While each of the MCU's 2021 Disney+ series brought something different to the table, the same can be said for its 2021 theatrical slate. Beginning with Black Widow and ending with Spider-Man: No Way Home, the MCU brought audiences a spy thriller, the Multiverse, and the Master of Kung Fu; but of all four films, Eternals may have been the most unique and distinct of them all.
Directed by Nomadland's Chloe Zhao, Eternals introduced MCU fans to a group of ancient, cosmic heroes in a story that spanned ancient times to the modern-day but with little connection to the greater MCU. In addition to its ambitious themes and scale, Eternals also featured an all-star cast of the likes of Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, and Kit Harington.
Now that Spider-Man: No Way Home is in the midst of its theatrical run, Eternals is the latest MCU film to follow the Disney+ release model; but according to Chloe Zhao, fans can expect even more Eternals content on the streaming service in the near future.
More Eternals Content Coming to Disney+
To celebrate the January 12 release of Eternals on Disney+, director Chloé Zhao shared an update on Instagram concerning the film's promised bonus features and their release, saying, "Commentary, Assembled and other bonus features will be available on D+ in March:"
"Eternals is on Disney+! Commentary, Assembled and other bonus features will be available on D+ in March. So much has been said about our film and now I’m so excited for y’all to have your own experience with it. Love to all the fans, audiences, exhibitors, theater workers, critics, and of course all the amazing people who so passionately worked on this film."
This clarification follows a prior social media post from the director, where her caption implied that her director's commentary and the film's additional features would be available the same day the film was released on the streaming service.
Fans who purchased the film digitally already have access to Zhao's commentary and the film's bonus features. However, those looking for a physical copy of the film and its extras will be able to enjoy both when Eternals drops on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD on February 15.
For those who can't wait until then, several of Eternals' deleted scenes and its blooper reel have already been released online.
Will Extra Eternals Content Change Fan Opinions?
Since its theatrical debut, Eternals has been somewhat of a polarizing film amongst MCU fans and was widely rejected by critics. In fact, Eternals was the first MCU film to ever receive a "rotten" score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Director Chloe Zhao has addressed her film's poor reception multiple times; and in promoting its home release, she's actually encouraged audiences to "join the fun debate" as to whether they think Eternals deserves the criticism.
Due to the film's mixed reception, it's hard to say whether Eternals simply failed to connect with audiences or was just too different and ambitious in comparison to the more MCU-esque Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Zhao's commentary - plus an Eternals episode of Marvel Studios: Assembled - is sure to provide new insight into the film's story and its characters, and perhaps more about how it fits into the greater MCU. Perhaps only then, the fan base will be able to come to a consensus on Zhao's addition to the MCU library.
Regardless, it's great to know that more Marvel content is coming to Disney+ in March, especially since there are no confirmed release dates for Marvel's 2022 slate of Disney+ shows; and it will be interesting to see whether the conversation concerning Eternals changes following these new additions.
Eternals is available to stream on Disney+.
