Eternals 2021

Movie · 156 min · English · October 18, 2021

Directed by Chloé ZhaoWritten by Chloé Zhao, Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo, Kaz Firpo

Starring Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry

A 2021 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics group known as the Eternals is titled Marvel Studios. This production, distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, serves as the 26th installment within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The movie was directed by Chloé Zhao, who collaborated with Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo, and Kaz Firpo on writing the screenplay. An ensemble cast features Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie. Within the storyline, immortal entities called Eternals come out of hiding after millennia to defend Earth against their ancestral enemies, the Deviants.

In April 2018, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that a cinematic adaptation of the Eternals was being developed, aiming to depict the group as ancient aliens who have influenced human history. Ryan and Kaz Firpo were commissioned to develop the script, while Zhao was named director in September. She was granted substantial creative control to revise the screenplay, drawing inspiration from Terrence Malick's works and incorporating more outdoor settings and natural illumination than previous MCU productions had used. Casting commenced early in 2019, with Burleigh joining to assist on the script before principal filming began between July 2019 and February 2020 at Pinewood Studios and locations in England and the Canary Islands.

Eternals made its debut at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on October 18, 2021, followed by its release in the United States on November 5 as part of Phase Four of the MCU. The film earned $402.1 million globally and garnered multiple awards and nominations, though it marked the first MCU movie to fail to receive broadly favorable reviews. Critics especially pointed to the screenplay and pacing, suggesting that it fell short of Zhao’s earlier achievements or past MCU entries. Nevertheless, some appreciation was given for its themes and visual presentation.