Marvel's Eternals Director Confirms How Movie Will Effect The MCU

The first trailer for Marvel's Eternals introduced the concept of the new superhero team to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, revealing that they've been around on Earth (with minimal interactions) for a few thousand years. With the most recent second trailer though came the answer to one big question about the team, why the heck they didn't do anything about Thanos or any of the other major events of the MCU. This seemingly closes the movie off from the rest of the MCU, making it largely standalone, which Oscar winning director Chloe Zhao confirmed in a new interview, though she did tease that the film will have major ramifications for the future of the MCU by the time the credits roll.

"I think we stand alone as a film for sure," Zhao revealed to Total Film. "But I do think we will have a very big effect on the future of the MCU with what happens in this film. Which, you know, as a fan, is really satisfying for me! I geek out." One big way that it will have an effect is the world knowing of their existence potentially, but also the addition of new characters like Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, a.k.a. the Marvel Comics hero Black Knight. Speaking to the lack of interference from the Eternals over Thanos' plot in Avengers: Infinity War, Zhao went on to say that the audience will understand why but also that the film will show "how complicated not interfering made (The Eternals) feel." 

Furthermore, Zhao reveals that even though the larger crux of the plot takes place in the present day of the timeline we'll get the chance to see thousands of years earlier in the MCU, seemingly the earliest point in the MCU timeline so far.

"What excited me is the idea of going back in time, and exploring [the time] before Thanos was born, before anyone was born," Zhao added. "Where does the MCU go back in time? And that brings us to the mythology of the Celestials. Anything involving the Celestials is going to be at a huge scale level of complication, let's put it that way."

Following the record breaking box office of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings last weekend, The Walt Disney Company has confirmed that all of their 2021 releases will have a 45 day theatrical exclusive window, meaning Eternals will only be seen on the big screen when it's released this November.

Marvel's Eternals cast includes Angelina Jolie as Thena, Richard Madden as Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Lia McHugh as Sprite, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Gemma Chan as Sersi, and Barry Keoghan as Druig. The official description from the studio reads:

"Marvel Studios' Eternals features an exciting new team of Super Heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows to reunite against mankind's most ancient enemy, the Deviants."

Marvel's Eternals will debut in theaters on November 5.

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