Kumail Nanjiani’s Hilarious Take On Why Eternals Failed: ‘Each Ab Cost 100 Million At The Box Office’

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Kumail Nanjiani surprised everyone when he showed off his incredibly fit body before the release of Marvel’s Eternals. His transformation from someone who called himself a “nerd” into a superhero star became a major talking point. Although Eternals ended up being one of the most controversial Marvel movies, Nanjiani recently joked about why it didn’t perform as well at the box office – and his explanation hilariously blames those impressive abs and the money spent getting them!

Kumail Nanjiani recently shared his thoughts in a clip posted to Instagram by comedian Gianmarco Soresi. The clip came from an episode of Soresi’s podcast, The Downside. While it probably won’t start the old debates about the movie Eternals all over again, it offers a funny new perspective on the whole discussion, using self-deprecating humor. You can watch the clip below.

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Before delivering the joke, the comedian and filmmaker described how people’s reactions changed when his appearance shifted from an average Comic-Con attendee to someone who looked incredibly strong. He went on to explain:

I noticed some people were bothered when I changed my appearance and got in shape. It’s like they felt let down, maybe because they were used to me being a bit of a nerd. But honestly, I’m still the same person inside.

Kumail Nanjiani has felt a sense of betrayal since the release of Eternals in 2021. He’s playfully noted that some fans reacted as if he’d changed as a person simply by getting in shape, as if lifting weights altered his personality. Nanjiani clarified that Marvel didn’t request he transform his body – he decided to do it on his own. He explained that Marvel would have been fine with him maintaining his previous physique, which makes the negative reaction even more surprising.

When someone asked Kumail Nanjiani if Eternals would have been more successful if he hadn’t changed his appearance, he quickly responded with a joke.

It seems like the movie’s biggest issue was my physique. Many reviews mentioned I was too muscular, and that likely discouraged people from buying tickets. Ultimately, the movie lost $400 million, with each noticeable muscle apparently costing the film $100 million in potential revenue.

It’s a bit of an overstatement, but it accurately captures how conversations about Eternals often veered away from the film’s content. The movie struggled with several challenges, including lukewarm reviews, a large ensemble cast, and the impact of the pandemic on movie theaters. For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, Kumail Nanjiani unexpectedly became the focus of much of the criticism, despite his performance as Kingo not being the real issue.

Disney+ subscriptions start at $11.99 per month with ads. You can stream movies like Eternals and other Marvel Cinematic Universe films. An ad-free plan is available for $18.99 monthly, or you can save 16% by paying $189.99 for an annual subscription. See the deal here.

This joke connects well with the overall direction of Kumail Nanjiani’s comedy. In his recent stand-up special, Night Thoughts, he explained that with the Marvel movies seemingly behind him, there’s no longer a need to stay in shape. Yet, he continues to work out, both out of stubbornness and because it’s brought him opportunities he hadn’t experienced before. Regardless of whether his character, Kingo, appears in future Marvel films, Nanjiani has successfully made his physical transformation a popular and funny part of his act.

You can revisit Eternals, as all Marvel movies are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

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2026-01-07 22:09