STACK #208 Feb 2022

MOVIE FEATURE

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to work with her and see her vision unfold to bring Eternals to life.” Zhao’s vision for the film was consistent with how she perceives the world through her filmmaker’s lens, resulting in a unique and atypical Marvel movie. “My initial vision for the film can be summed up in the opening of William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence ,” she explains. “‘To see the world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wildflower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour.’ Blake meant that you can find meanings and the endless beauty of our universe inside

BONUS FEATURES • Audio Commentary by director Chloé Zhao and VFX supervisors Stephane Ceretti and Mårten Larsson. • Immortalised Behind-the-scenes documentary detailing why Marvel wanted to immortalise these superheroes for the MCU. • Walks of Life Reactions from the cast on their involvement in the film. • Gag Reel Some hilarious mishaps by cast and crew. • Deleted Scenes Gravity, Nostalgia, Movies, Small Talk.

The 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Eternals introduces ten new superheroes dedicated to protecting humanity from a malevolent alien threat. ” E ternal s is an epic, sweeping, multi- millennial-spanning story with a diverse team of ten superheroes that Uni-Mind,” explains producer Nate Moore. “The Uni-Mind is a concept that was borrowed from Jack Kirby’s run in 1976. It allows the Eternals to amplify the power of any single Eternal.

we are excited to introduce to the world,” says producer Kevin Feige. “Though it continues the tradition of the MCU, the film also breaks new ground and is a precursor for what the future of the MCU holds.” Inspired by Jack Kirby’s Marvel comic books, first published in 1975, the film introduces the eponymous alien heroes – a diverse and powerful group of thinkers and fighters from the planet Olympia, who are strongest when working as a team. The Eternals have protected Earth from the predatory Deviants for thousands of years, and when the threat mysteriously returns after being thought lost to history, they must reunite to defend humanity once again. “What makes them different from other groups we’ve had, including the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, is that they can pool their energy and create something called the

However, they have to be in proximity with each other. It is an amplification device [that] requires the power of all the Eternals together.” On introducing these new characters to the MCU, Moore says, “We want audiences to discover a corner of the Marvel universe they’ve never seen before. We want them to discover a mythology that is a challenging sci-fi movie but also has a human heart. And we want them to meet ten heroes who they hopefully can relate to.” Marvel Studios continues to recruit interesting and diverse filmmakers to bring their own visions to this shared universe – some of whom you wouldn’t usually associate with superhero movies, like recent Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao ( Nomadland ), who favours a cinema verité style, strong commitment to characters, and a dedication to the humanity at the heart of the drama. “Chloé Zhao came in with a

the smallest things on earth, and with the most intimate moments between human beings. We set out to capture both – something as epic as the creation of a sun and as intimate as the whispers of lovers. To find a way for these moments to coexist and to use them to explore our relationship with our planet, the cosmos and ourselves was a challenge that we loved deeply.” Moreover, Zhao reveals that she was drawn to Eternals because she has always been a big Marvel fan. “The MCU is full of heart – a world filled with great characters and epic adventures. It’s made by people who truly love storytelling and have immense respect for their fans. I came into the process as a filmmaker and also as a fan. To be able to make a stand-alone movie, but also to celebrate what came before us, to expand the mythology and to shape the future of the MCU, was an exciting challenge and an honour to be a part of. “We are excited for audiences to go on this epic journey through time and space with a group of immortal heroes. We hope they will have a great time, fall in love with these wonderful characters, learn new MCU mythologies and explore some of the existential questions humanity has pondered since the dawn of time.”

great pitch,” says Feige, “and we immediately were drawn to her vision. Her passion for the project combined with her directing style and ability to see the big picture for Eternals made her the perfect choice

• Eternals is out on Feb 2

to direct. It was thrilling

12 FEBRUARY 2022

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