2021 has been packed for Marvel Studios. When the calendar rolls over into 2022, there will have been five Disney+ series and four theatrically released films added to the Phase 4 slate of the MCU in just the previous year alone.
Included in that list is the studio's upcoming film Eternals, and it is in a tight race with Spider-Man: No Way Home as the most anticipated MCU movie since Avengers: Endgame. With the film premiering in theaters in less than a month, marketing is at an all-time high, with multiple posters and short TV spots being released on a weekly basis.
Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao is set to direct the film, and many prestigious actors will be making their MCU debuts. Salma Hayek will be portraying Ajak, Angelina Jolie will be playing Thena, and Kit Harington is set to star as Dane Whitman.
Fans predict that Eternals will be near the top of many MCU rankings lists, but some don't know exactly where the film stands. Phase 4 has been largely geared toward setting up the Multiverse, so some have questioned whether Zhao will also be exploring that concept or if it is a simple story with the sole purpose of setting up these 7,000-year-old characters for their future in the franchise.
Luckily, the director has broken her silence on the matter and offered a clear answer on what to expect going into the film.
Will Eternals Deal With the Multiverse?
In a recent interview with Fandango, Eternals' director Chloé Zhao was asked about the Multiverse, specifically if the film is going to further explore that concept or not.
Zhao revealed that the movie "completely stands alone" and also assured viewers that they only "need to know" about Thanos' snap during Phase 3. She also teased that the movie will have "huge implications" on the MCU going forward:
"The film completely stands alone. If you know half the universe disappeared and it came back, that's all you need to know to watch this film. But what happens in this film will have huge implications on the future."
The Future of the Eternals
Eternals not connecting to the Multiverse should be looked at as something good rather than bad. While the Multiverse is an extremely interesting concept that is just starting to be explored, it doesn't need to be the cornerstone of every single upcoming project.
Exploring other heroes' stories is both refreshing for fans, and also important to continue to build the franchise. For example, the Eternals have been around for over 7,000 years, and it wouldn't make sense to center their entire existence around the Multiverse, especially when their sole task was to protect the world from Deviants.
Zhao saying that the plot of Eternals "will have huge implications on the future" is also rather interesting. Establishing that a movie will have high stakes for what is to come before it is even released is not only a great marketing strategy but also lets fans know that some of these characters will more than likely have a prominent future in the franchise.
The release of the movie is just around the corner, and fans can't wait to see what Marvel Studios and Chloé Zhao have in store. With a runtime nearing three hours, a group of 10 brand new characters to explore, and plotlines set in different time periods, Eternals is going to be a film for the ages.
Eternals debuts in theaters on November 5, 2021.
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