It may have been brief, but it seems like Harry Styles’ time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is officially over.
Once synonymous with box office gold, Marvel is going through a rough time right now. While Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) may have been well-received by critics, the past year has mainly seen a series of flops from the studio – including the major box office bomb that was Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), and Marvel’s worst-reviewed project of all time, Secret Invasion. Double yikes.

Related: “It’s Strange”, Harry Styles’ New Role in MCU Gets Questioned By ‘Captain Marvel’ Star
While there are multiple factors behind Marvel’s decline, a huge reason often given by critics and fans alike is that there’s just too much content. Between multiple Disney+ series and numerous box office debuts each year, there’s barely time for audiences to breathe between projects. For some, keeping up with the superhero franchise has become more of a chore than a hobby, especially when each new entry comes with a dozen new characters and ‘vital’ storylines to remember for future installments.
Marvel is very much aware of this cultural shift – as is its parent, the Walt Disney Company. Disney CEO Bob Iger has recently commented on its oversaturation of Marvel content, claiming that the studio didn’t know what it was doing in the world of television, and the studio’s release lineup has been slimmed down considerably in 2023.

As a part of the studio’s ongoing overhaul, news has emerged that several projects have been culled entirely. That includes any future appearances for pop star Harry Styles, who made his debut as Eros in a post-credits scene for the not-so-popular Eternals (2021).
“Marvel bosses were openly talking about Harry in a lead role, but that talk has cooled,” a Marvel source told the Sunday Mirror. “The whole business and Marvel franchise is being rethought. The focus is on creating the biggest projects with the biggest revenues. Harry’s character is a fun and beloved role, but it is not realistically the number one choice to get the Marvel franchise bouncing back.”

The former One Direction singer’s tiny cameo in Eternals saw him appear as Eros alongside the character of Pip (voiced by Patton Oswalt). In the 60-second scene directed by Chloé Zhao, Eros and Pip board the Domo, where they encounter Thena (Angelina Jolie), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), and Druig (Barry Keoghan).
Initial plans were to reportedly use this scene as a launching pad for a spinoff featuring Styles that focused on Eros and Pip, for which he would have taken home an estimated $10 million.
Eros is the brother of Thanos in the comic books, which could have made for an interesting storyline considering the fact that Thanos (Josh Brolin) is one of the most popular villains within the MCU – and may have even led to Brolin’s return as the Infinity Stone-wielding Mad Titan.

Styles’ acting career hasn’t got off to the best start. After being handpicked by director Christopher Nolan for a small role in Dunkirk (2017), his performances in My Policeman (2022) and Don’t Worry Darling (2022) were largely slated. The latter also sparked controversy due to rumors of behind-the-scenes drama involving his co-star Florence Pugh and the film’s director (and Styles’ ex-girlfriend) Olivia Wilde.
Regardless of his track record, Marvel producer Nate Moore suggested earlier this year that Styles had a future as Eros in the MCU. “We certainly didn’t cast Harry for a tag,” he told Deadline. “There are more stories to be told with the character. He has a really interesting connection with Thanos; they’re half-brothers and share the same father. He has an interesting power set.

“He’s a complicated character, but a really fun character. And I think… having met Harry Styles, he is as charming as you want him to be. And I think there’s no limit to how good that character’s going to be once we get to bring him back.”
Sadly, it doesn’t seem like this will be the case – at least not for now or until the MCU is on more solid ground once again (if it ever is). Until then, we’ll have to make do with his 60 seconds of screentime in Eternals.
The next MCU movie set for cinematic release is The Marvels (2023) in November, which will see Brie Larson return as Carol Danvers (AKA Captain Marvel), Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan (AKA Ms Marvel), and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau. While (most) fans have been enthusiastic about the footage shared so far, some fear that this may be the final nail in the coffin for the already struggling MCU.
Are you excited about the future of the MCU? Do you wish Harry Styles would step into the cape once again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!