‘Shattered Me Too Much.’ Kumail Nanjiani Got Refreshingly Candid About Needing Therapy After Starring In A Marvel Film

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Over an extended period, there was a strong sense that every new Marvel movie would surpass many of its predecessors, given the unstoppable momentum of the franchise. But change is inevitable, and now we find ourselves in a place where movies like Thunderbolts* (critical success) and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (decent earnings) are alternating with big-budget productions that don’t perform as expected. In fact, Kumail Nanjiani, the actor from a 2021 MCU production, Eternals, has openly expressed feelings of being “shattered” by its performance and needing therapy to cope.

* Thunderbolts is not a real Marvel movie, it was used as an example.

What Did Eternals’ Kumail Nanjiani Say About Needing Therapy After The Movie’s Poor Performance?

Over the past few years, fans’ reactions to Marvel films have undergone a significant shift, particularly after the Infinity Saga ended. Unlike the initial decade of releases that ignited global excitement, the subsequent films haven’t had the same impact. One such movie that generated typical Marvel hype but fell short was “Eternals”. Despite boasting an impressive cast led by Kumail Nanjiani, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Brian Tyree Henry, and others, and a decent box office performance, the critical response was, at best, lukewarm.

Nanjiani recently appeared on the Working It Out podcast, where he and fellow comedian/host Mike Birbiglia got into the topic of working out new material for their stand-up acts. When asked what he’s been putting together lately, the Oscar nominee revealed that “the last 15 minutes” of his set now revolves around how Eternals’ negative reviews impacted him:

In a film titled “Eternals,” which received negative reviews and didn’t perform exceptionally well at the box office, I starred. This disappointment, coupled with the harsh criticism, left me feeling utterly crushed. It was then that I realized I needed professional help to understand and untangle my emotions. A significant portion of my self-worth seemed to be contingent upon others’ responses to my performances.

It’s tough, isn’t it? I bet there are plenty of other actors who’ve gone through something similar. The star of “The Big Sick” shared that the movie was released when some of the pandemic’s intensity had eased, allowing people to return to cinemas again. However, this meant that he spent about a year and half at home, daydreaming about the film’s success.

It could appear ill-advised for the team leading the Silicon Valley project to have taken this step, but in truth, there had been significant hype surrounding this movie, not just from Marvel itself. In the early months of 2024, Nanjiani mentioned that expectations were high and the film was expected to receive “incredibly positive” reviews, so they decided to lift the review embargo prematurely and embark on a press tour all at once, thinking they’d be enveloped in a wave of overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth. However, things didn’t turn out as planned.

As the anticipation built towards the release of the movie, his aspirations soared, as he had agreed to star in six films, a video game, and a theme park ride, assuming that his stint as Bollywood’s Eternal Kingo would span at least ten years. Although events within the Marvel multiverse are unpredictable, it appears that we may not witness Nanjiani or his fellow Eternals returning soon. Yet, it seems he has accepted the film’s underperformance and is determined to move forward with resilience.

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2025-08-14 03:40