Eternals Writers, Director Say They Looked to Studio Ghibli for Inspiration

Eternals has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe at last, and its gorgeous aesthetic has made fans out of viewers across the globe. The sobering movie explores some of the franchise's most complex questions to date. Director Chloe Zhao was brought on board to tackle the project with all its moving pieces, and a recent interview reveals how Studio Ghibli helped guide Zhao while making the film.

The conversation began courtesy of Polygon as the site spoke with Zhao along with Kaz and Ryan Firpo, the film's screenwriters. It was there the two said Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away was often used as an anchor with Zhao during brainstorming sessions for Eternals.

"[Zhao] is a fantastic human filmmaker that makes spiritual dramas, and at the same time, she's a huge nerd," Kaz noted. "And that's sort of the secret sauce of [Zhao]."

According to the two writers, Zhao vibed with their Studio Ghibli focus. In fact, the Firpo cousins say Hayao Miyazaki's film became major inspiration given their ambiguity. The two admit the "gray area" explored in Studio Ghibli films was vital for Eternals as the film's heroes were caught in their own moral struggle.

"It's really a movie that's about Humanity with a capital H," Kaz continued, "and the question of: Are we worthy of this gift that we've been given of both this planet and life? Then for these eternal, immortal space gods to grapple with that too, that was something that no movie, I don't think, has ever had the chance to kind of do."

During their interview with Polygon, the Firpo cousins admit the film's take on the Hiroshima bombing was a product of exploring gray areas. Miyazaki has done this own exploration himself, and fans can find his take in Grave of the Fireflies. The damning story is considered one of the best war movies of all time. Its portrayal of grief and humanity is hard to watch at times, so you can see why these three looked to Miyazaki while crafting Eternals.

Of course, Studio Ghibli isn't the only source of inspiration to spark the trio. According to Kaz, the cousins gushed over Final Fantasy VII with Zhao, and they'd be up to adapt the epic tale if given the chance.

"Final Fantasy VII was a story I played when I was very young that changed my life," Kaz admitted. "It really opened my bound opened the horizons of like what you could do in a story. I think, for me, my dreams always been to take Final Fantasy VII and do it as the most epic story of all time."

Are you surprised by this confession? Can you see where Eternals borrows from Miyazaki's works? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.