Here's one you probably didn't have on your 2021 bingo card: The Russo brothers have directed a brand new ad for Lexus that stars Kumail Nanjiani's Eternals character Kingo.
The two-minute marketing campaign, titled "Parking Spot," helmed by Joe and Anthony Russo, puts Kingo behind the wheel of a gleaming new Lexus IS 500 sports sedan as he attempts to solve a very human problem here on Earth — attempting to find a safe parking spot — before joining the epic Super Hero battle happening downtown. Check it out below:
Check out this new #Eternals x #Lexus promo ad featuring the one and only @kumailn! pic.twitter.com/9Lmyq77CyQ
— One Take News (@OneTakeNews) October 4, 2021
As he weaves in and out of the road to avoid falling debris, Kingo is contacted by Sersi who warns him that the Deviants have arrived at the scene. Sprite is the next to reach out to Kingo to check on his whereabouts and remind him that "the Avengers would never be late." She then threatens to inform Ikaris, which adds a little more pressure to the mix.
This isn't the last we've seen of the super-powered new vehicle either, as the flagship Lexus LS 500 sedan and the all-new NX luxury crossover will make further appearances in Marvel's Eternals when it arrives in theaters on November 5, though Kingo might face a few more distractions as the fight against the Deviants intensifies on the big screen.
"There's a natural synergy between Marvel Studios and Lexus. We both go all-in to deliver amazing experiences," said Vinay Shahani, Lexus Vice President of Marketing. "We're incredibly excited to team up with Marvel Studios' Eternals to showcase our very own superhero, the first-ever V8 IS 500, which ushers in a new Lexus F SPORT Performance Line."
"We're thrilled to partner with Lexus to give viewers an early look at one of our new heroes, Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo, in action. Lexus' creative campaign is appropriately epic, delivering the same combination of action, spectacle, and humor our fans will see in the film," added Mindy Hamilton, SVP, Global Partnership Marketing at Marvel Studios.
In addition to Nanjiani, Marvel's Eternals also stars the others mentioned in the ad, including Gemma Chan as the humankind-loving Sersi, Lia McHugh as the eternally young yet old-soul Sprite, and Richard Madden as the all-powerful Ikaris, together with Angelina Jolie, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, and Kit Harrington.
The film, directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao, is expected to have a "very big effect" on the MCU's future following its release next month. It's also believed that Eternals follow the same release model as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, with an exclusive run in theaters before moving on to streaming platforms at a later date.
Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.