Chloé Zhao's Eternals taking inspiration from director Denis Villeneuve proves that the movie will be different from the rest of the MCU, and that's likely to be a good thing. In recent years, Villeneuve has become renowned for his big-budget science-fiction films, particularly due to his skill for telling rousing stories that take place in mysterious worlds. Given that Zhao’s new film takes place on a larger scale than any previous installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it only makes sense that she would take influence from a director whose skills involve great world-building.

Eternals tells the story of ten superhuman individuals who traveled to Earth thousands of years ago from the far reaches of space with the sole purpose of defending the planet from malevolent creatures called the Deviants, the Eternals' ancient enemies. From the description alone, the film stands as a testament to how gigantic the MCU has grown. The Marvel films have taken audiences to worlds that stir the imagination and now the studio appears to be taking a step further in this direction by introducing characters who have watched humanity grow over several millennia. Telling a story as expansive as Eternals is no small feat, which is why Zhao has taken a very particular direction for her latest picture.

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Denis Villeneuve’s work has impacted the science-fiction genre by striking the right balance between vast world-building with grounded stories. Recently, Zhao explained how Denis Villeneuve’s movies were a reference point for her in creating her pitch for Eternals, remarking that he “managed to build such visceral worlds I can feel and almost touch” in his movies. Knowing that Villeneuve was a source of inspiration, it is plausible that Eternals will deliver a story that follows the characters from an intimate perspective while also emphasizing the film’s immensity. The MCU has dealt with otherworldly characters as antagonists in the past, but the fact that such characters will be the protagonists of the next film is sure to provide a unique shift in storytelling.

Kit Harington as Dane Whitman Black Knight in Eternals

What sets the Eternals apart from teams such as the Avengers or the Guardians of the Galaxy is that they have a more cosmic origin and are far more removed from humanity. Sent to Earth by the Celestials, ancient giants that influence the fate of the universe, the Eternals possess tremendous capabilities that could most likely overpower almost any character who has been introduced up to this point. Villeneuve’s inspiration would be essential in making their struggle feel more human to the audience, as a common theme in his science-fiction films is the staggering difference in scale between the protagonists and the rest of the world. In the trailers for Eternals, there are glimpses of how this idea is implemented, such as Salma Hayek’s character Ajak riding a horse across a massive plain or her house that sits alone beneath a gray, cloudy sky. The images evoke a sense that, even with all the power that these heroes possess, they are still only minuscule figures in a gigantic universe. Viewing the story from the Eternals’ perspectives offers a chance to better understand the trials that they face as well as their motivation for protecting the planet.

It will also be interesting to see how Zhao uses Villeneuve’s directorial style in conjunction with her own. Zhao’s major films, such as The Rider and Nomadland, contain scenes in which characters find themselves alone in expansive environments. The addition of these scenes could make Chloé Zhao's Eternals much more different from past MCU films by offering a chance for the story to slow down rather than have non-stop action. Eternals promises to be unlike anything the MCU has told before, lacking neither spectacle nor compelling characters.

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