The Marvel Cinematic Universe will be bringing many popular, well-known heroes back to the big screen in their slate of upcoming films, including Black Widow, Thor and Doctor Strange, but they will also be introducing audiences to whole host of new superheroes as well. This includes the Eternals.
The movie is set to be the second film released as part of the MCU’s Phase 4 plans, and here is everything we know about the blockbuster so far.
The Eternals Release Date
ETERNALS was officially announced as being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4 slate at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, where it was revealed that it will be the second movie that the franchise releases in 2021, after Cate Shortland’s BLACK WIDOW. The blockbuster is currently on the schedule to come out on November 6.
The Eternals Director
When taking filmmakers into consideration for their various projects, the executives at Marvel Studios don’t seem to care much about blockbuster experience. Many of their best movies have been directed by individuals who have primarily made smaller movies, including James Gunn, Joe and Anthony Russo, and Ryan Coogler. Instead, what Marvel is really interested in is exciting storytellers, and that’s what led them to hire Chloé Zhao for ETERNALS. The Chinese filmmaker is still an up-and-comer, having only made two features so far in her career, but she earned great acclaim for her last film, THE RIDER, as it toured the festival circuit in 2017 and 2018.
Who Are the Eternals?
In the Marvel Comics created by Jack Kirby in the 1960s, the Eternals were revealed to be a race of super beings that have existed on Earth alongside humans for thousands of years. Their story began when godlike cosmic beings known as the Celestials visited Earth and performed experiments on proto-humanity. Every member of the Eternals possesses the ability to fly, incredible strength and speed, and energy projection (not to mention is immortal), but individuals can also channel their power into special personal skills (such as heightened senses and atom manipulation).
The Eternals Cast
While we currently don’t know who will be playing any of the ETERNALS’s antagonists (more on them in a minute), Marvel Studios announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 many of the stars who will be playing members of the titular race — and then announced even more a few weeks later at D23 Expo 2019. The list includes:
Richard Madden as Ikaris, who is described as "all powerful" and possesses multiple gifts beyond his near-immortality.
Angelina Jolie as Thena, who is a great warrior named after the Greek goddess Athena.
Gemma Chan as Sersi, an Eternal who is in love with and fascinated by humanity.
Lia McHugh as Sprite, who is one of the oldest Eternals, living in the body of a child.
Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, who is described as being "cosmic-powered."
Salma Hayek as Ajak, who is the leader of the Eternals.
Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, who is appropriately named after the Roman god Mercury, given that she possesses super speed.
Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, who is an intelligent inventor, and confirmed to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first LGBTQ hero.
Barry Keoghan as Druig, who is described as an aloof loner.
Don Lee as Gilgamesh, who is a member of the Eternals recognized for his incredible strength.
Also confirmed as part of the cast is Kit Harrington as Dane Whitman aka Black Knight, though how he will fit in with the Eternals is currently unknown. It’s also unclear how the character will be different from the comics, where he is depicted as the descendant of a long line of heroes that dates back to medieval times.
Who Will the Villains of the Eternals Be?
The Eternals weren’t the only result of the experiments that the Celestials performed on proto-humanity. Also birthed from these trials was mankind as we know it and a species of monsters called the Deviants. There is a marked lack of consistency in the DNA of the Deviants, resulting in every generation looking different than the last, and they generally take horrific forms; however, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said the Deviants will look different from the comics. They are the sworn enemies of the Eternals and live in a city that exists beneath the oceans.
The Eternals Story
Marvel Studios is well known for playing their cards close to the vest when it comes to the plots of their various films, and ETERNALS is proving to be no exception. While we can identify the characters that will be involved, not much is known about the actual story. It’s been confirmed that the movie will take place after the events of AVENGERS: ENDGAME, but it will also be an epic that unfolds over thousands of years. It’s been said that there will be a massively important romance at the center of everything, but exactly who is in that relationship has not been made clear just yet.
Is There an Eternals Trailer?
Because ETERNALS only just recently finished production and it's set to be a very visual effects-heavy feature, footage is not yet ready for public consumption. Generally, the first trailers for Marvel Studios releases come out approximately six months before their release date, so there is some time to wait. At this point, the best prediction we can make is that the first look at the movie will be released around the time that BLACK WIDOW hits theatres in early May.
Stay tuned for more updates about ETERNALS.
