Eternals director Chloé Zhao talks about the real meaning of the movie. Zhao is the Oscar-winning director of Nomadland, who went from a more low-key, independent filmmaking journey directly into the Marvel movie machine. Eternals stars Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Brian Tyree Henry, Lia McHugh, and Lauren Ridloff, which is part of Marvel's Phase 4 in the MCU.
Based on the comic characters created by Jack Kirby, ‘Eternals’ focuses on a group of super-powered beings created by the God-like Celestials who are sent to Earth on a mission to guide and protect humanity. There are many metaphorical themes from Kirby's comic that resonate in the film, including the ‘Eternals’ as models for humanity's gods, as well as their influence over the advancement of human civilisation. Their existence is rooted in classic Greek mythology, right down to many of the character names, which bear a strong similarity to their mythological counterparts.
Zhao talked with Empire about her take on the film's greater meaning, which stems from belief, faith, and dogma when it comes to how the ‘Eternals’ approach their mission versus their desire to protect humanity. As the Eternals influence life on Earth for thousands of years, their influence becomes overpowering, as does their emotional connection to humanity itself, which eventually causes a rift with the group. Their desire to help humanity be their best, while also honoring the mission from their own gods (The Celestials) becomes the driving force of the film.
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