As is customary for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's films, Eternals features both a mid-credits and post-credits scene. However, unlike certain movies in the franchise, director Chloé Zhao has assured the scenes are equally substantial, as far as their implications for the MCU's future is concerned.
When Fandango asked Zhao to confirm that there would, in fact, be "something special" during Eternals' end credits, she replied, "Yes! Don’t just stay for the first [credits scene] -- also stay for the second one, too. They are equally as important in weight, and both have big surprises for you."
Zhao co-writes and directs Eternals, an MCU epic centering on a race of immortal aliens -- known as the Eternals -- that's spent thousands of years defending Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants, when they're faced with a new danger in the post-Blip MCU, known as "The Emergence." And despite the franchise's recent introduction of the multiverse in Phase 4, Zhao said the movie doesn't push that plot thread forward. "If you know half the universe disappeared and it came back [in Avengers: Endgame], that's all you need to know to watch this film. But what happens in this film will have huge implications on the future."
With a runtime over two hours, Eternals won't be hurting for story either, even without the multiverse to deal with. "It could be longer! You know, it’s ten characters, the Celestials and 7,000 years. There’s a lot going on," noted Zhao.
By exploring the mythology of the Eternals' creators, the Celestials, Zhao aspires to change audiences' understanding of the MCU so far. She also aims to infuse the movie with the same personal touch she brought to indie dramas like The Rider and Nomadland. "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," she explained. "Shots are longer -- we use wide angle lenses, and deep focus... 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."
Eternals will screen at the Rome International Film Festival on Oct. 24 before premiering in theaters on Nov. 5.
Source: Fandango