With so much attention and hype surrounding the multiverse and its connection to the highly anticipated Spider-Man and Doctor Strange sequels, it seems that many fans are losing sight of a possible game-changer that has the potential to be the best upcoming MCU film: Eternals.
After many delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marvel films have finally returned to the big screen in 2021. Black Widow's release in early July followed by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Eternals are starting phase 4 off on the right note that is sure to expand the MCU in new and exciting ways. And although each of the new films will deliver its own uniqueness to these ongoing, connected stories, Eternals looks like that it will change the MCU for good.
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Bigger Expansion
Yes, of course, the multiverse is a big deal. When the Spider-Man and Doctor Strange sequels were rumored to include it, it gave fans endless possibilities of what could happen and where these stories could progress. Those rumors began to turn to facts when the titles for those sequels were announced, cast members from the previous Spider-Man films (like Alfred Molina who played Doc Ock in Sam Raimi's/Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man 2) joined the upcoming MCU film, and shows like WandaVision and Loki confirmed the multiverse would be happening. But multiple worlds/alternate realities is one thing. How about deep space?= Eternals is shaping up to explore the entire universe and have some sort of cosmic crossover with many intriguing characters. Especially after being introduced to some of the Elders of the Universe group (Ego, Grandmaster, The Collecter) or Kang the Conquerer, there are infinite storylines that can intertwine and could flip the entire MCU on its head. It's no surprise phase 4 is building to these stories.
Having Skrulls appear in Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: Far From Home (especially knowing Nick Fury is commanding a Skrull spaceship), and even having a brief appearance in WandaVision, has been an ongoing hint that things are literally about to get out of this world. From where the MCU has come since introducing fans to otherworldly characters and places in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy (which was an entirely different film that changed the landscape of the MCU in the best way possible) to concluding with Thanos' character in the infinity saga, that was only the beginning of what will eventually lead audiences to grander phases.
New Characters
Fans by now are familiar with Doctor Strange and Spider-Man and know what to expect from their characters, but when it comes to the Eternals, there's a lot of questions as to who these characters are since it will be their first appearance on screen and in the MCU. The Eternals are an immortal alien race that was created by the Celestials and have been living secretly on Earth for thousands of years. They finally have to come together to stop the Deviants, or in other words, their evil counterparts. It's possible that since this story spans thousands of years and brings in new worlds and numerous characters, it could be the most sci-fi and epic MCU film to date.
The new characters not only bring a freshness to the MCU but the way they will eventually connect with some older ones from previous films will be interesting to see. What's even more exciting is the cast that will be playing these new heroes. The ensemble includes Gemma Chan as Sersi, Angelina Jolie as Thena, Richard Madden as Ikaris, Barry Keoghan Druig, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, and Kit Harington as the human Dane Whitman.
Chloé Zhao
To top it off, bringing a director like Chloé Zhao to helm a movie this unique and expansive is a big reason to see the film. There have been some very talented filmmakers that have directed MCU films, whether that is Ryan Coogler, Jon Favreau, Taika Waititi, James Gunn, or the Russo Brothers. But Zhao, who is known for indie films like The Rider and her most recent Nomadland, won both Best Picture and Best Director for Nomadland at the 2020 Academy Awards.
Not only do her accolades prove her to be more than worthy to step into the MCU, but her films are known for lush cinematography that captures beautiful landscapes in all of their entirety and favor shooting on locations using minimal green screen. Obviously, Zhao will be using plenty of CGI in a film like this, but judging from the trailer, it looks like she still plans to keep much of her own filmmaking style.= Whether someone is looking more forward to Spider-Man: No Way Home or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness or Eternals, there's no doubt that whatever lies ahead for the MCU, it will surely be an unforgettable ride filled with many memorable moments.
Eternals is set to release on November 5, 2021.
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