Despite Ikaris’ apparent death in Eternals’ conclusion, there may now be evidence that Madden may return to the MCU sooner rather than later. Emmy Kennard’s TikTok video recently caught the attention of MCU fans, as it revealed that her trick double brother is poised to portray a returning MCU character right away. Emmy Kennard is the sister of Joe Kennard, a stuntman who doubled as Madden’s trick for Ikaris in Eternals. Joe Kennard had previously worked with Madden on Citadel as a trick twofold for Ikaris, the main MCU character, and he recently worked with him again on Citadel as a trick twofold.
While it’s possible Joe is being used on a different Marvel project as a stand-in for him (like US Agent, because he substituted for Wyatt Russell in Overlord), it’s also possible he’s learned he’ll be doing stunts for Ikaris once more.
The storey of the Eternals illustrated how Ikaris and Sersi went in different directions during their tenure on Earth. Sersi grew to adore humans and assimilated into their society, but Ikaris was less enamoured with them. After Sersi learnt of the Eternals’ true purpose, which was to enable another Celestial come up from Earth and kill humanity, they were forced to be on opposing sides in the Eternals’ endgame. Ikaris subsequently evolved into the film’s quintessential lowlife, and his decision to soar into the sun after realising the folly of his ways raised questions about his MCU future.
This is far from confirmation that Madden’s Ikaris will return to the MCU after Eternals, so take this with a grain of salt until further notice. It also raises some questions about how he may return, given that the film’s essayists confirmed Ikaris died. Regardless, his death was not clearly seen on film, probably so Marvel could go ahead with whatever they were planning while keeping Madden involved. Because of Game of Thrones, he is a truly unmistakable entertainer, thus his brief MCU appearance would be a surprise. It’s possible that Marvel has figured out a way to bring Ikaris back, either by revealing that he didn’t die in the sun or by the Celestials recreating his body.
If Madden’s Ikaris makes an appearance, it will be fascinating to watch where he appears first. It is improbable that Ikaris is in any film that has already began production, assuming the trick twofold is just now learning about his involvement in the work. That complicates Ikaris’ return to the MCU, as grandiose based properties such as Thor: Love and Thunder, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and The Marvels aren’t viable options.
If all other factors remain constant, this could indicate that Marvel Studios has decided to produce Eternals 2 and that it will be released sooner than many anticipate. Those hoping to see more of Ikaris will have to wait and see whether the Eternals character does indeed appear in a future MCU project, or if some other proof surfaces to support the theory.
