Marvel's The Eternals Casts Train To Busan Star Ma Dong-Seok

Marvel Studios is continuing to build up its cast for The Eternals, now tapping South Korean actor Ma Dong-seok to star in the ensemble film. 

TheWrap reported news of Dong-seok's casting on Wednesday, April 17, noting that details about his role are behind the Iron Curtain for the time being. Marvel declined to comment one way or another about Dong-seok boarding The Eternals. 

Also known as Don Lee, Dong-seok gained international acclaim for his performance as Sang-hwa in director Yeon Sang-ho's South Korean zombie apocalypse action-thriller Train to Busan. He has also held roles in films like Champion, The Villagers, Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days, The Outlaws, Derailed, Unstoppable, Rockin' on Heaven's Door, The Unjust, and The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil.

Since Marvel is holding out until after the theatrical launches of Avengers: Endgame on April 26 and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5 to make formal announcements about Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, concrete details about The Eternals are few, far between, and unconfirmed (by Marvel, at least). The film, which centers on the titular group of ancient humans created by cosmic beings known as Celestials, reportedly stars Angelina Jolie and Kumail Nanjiani. Jolie is said to be in talks for the role of Sersi, the daughter of Helios and Perse who has superhuman strength, psionic powers, and the ability to manipulate molecules and atoms around her. It's unknown which character Nanjiani might portray. 

The Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao of The Rider fame, will apparently also feature the first gay superhero lead in a film in history. Marvel is reportedly gunning for an openly gay actor to assume the role. No additional information on the hero or the actor who will bring him to life is available as of this writing. 

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige once noted that the film (and everything that comes in the MCU after Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home) will be "different" and "unique." He also said that the studio wants to introduce an ensemble right from the get-go rather than piece one together throughout several films, like Marvel had done with the Avengers.

"Jack Kirby did an immense, amazing epic with Eternals that spans tens of thousands of years, and that's also something we haven't really done, which is why that among many other things post-Endgame, we find appealing," said Feige. 

With his experience starring in thrill-heavy action films, Dong-seok should offer something incredible to The Eternals. It will be interesting to see where on the Eternals roster he falls (there are dozens of members of the alien race spanning several generations) and the kind of dynamic his character has with Jolie's and Nanjiani's. 

The Eternals is currently without a set release date. Expect Marvel to potentially make an announcement in that regard sometime following the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home this summer.