Eternals, the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, centers on the titular superheroes, a group of immortal aliens who've resided on Earth (and, often, among humans) for thousands of years. As such, its producers felt it imperative that the film's characters reflect humanity's diversity when it comes to not only their race but also gender, sexual orientation, and much more.
Marvel Studios President/Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige addressed this matter during an Eternals press conference attended by CBR. "As [producer and Marvel Studios VP of Production & Development] Nate [Moore] was advocating for this project, [we realized] you can't do the history of humanity without the heroes looking like a cross-section of humanity. And [that's] really what the goal was," said Feige.
This is apparent in the group of actors playing Eternals in the film, among them Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, and Lauren Ridloff. "In the way that [Eternals co-writer and director] Chloé [Zhao] directed all of us, obviously [the] diversity of the cast and this team is something we talk about a lot," Nanjiani added. "But the way she approached it was so interesting. It wasn't as if to make a point, it's as if to say this is how things should always have been."
Nanjiani's comments echo a statement Jolie made at the Eternals red carpet premiere, in which she questioned why it took so long for such a diverse MCU movie to happen. "What I hope is that when people watch this film, they're not seeing it and saying, 'Oh, this is a film about diversity. This is a film that shows this person can be a superhero,' they'll just say, 'Well of course that person's a superhero, and of course that person also is. Of course,'" said Jolie. "And more shame on us for every questioning that they couldn't be because, 'Of course.'"
The film itself has proven to be the most divisive MCU movie to date review-wise, with its critics score sitting at a "Rotten" 49 percent on Rotten Tomatoes after the first 241 reviews. "Its impressive visuals and stunning cast do good work with the material," wrote CBR's Brandon Zachary in his own Eternals review. "However, the sheer scope of the project and some narrative choices make the film feel unbalanced."
Eternals is now playing in theaters.