Eternals Director Chloe Zhao on Potential Marvel vs. DC Crossover Movie

Eternals confirms DC Comics exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but could the two companies crossover for the first time on the big screen? Director Chloe Zhao, who references DC characters Batman and Superman in her Marvel movie about the god-like aliens created by Jack Kirby, introduces her own version of “Superman” to the MCU: the loyal soldier Ikaris (Richard Madden). After naming Zack Snyder’s Superman (Henry Cavill) in Man of Steel as an inspiration on Marvel’s Eternals, is a cinematic crossover between the MCU and the DCEU something Zhao wishes to see? 

“Who doesn’t? Of course I do [want to see that], who doesn’t want to see that crossover?” Zhao told Fandango All Access. “But we shouldn’t always get what we want, maybe it’s not good for us (laughs). Maybe some things should be held back.”

For now, Eternals only references the fictional heroes of DC Comics: a child mistakes Ikaris for Superman, who wears blue and has the powers of flight, super strength, and laser eyes. In another nod to the competition, characters compare Kingo’s (Kumail Nanjiani) valet Karun (Harish Patel) to Batman’s butler Alfred. 

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“We’re in the business of telling modern versions of mythology from all cultures. Superman exists in many, many cultures, and the creation of the comics of Clark Kent and all the brilliant filmmakers that brought him to the screen, they are doing their own personal, modern versions,” Zhao said. “Ikaris is our version of that, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pay tribute and have a good time with the ones that are so iconic that we love. Also, Gilgamesh (Don Lee), he watches TV. He watches Showtime and watches movies. I think he likes Batman.” 

James Gunn, who directed two Guardians of the Galaxy movies for Disney-Marvel and The Suicide Squad for Warner Bros.-DC, previously revealed he’s talked to executives from both companies about a live-action crossover. “I don’t think it’s likely, but I don’t think it’s an impossibility, either,” Gunn tweeted over the summer. 

Gunn named Marvel’s Groot (voice of Vin Diesel) and DC’s Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) as two characters he wants to see cross over, telling Reel Blend, “It’s like everybody’s open to everything, but whether anything would ever happen, who knows? But the idea of being able to bring Marvel and DC together in a movie, that would be really fun for me.”

Starring Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh, Don Lee, Barry Keoghan, Kit Harington, and Angelina Jolie, Marvel’s Eternals is now playing in theaters.