Eternals star Salma Hayek says the movie is unlike any other installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because it is actually shot on-location. The film will follow a race of immortal beings created by the Celestials who have lived hidden on Earth for thousands of years and even helped shape the course of human history. Eternals completed production just prior to the coronavirus-imposed shutdown and, after numerous delays, it is currently scheduled for a November 5th, 2021, release.

A part of Marvel Studios' Phase 4, Eternals will introduce a whole new swath of heroes to the franchise who must band together to protect Earth from a humanoid race called the Deviants. While any more information about Eternals is shrouded in mystery, possibly due to its obscure source material, the film boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, and Game of Thrones alum Richard Madden and Kit Harington. Salma Hayek headlines the main cast members as Ajak, the leader of the Eternals.

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During a recent discussion with ET, Salma Hayek spoke about how Eternals differs from its predecessors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Chloé Zhao, an Oscar favorite for her work on Nomadland, Eternals will have a much different feel than other Marvel films because it is shot using real locations, according to Hayek. The Ajak actress seems to credit this style of production to Zhao’s creative vision. Hayek said:

I think it definitely has it's own DNA within the Marvel universe. It is different. It was directed by a woman [Chloé Zhao] and we didn't do most of the things in the studio. They're real locations which is unusual for Marvel. I'm very excited about the film, it definitely has the special vibe to it that is unique. I'm really excited about it and I love my character and I love the cast.

The Eternals

Putting its on-location shooting aside, Eternals was already shaping up to be a significant departure from other Marvel films, considering it spans multiple millennia and includes the MCU's first openly gay superhero in Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos. But perhaps the hiring of such an acclaimed director like Zhao was the biggest departure for the Marvel project. Her previous films, Nomadland and The Rider, were produced on minuscule budgets compared to Marvel films and often used nonactors in an attempt to create a more immersive feel.

Eternals seems to be a completely intentional departure by Marvel, possibly in an attempt to keep the franchise fresh and stave off any ill effects of superhero oversaturation. Zhao seems the perfect fit for this job. While she is already lending her own creative voice and direction to the Marvel franchise, it will be exciting to see how Zhao attempts to shake up the superhero genre as a whole.

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Source: ET

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