Chloé Zhao will introduce the world to one of Marvel’s most unknown corners. We’re looking at the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s origins and how the Celestials created a universe full of potential. In the earliest days of humanity, we’ll meet the ten Eternals that came to Earth. They’ll share their wisdom and protect everyone from the Deviants. Some iconic comic runs explore the story of this alien race. Somehow, we still know very little about Zhao‘s take on the characters outside of some teases, but luckily producer Nate Moore offered some insight into what they were inspired by.
Eternals, as you guys probably know, is created by Jack Kirby, 1976. The most popular run, again, I’m telling you guys the things you know, was probably the Neil Gaiman run, right? And I think that’s the expectation of this movie. We’ll probably borrow out from that. But the truth is we actually are more inspired by the Kirby stuff, so we’re kind of going back to the old stuff, both mythologically and how the movie lays out.
Nate Moore
Moore also discussed how much they explored from Gaiman‘s run, as they feared it would seem similar to projects like Harry Potter, The Matrix, and more. So, they wanted to avoid a typical amnesia story and fully explore millennia of human history through their eyes.
So the Gaiman run, which is probably how I came to know the Eternals, frankly, outside of Sersi being in the Avengers for a little bit, it was very much about people who didn’t realize they were special and then, of course, coming and saying, ‘Hey, guess what? You guys are immortals and your memories have been erased.’ That’s pretty cool but that’s also the plot of Harry Potter, and I’m Number Four and a lot of movies like that, The Matrix, right? Whereas we thought it would be more interesting to spend the time with the characters who knew exactly who they were, and to track those characters through in our movie, what will be 7,000 years of human history
Nate Moore
It’s great that they’re embracing how Kirby built the mythology of this franchise. Kirby explored the larger-than-life concept surrounding what the Celestials brought to the universe and how the Eternals carry on their message. The various trailers highlight that very direction, but there were rumors that they’d get amnesia at some point in time. Luckily, it seems we don’t have to worry that in the middle of the film our protagonists repeat what we witnessed earlier.
Source: ComicBook
