multiverse Saga and beyond. Marvel Studios still has seven dates reserved for untitled MCU releases in the coming years, but which will Zhao's sequel fall into?
7 Possible Release Dates for Eternals 2
Eternals' Pip the Troll actor Patton Oswalt recently revealed a sequel to be in development with Chloé Zhao returning to direct the follow-up. Assuming the actor's understanding of the situation is accurate, Eternals 2 appears to already have the green light. Zhao may even already be at work on the project as she currently has no other upcoming projects listed publicly.
So, as work appears to be underway on Eternals 2, when will the highly-anticipated sequel arrive to resolve that crazy cliffhanger? Well, Marvel Studios still has one untitled MCU venture slated for release on February 16, 2024, perhaps that may be an opportune window to place the sequel in the Phase 5 slate, directly between Agatha: House of Harkness and Daredevil: Born Again.
However, most are currently expecting the vacant 2024 date to go to Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool 3, which already appears to be beginning filming preparations. As Eternals 2 doesn't quite appear to be at that stage of development yet, that ought to push the sequel into 2025 at the earliest.
Marvel Studios has two available dates left in its Phase 6 theatrical slate, the first falls between Fantastic Four and The Kang Dynasty on February 14, 2025. This may be a logical date to place Eternals 2 in order to resolve the cliffhanger of the first installment and allow them to join the Avengers for their fight against Kang.
Alternatively, the sequel could slot into July 25, 2025, directly between the two Avengers blockbusters, keeping the ensemble momentum flowing in the gap between them. This would allow The Kang Dynasty to keep the focus on Earth's Mightiest Heroes before the Eternals get involved in whatever conflict Secret Wars may bring.
But if somehow Eternals 2 didn't make it into the Multiverse Saga, which seems rather unlikely, Marvel Studios already has four Phase 7 flags planted for February 13, May 1, July 24, and November 6, 2026. These dates are currently too far out to predict in which it could fall, but the first film did fall in November, something which could be replicated here.
When Will Eternals 2 Release?
With Eternals 2 already appearing to have entered development under Chloé Zhao, the highly-anticipated sequel ought to come before the Multiverse Saga has concluded. But since Deadpool 3 looks like a safe bet to take the vacant February 2024, the ensemble flick should fall in 2025, directly before either The Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars.
February 14 or July 25, 2025, are both viable options for Eternals 2, with no definitive way to determine which is more likely at this stage. Based on the big screen projects in the works at Marvel Studios, the second available 2025 release ought to go to World War Hulk, unless plans have changed since those reports surfaced.
Marvel Studios ought to want Bruce Banner and Jennifer Walters free for The Kang Dynasty, and with World War Hulk reportedly being set up in She-Hulk, that ought to fall in February 2025. That would seemingly make July 25, 2025, the logical choice for Eternals 2, leaving the team to sit-out Avengers 5 but get involved for Secret Wars to round out the Multiverse Saga.
If these releases were all to pay off, the Phase 6 theatrical slate would consist of Fantastic Four, World War Hulk, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Eternals 2, and Avengers: Secret Wars. With a slate full of big-scale blockbusters and ensembles, there may be no better way to bring the MCU's second saga to a close.
Perhaps an official confirmation of Eternals 2 will come next month during Marvel Studios' D23 presentation, which takes place on Saturday, September 10.
