Even though Chloé Zhao has gone out of her way to explain how much of a comic book nerd she actually is, when it was announced that the Oscar-winning filmmaker was going to helm Marvel Studios’ massive blockbuster, “Eternals,” film fans were confused. The filmmaker behind such beautiful, quiet indies like “The Rider” and “Nomadland” tackling superheroes for one of the biggest studios on the planet? It just doesn’t make much sense. However, according to one producer, there are more similarities between Zhao’s previous work and “Eternals” than you might initially think.
Speaking to Empire, producer Nate Moore talked about “Eternals” and the fact that Chloé Zhao is such an unlikely choice to bring the new Marvel Studios feature to life. Specifically, Moore talked about how the thematic DNA that Zhao has included in previous films, such as the Oscar-winning “Nomadland,” is still a major part of “Eternals.”
“Chloé’s interested in telling stories about outsiders who find themselves adrift in new worlds. ‘Nomadland’ and ‘Eternals’ both share that DNA,” Moore said. “‘Nomadland’ doesn’t have the same bells and whistles as ‘Eternals,’ but it has the same thematic resonance.”
For those unaware, “Eternals” tells the story of a group of seemingly immortal heroes that have existed on Earth for thousands of years. After an event forces them out of hiding, they must reunite to save the world. Honestly, it’s pretty shameless how Marvel Studios just ripped off the basic premise of “Nomadland,” huh? (Kidding, of course.)
Regardless if “Eternals” and “Nomadland” actually share similar DNA, there’s no denying Zhao’s upcoming Marvel Studios feature does have one incredible cast, which includes Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Barry Keoghan, and Brian Tyree Henry.
Barring any major moves due to COVID, “Eternals” is set to arrive in theaters on November 5.