Eternals leak may have revealed a brand new MCU villain

Eternals may have been pushed back to November 2021, but the cosmic Marvel Phase 4 adventure was originally due out in just a few weeks.

As such, merchandising and marketing deals are locked into a release window way ahead of time – and may have led to this new Eternals leak featuring what could be the first look at a new MCU villain.

Apparently my pic was stolen and circulated but Here is the first look of what appears to be the Villain from the Marvel Legends The Eternals Kro. Also the backside of the figure which no one else has cuz this is MY picture. #marvellegends #marveleternals #eternalskro #marvel (Insert name here)
A photo posted by @dtapia22 on Oct 3, 2020 at 11:56am PDT

The box shows Kro – the leader of the Eternals-opposing Deviants in the comics – as a sinewy, skeletal figure with a red mark on his forehead. His appearance differs from what readers may expect, but could also hint at the new, perhaps darker, direction for the MCU’s grandest movie yet – one that director Chloe Zhao has even said aims to be “bigger” than Avengers: Endgame.

The back of the packaging could also reveal a little more about the Eternals villain and the movie itself.

Described as “a powerful Deviant unlike any other the Eternals has faced over the millenia,” Kro showing up is “the harbinger for a global threat.”

It remains to be seen whether Kro will join the likes of Loki and Thanos as fan-favourite Marvel villains, though at least it’s almost comforting to know that the Eternals villain doesn’t exactly look like a pushover – and could influence the MCU in a big way.

That’s what’s still to come in Marvel’s future. For a look at its past, check out our complete Marvel timeline and our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.