It’s fair to say that Eternals isn’t your typical MCU movie – a fusion of Oscar-winning indie filmmaker Chloé Zhao and big-screen Marvel blockbuster that proved divisive to fans and critics alike. In a post-Avengers: Endgame world, it marks a major part of the evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – a situation that the director likens to the current status of the Star Wars universe.
Speaking to Empire in a major new post-Eternals interview, Zhao opened up about her love for the galaxy far, far away, and the transformative era both franchises are currently in. “[It’s] in the same situation as Marvel,” she explains. “It’s seen by a big group of people for what it was – myself included, I’m a die-hard, old-school fan of Star Wars, quite conservative actually – and then you see [it] also evolving into the future. Any kind of evolution, any kind of change, is painful. It’s like seeing an insect [transform from] a caterpillar. Marvel is changing, and it’s painful, and Star Wars is changing. I love being part of that change, and finding my footing. Hopefully I can land safely every time, but you never know. It’s the process that matters, and the people you work with.”
Asked if she’d considered playing in the Star Wars universe for real, Zhao had “no comment”. (She had previously been rumoured to direct the series’ upcoming Kevin Feige-produced film, though that was later denied.) “But, who doesn’t love Star Wars? Come on.” Zhao also had “no comment” when asked if she would continue with Eternals and whatever is next planned for Harry Styles’ Eros, the casting for which was her idea. “But as a fan, one of the joys is to be able to sit back and see how the seeds you plant can grow,” she says. “And I’ve planted a lot of seeds with this film.” For now, the future of one of the most exciting and unpredictable filmmakers in the world remains unclear.
Read Empire’s full Chloé Zhao interview – talking Eternals’ seismic twists, surprise cameos, and Star Wars influences – in the Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness issue, on sale Thursday 17 March and available to pre-order online here. Eternals is streaming now on Disney+, and is also available on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K and digital.