Eternals’ Director Explained Which Unexpected Part Of Making The Marvel Movie Was ‘Actually Quite Dangerous,’ And I See Where She’s Coming From

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Despite many Marvel Cinematic Universe films during The Multiverse Saga like “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”, and “Deadpool & Wolverine” receiving positive responses from audiences, films such as “Eternals” have struggled to find success, either critically or commercially. In fact, “Eternals,” a 2021 Marvel movie available on Disney+, received mixed reviews (with TopMob’s review giving it 3 out of 5 stars) and earned only $402 million worldwide despite an estimated budget over $236 million. Interestingly, the director of “Eternals,” Chloé Zhao, feels that the film’s substantial budget posed a risk to its production.

Discussing her upcoming movie “Hamnet” scheduled to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on September 7 and release to the public on November 27, Zhao stated that working on “Eternals” served as a significant stepping stone for her involvement in this historical drama. According to her interview with Vanity Fair, she described this transition as a vital bridge.

In simpler terms, working on the film Eternals helped me prepare for Hamnet as it involved world-building, which I hadn’t done before in my other films set in the real world. This experience taught me what was realistic and what wasn’t, as Eternals had an abundance of resources at its disposal. In contrast, Hamnet only allows us to use a single street corner, representing Stratford, due to budget constraints. However, this limitation makes everything more significant in Hamnet because it forces us to be more creative and mindful of every detail.

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The movie called “Hamnet” focuses on William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes after their 11-year-old son, Hamnet (the title character), passes away. It’s clear that a film like this wouldn’t require a budget of over $200 million. On the other hand, Chloé Zhao suggests that the Marvel movie, “Eternals,” might have been better off with a smaller budget too. Although it doesn’t mean “Eternals” could have been made within the budget of “Hamnet,” the filmmaker believes that having limited resources can actually boost creativity on projects like these.

While I understand Zhao’s perspective, using “dangerous” might not have been the best term in this context. Smaller productions often carry a more intimate and personal touch than studio blockbusters, but reducing the budget on a film like Eternals wouldn’t guarantee it would become critically acclaimed. Despite receiving praise for its visuals, Eternals faced criticism for its storyline and pace. This underscores the fact that investing heavily in a project doesn’t necessarily ensure universal appeal.

Currently, the only significant connection we’ve seen between the storyline of Eternals and other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects is through the Celestial Island being a crucial element in Captain America: Brave New World. As fans eagerly await more appearances from these characters within the MCU, it’s worth noting that the next upcoming Marvel film will be Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set for release on July 31, 2026.

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2025-08-28 02:38