Baby Driver Director Edgar Wright Throws Shade At Kumail Nanjiani’s Ripped Body While Defending Movie Theaters

Movie theater chains have been struggling around the world thanks to the unprecedented events of 2020, which has led filmmakers to do what they can to preserve the theatrical experience. Everyone has their reasons, and Baby Driver director Edgar Wright is no exception; though it’s not the reason you’d think. Rather than throwing a bone to his upcoming film Last Night in Soho, Wright wants to save movie theaters for another, slightly shade throwing reason: it’s the proper way to see Kumail Nanjiani’s ripped body.

In a sign of good natured ribbing, in light of Kumail Nanjiani’s transformation to play a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals, Edgar Wright highlighted the actor’s physique as his motivation to save cinemas. This wasn’t some random or hidden gag either, as the man who helped turn Simon Pegg and Nick Frost into action stars with Hot Fuzz took to Twitter to make his feelings known. Is it a practical joke, or a secret thirst tweet? Decide for yourself, as you consider the evidence:

See more

I mean, if you’ve seen the photos of Kumail Nanjiani’s fantastic shape, or even if you’ve just heard the stories from people like his Stuber co-star Dave Bautista, it’s hard not to hype this aspect of Eternals up. Most people knew the comedian turned superhero as a kind and sort of geeky character actor, who did everything from tell his own real-life courtship story in rom-com-dramedy The Big Sick to voice an alien creature in Men In Black International. But the moment the secret was out, the world was curious about Nanjiani’s newly buffed lifestyle.

Like any good celebrity, Kumail Nanjiani saw his name and profile tagged in this subtle promotion of Eternals, which is supposed to open in theaters in November of 2021. And he actually responded to Edgar Wright’s need to see the muscular body that even got PornHub’s attention in a theater near him. Doubling down on his previous promise that Eternals would be worth the wait, Nanjiani made the following statement:

See more

You heard it from the man himself: Kumail Nanjiani is going to take the world to the gun show in Eternals, and you can’t show off that sort of firepower on the small screen when introducing it to the world. So we’ve got Mr. Nanjiani promising his fine figure in a theater near you, and Edgar Wright is on board for that very same cause. Who else could you want to throw in their own vote of support, with just one last joke to make the conversation complete?

If you answered, “a Visual Effects supervisor from Eternals’ own staff,” you’d absolutely be correct. That also means you either read ahead, or have psychic abilities that are uncanny, and we’re a bit freaked out at this moment. But the facts don’t lie, as Stephane Ceretti jumped into the fray with a vote of thanks, which brought Kumail Nanjiani in for one last gag:

See more

Oh Edgar Wright… look what you’ve done. It’s not going to be long before the entire internet is worked up into a bit of a froth about Kumail Nanjiani’s hard work at becoming extra super, is it? If you’re out there and share Mr. Wright’s concerns, you may want to pace yourselves as Eternals won’t be in theaters until November 5, 2021. Perhaps a good psychological horror will help pass the time, as Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho is set to scare and shock the world in theaters on April 23, 2021. No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find it in the usual spot, our handy 2021 release schedule. It may not have abs, but it’s useful for figuring out which movies do.

This poll is no longer available.

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.