Chloé Zhao made her MCU directorial debut with Eternals. Whilst the film did not have an ideal reception, it has still garnered a loyal fanbase. Now, those fans have made themselves heard, and have even brought their own hopes of a certain crossover for the the Eternals franchise
Much like Zhao, Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson also had a rather rocky start to the MCU. Despite these unfortunate beginnings, both seem to find great enjoyment in their Marvel work.
For one, Larson clearly loves playing Carol Danvers. The actress even became a gym nut because of her fear of Marvel failure and cites the role as having a profoundly positive impact on her lifestyle.
Nomadland director Chloé Zhao also praised Marvel Studios, acknowledging that "decisions happen a bit slower" with such a high-profile production, but Disney's wealth allows for "unlimited resources to make your imagination come true."
In terms of Zhao's next moves at Marvel, little is known about a potential Eternals 2. Marvel confirmed the team will be returning, although a sequel remains unconfirmed and Eternals actors like Barry Keoghan remains in the dark.
However, it seems that excited fans have their own ideas for what to do with the franchise.
Marvel Team-up for Zhao and Larson?
Eternals director Chloé Zhao took to Instagram to share a few photos of herself and Captain Marvel's Brie Larson hanging out idyllically at sea.
The first saw Larson being pushed by Zhao on a swing set.
In the second, the actress was then joined by Zhao, as they both stood up on the swings.
There was then a solitary photograph of the director as she swapped her bikini for a full-body wetsuit.
The trio of stills was calmly captioned with two emojis, but the same can't be said for how fans reacted to them.
Many began to clamor for a team-up between Larson's Captain Marvel character and Zhao's Eternals team.
For instance, Instagram user @lindsaysara13 begged for a collaboration between the two:
lindsaysara13: ETERNALS X CAPTAIN MARVEL WHEN???
She was joined by @drqkkarisvidz who hoped that the pictures confirmed a crossover:
drqkkarisvidz: QUEEN PLS TELL ME THAT THIS MEANS WE’RE GETTING AN ETERNALS AND THE MARVELS CROSSOVER
Others proposed a different explanation for the pictures. User @nickchampaine supposed that the pictures could be an update for Eternals 2:
nickchampaine: Eternals 2
Emphasized by a cluster of punctuation, @j.01899 wondered if the pictures could have any relation to another highly anticipated release, Secret Wars.
j.01899: Secret Wars!?!?!?!
Will Captain Marvel Be in Eternals 2?
Unfortunately, these photos are unlikely to mean much for any upcoming Marvel release, and should just be taken at face value of the two enjoying their time at the beach.
Of course, given how little is known of the Eternals sequel, and the close friendship between Larson and Zhao, fan reaction could stir Carol Danver's to somehow appear.
Given that Danvers' is a cosmic hero, there is perhaps more potential for Captain Marvel to appear in an Eternals 2 than other MCU heroes.
If it did happen, it wouldn't be the first time fan enthusiasm has moved a studio to make other characters appear.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the classic example. The film's whole premise is about the Multiverse forcing Spider-man characters from both Maguire and Garfield's eras to converge onto the MCU universe.
That said, a crossover between Captain Marvel and Eternals is still unlikely. Still, should Marvel want to pursue a crossover, fans have already given them a short list of projects to use.
Brie Larson can next be seen in the MCU in The Marvels, releasing in cinemas on July 28th, 2023.
