With What If...?'s multiversal mishaps now wrapped up, all eyes have shifted back to theaters with Marvel Studios' next project: Eternals.
Promotion for the upcoming sci-fi adventure has ramped up with Marvel releasing a Kumail Nanjiani-starring Lexus commercial that even sneaks in a few MCU Easter eggs. Nanijani himself is hyping up the film, teasing that co-star Angelina Jolie is "utterly fantastic."
Ajak star Salma Hayek has also discussed the film at length, with the actress noting that her character tackles "the concept of leadership from the perspective of motherhood". Eternals is championing a diverse cast from a range of cultural backgrounds - a fact that Hayek is "really excited" about and believes "doesn't feel forced."
Now, a few new shots have been revealed of Salma Hayek's character ahead of the film's November release...
Salma Hayek Celebrates Hispanic Diversity
In a new Eternals-themed promo for Cinemark celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, Ajak actress Salma Hayek shared some inspirational words about the importance of diversity and Latinx voices on film:
"Hey there, I am Salma Hayek and I play Ajak in Marvel Studios' Eternals. It's important to make films that show a broad diversity of Hispanic and Latinx cultures. There's so many of us and we are so different. We have our voices, we have a lot to say, and it's very important that we are represented. I want you to be proud of yourselves. Dream big, stop at nothing if you believe in it."
Also included in the promotional video were two new shots from Eternals from scenes that fans are already familiar with.
The first new shot originates from the scene in the final trailer where Ikaris and Ajak discuss how the Emergence was caused by energy generated by the Blip.
Ajak's worried expression in this shot could be a telling sign for the threat the Eternals are up against in the film:
The second shot also comes from a scene in Eternals' final trailer, where the group is sat around the Celestial Arishem presumably in the Domo. In this shot, Ajak stoically states that "It is time."
The full promo can be seen below:
A Greater Threat for Marvel's Eternals
Eternals is a film built on a diverse cast of characters, bringing together a group of heroes that represent a swath of identities.
Salma Hayek's words echo that sentiment, highlighting to the Hispanic and Latinx communities that there is now a new hero that represents them in Ajak. Hopefully, this will pave the way for more strong characters from these cultures in the future, and for Hispanic and Latinx storytellers and filmmakers to be able to make themselves seen on screen.
Despite her strength and wisdom, the first new shot seems to demonstrate that even Ajak is concerned about the threat of the Emergence. Marvel trailers only reveal so much about their respective project's plot, so it is likely that there is another wrinkle that has Hayek's character so concerned. Perhaps Ikaris and Ajak moved on to the troubling topic of Mah'd Wy'ry, which was revealed in Eternals' Monopoly board.
The scene in which the second shot comes from seems to depict the Eternals being given their powers by Arishem, so Ajak confidently stating "it is time" could be her calling to the group to embark on their mission to guide humanity. Ajak has been previously described as the "spiritual leader" of the Eternals, and this brief moment highlights just that.
Eternals premieres in theaters on November 5, 2021.
