Chloe Zhao’s Eternals could be the most impactful MCU movie since Avengers: Endgame. The millennia-spanning tale will reveal the prehistory of humanity and introduce us to a lot of powerful new heroes destined to play a major role going forward. Now this new trailer – which may be the final one before the November 5 release – gives us a fresh look at what’s coming
Marvel Studios and Disney will be carefully monitoring which of these characters is a hit and deciding guest appearances, spin-off movies, and potential Disney Plus shows accordingly. From what we’ve seen so far it’s likely that Gemma Chan’s Sersi has an assured future in the MCU. Zhao has been very positive about her, saying she is “a nuanced female superhero that is rarely seen in this genre”.
It also seems inevitable that Kumail Nanjiani will be back as Kingo. The comedian has famously gotten jacked for the role, and judging by this trailer has achieved his goal of combining Bollywood style with John McClane-style wisecracking and deadpan humor.
Another interesting element is Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman/Black Knight. He’s not an Eternal, with many suspecting this movie will be a stealth introduction to him (like Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War) and that he’s lined up for a solo project.
But aside from appearing to be an incubator for Phase 4 and 5 MCU movies, Eternals really does look like something special. There’s a note of epic majesty and ambition that’s sometimes missing from the more light-hearted Marvel Studios fare, especially given that the narrative will show the development of humanity as a whole. But, as the new footage proves, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for some on-point quips.
Eternals hits theaters on November 5, 2021.