Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman has a perfect story to finally come back to theMarvel Cinematic Universeafter three years. Harington is a popular star, having played Jon Son inGame of Thrones, one of the fan-favorite roles of the biggest TV show in recent memory. That is why I was extremely excited whenhe was cast to appear in 2021’sEternals, as I believed Harington would become an MCU mainstay. However, three years after his MCU debut, Harington has yet to return to the franchise, with Dane Whitman not confirmed for anyupcoming MCU projects.
Recently,Harington addressed his MCU role. While the actor did not talk about a possible return,he did say, “If Marvel calls, you gotta do it,“when commenting on first being cast as Dane Whitman. The star’s words make it seem that if Marvel Studios decides that there is a place for him in a future project, theEternalsstar will be quick to say yes. Well, while asequel toEternalsis unlikely to happen after the first movie’s divisive reception, I know how Harington can come back to the MCU.
Who Is Black Knight? Kit Harington’s MCU Character Explained
Game of Thrones veteran Kit Harington is the Black Knight in Marvel’s Eternals movie - here’s everything you need to know about the character.
I Know The Perfect Dark Story For Black Knight’s Formal MCU Debut
Dane Whitman Has To Become A Superhero
Harington played a small supporting role inEternals. As such,Dane Whitman never turned into the Black Knight in the movie, with the MCU only teasing that through the debut of the Ebony Blade in one ofEternals' post-credits scenes. The sword has extensive lore in Marvel Comics, and I think that Harington’s MCU return has to be all about it, with Dane’s transformation into Black Knight coming whenever he appears next. I have worked out the ideal story for Harington’s MCU return, and it has to do with a blood curse.
While Mahershala Ali has yet to star in his Blade movie, the character had a voice cameo inEternals, warning Dane Whitman against touching the Ebony Blade.
The MCU has started to experiment with supernatural characters since Phase 4, and I believe thatBlack Knight’s blood curse from the comics could be his ideal story. While Mahershala Ali has yet to star in his Blade movie, the character had a voice cameo inEternals, warning Dane Whitman against touching the Ebony Blade. In the comics, the sword is cursed, and every time it draws blood, it slowly makes its user lose their mind. Black Knight going from a hero to a rampaging threat — or turning into stone, like in the comics — would make for a great story.
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I Want To See Kit Harington’s Black Knight Join The Avengers
The MCU Has To Change Plans
I think Black Knight’s blood curse could tie together the MCU’s supernatural corner, theBlademovie, and the Avengers. In Marvel Comics,Dane Whitman debuted in an Avengers comic book. WithEternalsfailing to be the big success Marvel expected it to be, I believe the best move for Dane to continue in the MCU would be to separate him from theEternalscharacters, and given how his comic book origin is tied to the Avengers, with Black Knight being part of a few iterations of the team, Kit Harington’s hero could be an Avengers member.
Black Knight could also be a member of the Midnight Suns, Marvel’s premiere supernatural team, and the British squad that Emilia Clarke’s G’iah and Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth were seemingly creating inSecret Invasion.
There are two upcoming Avengers movies that could feature Harington’s MCU return — 2026’sAvengers: Doomsdayand 2027’sAvengers: Secret Wars. After the original six Avengers led four movies of the team, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes should be mostly made up of new members the next time the team appears. In April,Harington revealed there are no plans for Black Knight’s returnat the moment. That said, the actor loves “the idea of a good guy being turned bad by his superpower,” making the blood curse story perfect for a potential Avengers return,perhaps siding with Doctor Doomafter a villain turn.
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The Actor Would Not Feel Any Pressure
With the MCU facing some issues in the last few years,Marvel needs the new Avengers team to be universally beloved. That puts pressure on which characters will be chosen to serve as members of the team, and I believe including Kit Harington’s Black Knight would be an easy decision. After all, the actor played one of the two most important characters inGame of Thrones, a series that is the closest TV has gotten to releasing movies on a weekly basis.
The actor made Jon SnowGame of Thrones' biggest hero, showing he would be okay with shouldering the pressure of having a role in the MCU’s new Avengers team. Harington’s MCU hero is pretty much a version of Jon Snow with “powers.” I don’t mean that the characters' personalities are alike, as Dane Whitman is lighter than the brooding Jon Snow, but like hisGame of Thronescharacter, Black Knight is a valiant hero known for his sword-fighting skills in the comics, which makes them similar.Kit Haringtonhas enormous potential in the MCU, and I hope it isn’t wasted.
Eternals
Cast
Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao, follows a group of ancient aliens who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years. The film explores their reunion in the face of an unexpected tragedy and the threat posed by their age-old adversaries, the Deviants. Released in 2021, the film expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
