Eternals director Chloé Zhao says her Marvel Cinematic Universe movie goes back to the very beginning of the franchise... all the way back.
"What excited me is the idea of going back in time, and exploring [the time] before Thanos was born, before anyone was born," Zhao told Total Film magazine. "Where does the MCU go back in time? And that brings us to the mythology of the Celestials. Anything involving the Celestials is going to be at a huge scale level of complication, let’s put it that way.”
These comments about the Celestials align with their comic book origin, which saw the creation of the various Celestials dating back to the dawn of existence itself. Previous Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, like the two Guardians of the Galaxy films, also hinted at the ancient nature of the Celestials, particularly through the character of Ego (Kurt Russell).
Exploring the first moments of creation in the MCU isn't the only way Eternals will connect to the broader mythos of the franchise. "I think we stand alone as a film for sure," Zhao recently explained. "But I do think we will have a very big effect on the future of the MCU with what happens in this film. Which, you know, as a fan, is really satisfying for me! I geek out."
Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao, arrives in theaters Nov. 5.
Source: Total Film magazine, via GamesRadar+