Was Eternals doomed from the start? Chloe Zhao reflects on how she managed to helm one of the most controversial projects in the MCU’s filmography.
One of the mortal wounds that has hurt the MCU in recent years is just how much content has been coming out. While sometimes this has allowed for some truly elevated experiences like Shang-Chi and Wonder Man, a lack of oversight from figures like Kevin Feige can also lead to some controversies. And no project is more defined by that than Chloe Zhao’s Eternals.
With her recent film Hamnet making its way to theaters, Chloe Zhao has been much more open about her time in the MCU than in prior years. The director recently spoke on Awards Chatter about her experience working with Marvel Studios, admitting that Eternals wasn’t on the top of their “to-do” list when she was brought on.
“Eternals was not high on their priority list. Because it’s a quite unique IP and it [was] only on their list of potential players. You know, with Marvel, it’s very much a thing to find the right filmmaker before they say, ‘That’s the IP we’re gonna go for.’”
How Chloe Zhao Landed Eternals
Of course, if Eternals wasn’t high on the priority list for Marvel Studios, the question then becomes why they got an Oscar winning director to helm it for the MCU. Continuing on, Chloe Zhao revealed that she was originally set to direct Black Widow. However, the script for Eternals managed to catch her eye when scheduling conflicts arose.
“I went in at first for Black Widow, and then there was a scheduling conflict. And then when Nate Moore, my producer for Eternals, showed me the treatment, I went, ‘Oh, wow, I get to have all these immortals, like a Greek play, to discuss humanity. And then I get to create monsters and space gods, right?’ It probably should have scared me. I don’t know. I tend to jump before I know how to swim”
While Eternals is far from the most beloved entry in the MCU, it does stand out as one of the most unique in Marvel Studios’ catalogue. So while Chloe Zhao wasn’t able to revolutionize the superhero genre, she certainly gave her best swing at what might have been one of the hardest properties to adapt for the studio.
Eternals is now streaming on Disney Plus. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the Eternals franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
