Eternals: After “Avengers: Endgame,” a new Marvel group comes into focus: the Eternals, human super-beings tasked with protecting Earth and its inhabitants…
Film plot and background
With “Avengers: Endgame”, Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is coming to an end. For the time after, another group of heroes steps into the light that has long been forgotten: the Eternals.
The history of the Eternals spans millions of years in the comics and thus provides more than enough material for a film adaptation. A first synopsis now suggests that the time span for the films will not be quite so extensive. While the Eternals have long lived in hiding on Earth, in the wake of a surprising tragedy they are forced to show face and join forces to confront humanity’s greatest and oldest enemy: the Deviants. For more information on the synopsis and the Eternals and Deviants in the MCU, read this article.
Get a taste of it in the trailer:
“The Eternals” – plot
Over 7,000 years ago, the Eternals were sent to Earth to protect the blue planet from the Deviants. They had to observe human conflicts from the background, but since Thanos wiped out half of the life in the universe and five years later in “Avengers: Endgame” Hulk and his comrades-in-arms managed to reverse this, forces have been unleashed in the universe that can bring about the imminent destruction of mankind.
The Eternals around Ikaris (Richard Madden), Ajak (Salma Hayek), Thena (Angelina Jolie), Sersi (Gemma Chan), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), Druig (Barry Keoghan), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), Sprite (Lia McHugh) and Gilgamesh (Ma Dong-seok) have no choice but to unite against the galactic threat.
In the interview, Gemma Chan and Richard Madden talked about which previous MCU films they would have liked to appear in:
“The Eternals” – Cast & Theatrical Release
Fresh after her Oscar win for the dropout drama “Nomadland”, Chloé Zhao takes a seat in the director’s chair. The script for the new Marvel project is written by brothers Matthew and Ryan Firpo based on the comics by Jack Kirby.
The cast is like the Hollywood showcase: Angelina Jolie (“Maleficent 2”) plays Thena, Ikaris is embodied by “Game of Thrones” star Richard Madden and his series colleague Kit Harrington slips into the role of Dane Whitman. We will also see Gemma Chan, who comic fans already know from “Captain Marvel”, Salma Hayek (“Killer’s Bodyguard”), Kumail Nanjiani (“Stuber”), Brian Tyree Henry (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) and Barry Keoghan (“Dunkirk”).
After a theatrical release had already been set for November 2020, this hope had to be postponed due to Corona: “The Eternals” will open in German cinemas one year later on 3 November 2021.
“The Eternals” – Backgrounds
Already in the 1970s, Jack Kirby created his comic epic. He previously worked on similar material at rival DC, but eventually returned to Marvel with renewed energy and a mountain of ideas.
The history of the Eternals goes back millions of years. Their origins lie in genetic experiments conducted on humans by the alien race of Celestials. This resulted in the visually human-like Eternals. Unlike their genetic source material, they have divergent superpowers and are virtually immortal. A kind of by-product of these experiments are the destructive Deviants, monstrous counterparts of the Eternals.
The Eternals’ task is to protect the Earth and its inhabitants from the Deviants and other attackers. However, they mostly stay in the background and live in the hidden city of Olympia, which is found above the highest mountain range in Greece – Mount Olympus. They usually only reveal themselves to the humans when it is really necessary and can also be seen side by side with the Avengers in the comics when necessary.
