Tickets for Marvel’s Eternals are now on sale here at Fandango, ahead of its November 5 debut exclusively in movie theaters. The third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Phase Four,” Eternals makes history for its diverse ensemble cast and for being the first MCU film helmed by a Best Director Oscar winner in Chloé Zhao. Only seven months after her Best Picture and Best Director Oscar wins for the terrific Nomadland, Zhao returns to theaters with her biggest, most ambitious project yet: a massive Marvel film that spans thousands of years and promises to push the MCU forward in a significant way.

The Eternals – or “Earth’s original superheroes,” as Zhao affectionately calls them – are a new group of characters being introduced into Marvel’s ever-expanding cinematic universe, but in a way they’re also the MCU’s first group of superheroes. Created 7,000 years ago by powerful space gods called Celestials, the group was tasked with hiding out in the shadows and not intervening with the evolution of humanity once they eliminated their greatest enemy, the Deviants. However, following the events of Avengers: Endgame, the Deviants have mysteriously returned, and now the Eternals are back to save humanity yet again.

At over two-and-a-half hours, Eternals is one of the longest MCU films, but according to Zhao its length is intentional. “It could be longer!” she told Fandango during an extended conversation about the film. “You know, it’s ten characters, the Celestials and 7,000 years. There’s a lot going on.”

Zhao has a lot going on, too. She made Nomadland and Eternals back-to-back with barely any time to celebrate her Oscar wins, but when she speaks about Eternals, her passion and excitement is infectious, to the point where it feels as if she was destined to be the Eternals’ eleventh super-powered member. The last year has been Zhao’s most demanding of her career, but in speaking with her you get a sense she’s embracing it all with a ton of heart and a desire to deliver a theatrical experience unlike any we’ve ever had with a Marvel movie before.

Ahead, Zhao talks more about the film’s heroes and villains, as well as how her approach to Nomadland carried over into Eternals. Plus: How films like Terrence Malick’s The New World and Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar helped inspire her vision for Eternals, and why she feels this latest film from Marvel Studios will redefine everything we know about the MCU moving forward.

But first! Check out this new featurette…

 

Fandango: The last time we spoke, we broke down a great scene from Nomadland. That was before the Oscars, so I must start off here by congratulating you on your Oscar wins.

Chloé Zhao: Thank you! Well, it’s funny, the last time we talked I was trying to finish that film. And here I am trying to finish this film.

 

Fandango: We’ll just make that a tradition every time we talk – you’ll be trying to finish the film and I’ll be trying to get answers out of you about the film.

Chloé Zhao: [laughs] Sure!

 

Fandango: So how did you come to direct Eternals? Did Marvel approach you or did you approach them? What was your pitch like for the film?

Chloé Zhao: Well, when I got the opportunity to pitch to Kevin [Feige], I was very nervous. I actually started pitching [the film] by showing him a blown-up macro photo of sand, and then I cited a William Blake poem. That’s where we started. [laughs] Ultimately, it was a very long pitch and it covered almost every aspect of making the film.

 

Fandango: In the new featurette we're debuting with tickets going on sale, Kevin Feige says that the impact Eternals is going to have will redefine the Marvel Cinematic Universe entirely. How would you say this movie redefines everything we've seen so far from the MCU? What do you think he means by that?

Chloé Zhao: Well, let’s see… I think a big part of it is that audiences will be discovering the origin of the MCU through the mythology of the Celestials. I think by the end of the film, we will have a new understanding of planet Earth’s relationship with the cosmos, and also with her own inhabitants. But in that sense, it would have a huge effect on the future of the MCU.

Fandango: Ah, that’s interesting. You know, the movie also promises to explore the world more following the events of Avengers: Endgame. So, what's happening in the world at the start of this film, and why are the Eternals called out of hiding?

Chloé Zhao: Well, the film is set after the Avengers brought back half of the population in the universe and on the planet. So, the way we look at an event like that is always, for us, it is seen as this huge ecological implication [if] something like that happened to our planet. So, between that ecological implication, and the sudden mysterious return of the Deviants, it's time for the Eternals to get back to work.

 

Fandango: For those not familiar with the Eternals, how would you best explain how they fit into the MCU?

Chloé Zhao: We like to call them Earth's original superheroes. So, they were instructed to stand on the sideline once the Deviants were gone to allow humans to develop and progress in the way that we were meant to…and that ultimately led us to someone like Tony [Stark]. So, they've always existed in the shadows…you just never know where they might show up again.

Fandango: What was a personal filmmaking touch that you wanted to bring to the MCU with Eternals?

Chloé Zhao: Well, I think Marvel Studios has always worked with filmmakers [who have] very distinct voices, and that's why the films are different. But I think for this specific movie, what drew me to this movie and why they hired me, I think, is that the visual experience for this film must feel immersive enough for the audience to believe that these superhero characters have walked the earth for 7,000 years. So, to do that, there’s what I like to call an anthropological way of capturing things. The cameras are very grounded, and the movements are very natural. Shots are longer — we use wide angle lenses, and deep focus. Very similar to the thing you and I did together for Nomadland… it's about giving the audience the space and the time to be able to explore what's within the frame, and therefore come to their own conclusion of the relationship between the characters and the space they're in.

In this case you're going throughout history and 7,000 years, [and so it’s] even more important to make us feel like this world feels real and grounded. I wanted to apply that same digital style to everything from action, visual effects, to also capturing the grand mythology of the Celestials in the cosmos, and the consistency of that. I wanted it to feel grounded yet fantastical.

Fandango: When we spoke about Nomadland, we talked at length about that long tracking shot of Fern at the RTR, which was beautiful. Like you said, it’s the sort of scene where you can sit back and truly embrace the space and the environment. Do you have any of those kinds of long tracking shots in Eternals?

Chloé Zhao: Yeah, we have that. I mean, I don’t know if any are as long as that one [in Nomadland], but we definitely linger with the camera, both in action sequences and if it’s someone walking through a village or in space with the Celestials. We always try to see how long we can hold before we have to cut. When you have unlimited tools, it was very important to set limitations. So for us, we set the language up and then we follow it strictly. And part of that for us is to try to linger in every type of scene as much as possible for a film like this.

Fandango: I always like to ask directors about their cinematic inspirations. Did you have the cast watch any movies while preparing for their roles? Did you watch any movies while you were preparing to take this on? What were some of the things that you drew from for inspiration?

Chloé Zhao: I would say I pay tribute to many films and filmmakers that had great influence on me in this movie. It becomes fanfare for me [laughs]…I try to let them inspire me in different parts of the movie because the film is so diverse, visually. I could do a lot of different things.

Particularly with the team at Marvel — our visual effects team, the action units, the design teams we watched [Terrence] Malick films, particularly The Tree of Life and The New World. We watched The Revenant a lot, and Interstellar a lot. We watched Blade Runner 2049 and a film called Samsara. We watched that a lot. Obviously 2001: A Space Odyssey was very important, too. So, these were the films we had on repeat, and of course, there’s many other things in my life that I’ve watched that snuck into it.

 

Fandango: In this new featurette, we learn that five of the Eternals are thinkers and five are fighters. How do the thinkers help the fighters, and vice versa?

Chloé Zhao: I’m so glad you picked up on that because that was one thing I really geeked out about. The idea came about from how human society was structured back then. So, if you think about it, there were fighters, generals, warriors and gladiators, but there were also philosophers, inventors, priests and healers. In a way, the Celestials planned it really well. Half the team will protect the humans from the Deviants and will protect the gate so they have a safe environment to develop. The other half will nudge them so they can advance and become strong enough to protect themselves one day. When that happens, they can go into the shadows all together.

 

Fandango: What can you say about the Warlord Kro? What makes him a unique villain in the MCU?

Chloé Zhao: I think the only thing I can say…he’s very unique. I think in a way I would say he is an accident in evolution, and there is great debate around the right for someone like him to exist.

 

Fandango: Do you have a personal favorite character that you connected with the most?

Chloé Zhao: I can't answer that — it’s like asking you to pick your favorite children! No, but what I'll say is that the Eternals really represent different characteristics of humanity, each of them. I think there's a bit of all of them in each other.

Fandango: Where we are in the MCU right now, there's a lot of multiverse stuff going on, both on TV and on the big screen. Does Eternals help push the multiverse narrative forward or is this film separate from that?

Chloé Zhao: The film completely stands alone. If you know half the universe disappeared and it came back, that's all you need to know to watch this film. But what happens in this film will have huge implications on the future.

 

Fandango: Something we always have to ask…should audiences stick around for something special in the credits?

Chloé Zhao: Yes! Don’t just stay for the first one — also stay for the second one, too. They are equally as important in weight, and both have big surprises for you.

 

Fandango: Considering the length of this film, is there a lot you left on the cutting room floor? Will we get to see it in a home entertainment release perhaps?

Chloé Zhao: You get to see some, yes.

Fandango: Finally, what are you most excited for audiences to experience with this film?

Chloé Zhao: Well, there are three things I'm most excited for. I'm most excited for them to go on this epic journey through time and space, and just have a great time with our wonderful characters. Then, I'm excited for them to learn new MCU mythologies, and to push the Marvel Cinematic Universe forward for the fans. Also, I'm excited for audiences to explore some of the existential questions that we as humans have pondered since the dawn of time.

 

Fandango: Thanks so much, Chloé — good luck with the film!

Chloé Zhao: Thank you! See it in IMAX!

 

Eternals arrives in theaters on November 5. Grab your tickets here at Fandango. 

The cast includes Gemma Chan as humankind-loving Sersi, Richard Madden as the all-powerful Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as cosmic-powered Kingo, Lia McHugh as the eternally young, old-soul Sprite, Brian Tyree Henry as the intelligent inventor Phastos, Lauren Ridloff as the super-fast Makkari, Barry Keoghan as aloof loner Druig, Don Lee as the powerful Gilgamesh, with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, with Salma Hayek as the wise and spiritual leader Ajak, and Angelina Jolie as the fierce warrior Thena.

Watch the latest trailer.