Star Gemma Chan explained how director Chloé Zhao shot Marvel's Eternals like an independent movie.
Chan spoke to Empire for its upcoming issue and discussed what it was like to film another Marvel Studios film after appearing in Captain Marvel in 2019. "I feel very lucky to have been welcomed back into the MCU so quickly after my first appearance; the reception has been very warm," Chan said. "I feel fortunate because we had a lot of crossover in the crew between the two films so there was continuity in that sense, but these are completely different projects, in completely different times, the characters are different."
Chan also spoke about the filming process, which has already been hyped up quite a bit. Marvel head Kevin Feige was blown away by the footage he saw of the film early on, and the first Eternals teaser offered audiences a taste.
"We shot it like it was an indie film, almost completely on location using natural light, pretty much all at magic hour," Chan said. "It’s such an epic, ambitious film, with [Zhao] bringing her signature style and sensibility."
After her Oscar wins for Nomadland, anticipation is high for Zhao's superhero epic. The director previously spoke on how she shot Eternals and Nomadland in similar ways, meaning Marvel may have another Oscar contender on its hands when the film arrives in November. With Phase 4, beginning with the critically acclaimed WandaVision, Marvel is clearly taking bigger risks in the blockbuster genre. And while Eternals won't be an actual indie film, it could provide the MCU with its most prestigious picture yet.
Marvel Studios' Eternals features an exciting new team of Super Heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. While the Deviants have hidden underground, the Eternals have lived secretly among humanity for millennia.
Directed by Chloé Zhao from a screenplay by Matthew and Ryan Firpo, Eternals stars Gemma Chan as Sersi, Richard Madden as Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Lia McHugh as Sprite, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Angelina Jolie as Thena, Barry Keoghan as Druig and Kit Harington as Dane Whitman/Black Knight. The film arrives in theaters Nov. 5.
Source: Empire