Marvel's Eternals is coming to the big screen very soon. The third entry in the MCU's Phase 4 slate, which will arrive following Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, comes out in November, and fans are gearing up for a Marvel movie adventure like no other. Created by the legendary Jack Kirby (the artist behind many of Marvel’s most famous heroes and villains), the Eternals are a group of ancient superpowered beings. Previously residents of the planet Titan (Thanos' home world), the Eternals relocated to Earth in a bid to protect humanity from their mortal enemies – the Deviants – and the Celestials, the cosmic entities that apparently created the universe and judge its various species accordingly. While the MCU has told plenty of space-faring tales before, this ensemble movie feels like new territory for Marvel. With its ambitious source material, an impressive cast and an exciting young award-winning writer-director at the helm in Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, The Rider), there’s plenty to get excited about. Here, then, is what you need to know about Marvel's Eternals, including its release date, all-star cast, comic history, potential plot and more. Having originally been slated for November 2020, Marvel's Eternals’ theatrical debut has been pushed back to November 5, 2021. This is the film's second coronavirus-induced delay, with the first initially pushing the film back to February 2021. This comes as part of a wider Disney scheduling rejig: Marvel's Eternals is set to follow Black Widow and Shang-Chi, which were also delayed until this summer due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The movie's teaser trailer was released on May 24, and the sheer size and scope of Chloe Zhao's debut superhero flick makes it look like it could a serious awards contender in 2022. Check out the official teaser trailer for Marvel's Eternals below: Marvel's Eternals has an absolutely stacked cast. Whisper it quietly, but it has a bunch of A-list actors to rival any of the Avengers movies. You can see why we say that by looking at the confirmed cast list below: There are some huge names attached to this movie, then, but – perhaps surprisingly – the likes of Jolie and Madden aren't the main star of Marvel's Eternals. That role is reserved for Chan (Humans, Raya and the Last Dragon), who MCU fans will recognize as Minn-Erva from Captain Marvel. As Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told Variety in April: "If there was a lead in this ensemble, it is Sersi, it is Gemma Chan", so expect Chan's empathetic Sersi to be the 'lead', if Marvel's Eternals has to have one. As for what superpowers each Eternal possesses, it's a broad list. Sersi, who masquearades as a museum curator whilst on Earth, can manipulate matter, while Madden's Ikaris possesses superhuman flight, strength and the ability to fire energy beams from his eyes. Think Superman, and you'll be on the right track. Nanjiani's Kingo can project cosmic projectiles from his hands, McHugh's Sprite is an illusionist, and Ridloff's Makkari has superhuman speed. Henry's Phastos is the Eternals' inventor, Druig (Keoghan) has mind control capabilities, Lee's Gilgamesh can project an exoskeleton of cosmic armor, Ajak (Hayek) is the group's healer and Jolie's Thena can form a weapon of her choice out of cosmic energy. Finally, Harington's Whitman possesses a mystical sword that grants him the powers of the Black Knight – a superhuman individual who is resistant to magic, is an expert swordsman and a gifted tactician. ICYMI: Take a look at the new poster for Marvel Studios' #Eternals! https://t.co/X3xib5A59nMay 24, 2021 Away from the film's main cast, Haaz Sleiman (The Visitor) will portray Phastos' husband and Ozer Ercan will play a smuggler. Meanwhile, Harish Patel (Run Fatboy Run), Gil Birmingham (The Twilight Saga), Jashaun St. John (Songs My Brothers Taught Me) and Zain Al Rafeea (Capernaum) have all been cast in undisclosed roles. We know of one Eternals villain who will appear in the MCU movie – Kro – but it's unclear if any of the above names will portray him on screen. The Eternals emerged from the mind of Jack Kirby, the individual who co-created Marvel royalty like Captain America, Fantastic Four, Thor, Hulk, Iron Man and the X-Men. Having made the New Gods for DC, Kirby was clearly taken with the idea of immortal, god-like individuals, so mined a similar premise when he returned to Marvel in the 1970s. The Eternals made their comic book debut in July 1976, though the series was not a commercial success and was cancelled before Kirby’s storylines were resolved. The characters have appeared at various times over the subsequent decades – including a notable crossover with Thor – and had arguably their most successful run when Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr. gave the Eternals a seven-issue reboot in 2006. So who are they? Although they look human, the Eternals are actually immortal humanoids from outer space who’ve lived on Earth for thousands of years. Like the X-Men, they all have their own unique abilities but – in a Power Rangers/Voltron-like twist – they can combine to form a powerful entity known as a Uni-Mind. We saw this melding of minds occur in the movie's teaser trailer, so expect it to be shown in more detail this November. The Eternals generally use their powers for good, and every superhero group needs an antagonistic team to go up against. That position is reserved for the Deviants, a rival race who, unlike the Eternals, are abnormal creatures due to the genetic mutation they possess. Eternals is gonna be another masterpiece from Marvel & I’m so glad that Chloé Zhao got a major blockbuster after her phenomenal work on Nomadland! Gemma Chan & Angelina Jolie are gonna be so badass! This movie is gonna be groundbreaking as we have a Deaf actress & a Gay leader! pic.twitter.com/EoxDETv2ciMay 24, 2021 No two Deviants are the same and, while they have their own superhuman abilities (such as fire breathing, matter manipulation and shapeshifting), they're looked down upon by the Eternals and the two groups' creators in the Celestials. As such, the Deviants have grown to become very jealous of their immortal counterparts – so much so that a war has waged between the two factions for millennia by this point. We've already seen a Deviant appear in the MCU before in the form of Thanos. Given how he was key to the events that unfolded in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, it's unsurprising that the Eternals have finally decided to show their faces. As for who the Celestials are, these are ancient cosmic beings who, in effect, created the Marvel universe. They have the ability to create and destroy life as they seem fit, and are the individuals behind the birth of the Eternals, Deviants and Humans. Incidentally, we've seen the Celestials make brief cameos in other MCU flicks. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.1, we were given two glimpses of this cosmic group – one, when the Guardians traveled to the city of Knowhere, which was built in the remains of a dead Celestial's skull and, two, when the Collector shows the Guardians what the Power Stone actually is. During that sequence, it was Eson the Searcher who used the Power Stone to destroy an unknown planet and its dominant species - something the Celestials are known to regularly do in the comics in a process known as a Host Event. Later, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it's revealed that Ego, Star-Lord's father, is a Celestial, too – though he takes the form of a planet, rather than something that looks more humanoid-esque. While Black Widow is set after Captain America: Civil War, but before Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel's Eternals takes place after Avengers: Endgame. As the movie’s official synopsis reveals: “Marvel Studios’ The Eternals features an exciting new team of Super Heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, The Deviants”. Little is know about the movie's plot beyond that, but it seems that Thanos' universe-spanning genocidal plan was enough to convince the Eternals to come out of hiding. We know that there will be other Deviants (and potentially cosmic threats) ready to try and conquer Earth in the aftermath of Endgame, so someone has to step up and save the day in the Avengers' absence. Marvel can afford to take a few risks in the wake of Endgame, and you can expect Marvel's Eternals to have a similar balance of comedy and drama as any other MCU picture – something that was certainly on show in the movie's teaser trailer. Like the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, you might need to see it in action to truly understand why these characters are appealing, but history shows that Feige and company have form at introducing new sides to the MCU. That extends to greater inclusivity in the MCU, too. Marvel's Eternals will star the first openly gay superhero in Henry's Phastos, while Lauren Ridloff (Makkari) is the first deaf actor to appear in a Marvel movie. Marvel has drawn criticism in the past for its predominantly white, male superhero lineup, so it's promising to see improved diversity and representation in Marvel's Eternals. In an interview with Vogue, Jolie revealed that Marvel's "commitment to expand the way we see 'superheroes'" was key to her signing onto the movie, while Hayek told Variety that Marvel's Vice-President of Film Production Victoria Alonso was eager for the studio to represent more people in its movies moving forward. Marvel's Eternals, then, will be unlike any previous MCU film we've seen before. Ultimately, we can't wait for it to arrive either. With its A-list cast, Zhao's vision and the backing of Disney, Marvel Studios could be onto another ensemble movie winner with Marvel's Eternals – and it wouldn't be a surprise to see it win a few awards next year as a result.
Cut to the chase
Marvel's Eternals release date: November 5
Marvel's Eternals trailer: get your first look at the MCU movie
Marvel's Eternals cast: who is in the film?
Marvel's Eternals: who are these cosmic superheroes?
Marvel's Eternals: where does it fit in the MCU timeline?
Marvel's Eternals is a welcome new chapter for the MCU
source https://www.techradar.com/news/the-eternals-release-date-cast-and-what-we-know/
Friday, June 04, 2021
Marvel's Eternals: release date, cast, trailer and everything we know so far
