Ethan Carter
In just a few months, Marvel’s 2021 film Eternals will mark its fifth anniversary. A major highlight at the time was director Chloé Zhao, who had recently won an Oscar for Nomadland. She expressed her ambition to create a large-scale film utilizing real sets and a more contemplative atmosphere.
While critics and audiences had mixed reactions to the film upon its release, Zhao’s passion for filmmaking remains unwavering. During the Venice Film Festival, she described the experience of creating Eternals as “a dream come true,” comparing western comics, including the Big Two, to manga. Having aspired to be a mangaka despite lacking drawing skills, Zhao has always sought to tell stories. She believes that all storytelling formats, even those often criticized, hold intrinsic value.
“The purpose of storytelling for me is to create containers for people … to help them process what they need to process,” she elaborated. “Archetypes serve as a powerful tool for this—and they are prevalent in myths—because they resonate with us universally. It’s crucial not to dismiss stories simply because they don’t fit the mold of high art.” In response to those who have compared Eternals to Nomadland, she humorously noted that both films explore “people in nature who have complicated relationships with it.”
To Zhao’s credit, Eternals aimed to elevate the superhero genre to artistic heights. Although it didn’t fully succeed in that ambition, it still has a dedicated fanbase. Often remembered as a flawed experiment, there may come a time when another filmmaker attempts to replicate its ambitious vision—after all, significant achievements can stem from building on previous, less successful efforts.
[via Variety]
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