How Chloé Zhao brought a Terrence Malick sensibility to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
In short: When Marvel Studios hired Chloé Zhao to direct Eternals, they granted her unusual creative freedom. By prioritizing natural lighting and on-location shooting over traditional studio sets, Zhao aimed to blend the mythic scale of a cosmic superhero epic with the intimate, character-driven storytelling found in her previous independent films.
Released in 2021 as the 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Eternals follows a group of immortal beings sent to Earth in 5000 BC to protect humanity from predatory entities known as Deviants. The project originated from Marvel's desire to explore ancient aliens living throughout human history, a concept that evolved into a 7,000-year-spanning narrative. Producer Nate Moore and director Chloé Zhao sought to create an ensemble piece that functioned as a complex family drama, with characters grappling with identity, purpose, and the tension between personal freedom and the greater good.
Zhao’s influence on the production was profound. She approached the film as a melting pot of inspirations, citing manga, the television series Ancient Aliens, and the films of Terrence Malick—specifically The Tree of Life—as key touchstones. To achieve this, she utilized 360-degree shots and natural lighting, techniques she had refined while filming Nomadland. Her presentation to Marvel Studios, which featured reams of visuals, convinced the studio to move quickly to secure her as director. She worked alongside screenwriters Ryan and Kaz Firpo and Patrick Burleigh to structure the film as a road trip that reflected on human nature across centuries.
The film was notable for its diverse cast and its commitment to representation, featuring the first deaf superhero in the MCU, Makkari, and the first gay superhero, Phastos. Despite grossing $402.1 million worldwide, the film became the first in the MCU to receive mixed critical reviews, with many commentators noting that the screenplay and pacing struggled to balance the grounded, intimate tone Zhao desired with the franchise's requirements for mythic grandeur. Nevertheless, the film remains a unique experiment in the studio's history, attempting to marry the scale of a blockbuster with the aesthetic sensibilities of an auteur.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Eternals (film)
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