2021’s Eternals was considered, critically, to be one of the weaker entries in the MCU. According to producer Nate Moore, however, the Eternals themselves will be returning to the MCU, and are not doomed to be forgotten as a disappointing entry.
Eternals got a divided reaction from MCU fans. Some found the entry to be disjointed and underwhelming, and its large ensemble of characters also meant that some characters were short-changed in terms of screen time and character development. Though Eternals tried to do something new, many called it an ‘Oscar bait’ film and it ultimately did not receive a warm welcome, causing many to speculate that Marvel Studios would simply adjust course and ignore the entry moving forward.
ComicBook.com caught up with producer Nate Moore, who produced Eternals and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and asked him about the future of the characters and when they may reappear in the MCU. Though reticent, Moore, who is also Vice President of Production at Marvel Studios, simply said, "I don't want to spoil anything, but we have not seen the last of those characters.” He did not say when or in what project they may appear again.
Eternals ended with Sersi (Gemma Chan), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), and Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) being kidnapped by a Celestial so they might be judged for killing the Celestial at Earth’s core, Tiamat. Meanwhile, Thena (Angelina Jolie), Druig (Barry Keoghan), and Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) were approached by Eros (Harry Styles) and Pip the Troll (Patton Oswalt), who said they could help them save their friends. Oswalt may have accidentally confirmed Eternals 2 was in the works back in August, presumably to follow up on this plot point, which would probably be too big to settle in another project.
The Eternals will have a big impact on the MCU's future. Director Chloe Zhao seems committed to telling the story of the Eternals, and though the first film did not perform too well, it’s still possible to win audiences back. The “big impact” the Eternals may have on the MCU certainly might be scaled back, but it might be something that Marvel Studios is committed to. After all, the Eternals introduced many important cosmic elements of Marvel that may play an important part in the MCU going forward.
Marvel Studios has previously made moves that imply it’s not quite done with the characters just yet. The Eternals almost made a cameo in Moon Knight, but the sequence was simply deemed to be too expensive. Had it been in the budget, there’s no doubt that the characters would have appeared in the TV show.
Eternals is now available on Disney Plus.
Source: ComicBook.com