Entertainment Marvel's Eternals: Everything you need to know

Even before the Phase 4 announcement at Comic-Con, which feels like a lifetime ago, we knew that the Eternals were heading to screens and with an all-star cast.

© Marvel Comics Everything you need to know about Marvel's Eternals, including release date, cast and plot.

They're possibly the biggest creative risk since the Guardians of the Galaxy, but that movie turned out alright in the end, so we're confident that Marvel can make fans care about a group of little-known superbeings.

But who are these little-known superbeings? Here's everything you need to know about the movie version.

Marvel's Eternals release date: When can we expect it?

© Getty Images Kumail Nanjiani Brian Tyree Henry Salma Hayek Chloe Zhao Lia McHugh Richard Madden Angelina Jolie Lauren Ridloff Don Lee Marvel Studios The Eternals

Initially, Kevin Feige revealed that Marvel's Eternals would be the second movie of Phase 4 as it hits cinemas on November 6, 2020. However, all that has changed as major studios worldwide are delaying their movies and Marvel's Eternals is now scheduled for a February 2021 release.

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Chloé Zhao has signed on as director. She's best known for the 2017 western The Rider. Writing duo Matthew and Ryan Firpo are working on the script.

Marvel's Eternals cast: Who will be in it?

After what felt like endless rumours of stars being in talks for roles in the movie, the official announcement confirmed who is actually in it and the rumours were pretty spot-on.

Here's how the cast is shaping up:

© Getty Images Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Chloe Zhao Richard Madden Kumail Nanjiani Lauren Ridloff Brian Tyree Henry Salma Hayek Lia McHugh Don Lee Angelina Jolie The Eternals

• Angelina Jolie as Thena
• Richard Madden as Ikaris
• Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo
• Salma Hayek as Ajak
• Lauren Ridloff as Makkari
• Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos
• Lia McHugh as Sprite
• Don Lee as Gilgamesh
• Barry Keoghan as Druig
• Gemma Chan as Sersi
• Kit Harington as the Black Knight aka Dane Whitman

Not bad, right?

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It all makes sense now.

As for Jolie, taking on the role of Thena meant a drastic change of hair colour when the actress was spotted filming a scene in which she wades out into a lake.

Many believe she is about to spread the ashes of, well, someone dead. Speculation is that the ashes are Thena's father's, Zuras. If so, the moment will likely be a simple mood setter, and only there to show how Thena ended up in charge of the Eternals.

Zuras is one of the few important Eternals from the comics not to be cast in the movie, so his being dead would make sense. Of course, this is pure conjecture and nothing has been confirmed.

Marvel's Eternals plot: What will it be about?

We're still waiting on an official synopsis or even some plot hints for Marvel's Eternals, but maybe we can gather something from when Kevin Feige first spoke about it while he was promoting Avengers: Infinity War.

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"[We want to introduce] characters that the majority of the world has never heard of, much like Guardians, much like Avengers before we made Avengers. And there are lots of them," said Feige.

© @GemmaChan - Twitter Gemma Chan, The Eternals filming wrap

Initial reports posited Marvel's Eternals plot would follow Sersi, an Immortal who sometimes acts as an Avenger. Her powers include illusion making, transmutation, and other magical superpowers. Not to be confused with the scary blonde Game of Thrones' matriarch.

Thanks to a leaked toy, we know at least a little bit more about one of the villains: Kro. We don't know much beyond this, though Zhao has said Marvel's Eternals will be bigger than Avengers: Endgame.

We also know there will be a prominent LGBTQ relationship in the movie, a first (and long overdue, at that) for Marvel.

Marvel's Eternals: What exactly are they?

© Marvel Comics Eternals

The Eternals are a race that evolved from the same genetic ancestors as humans. They were created five million years ago, give or take, thanks to genetic experiments carried out by giant, armoured space gods called the Celestials (much as the Inhumans were created by the Kree, if you'll forgive us for reminding you).

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Thanks to their effective immortality and amazing powers, they were the inspiration for many of mankind's ancient myths. They have deadly enemies too, of course, because this is comics. Those enemies are the Deviants, a race of genetically unstable and weird-looking monsters, in another unfortunate example of pretty = good/ugly = evil.

© Marvel Comics Deviants vs Celestial

The Eternals were the brainchild of Jack Kirby, the artist/writer co-creator of Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and many, many more classic characters.

This story was initially supposed to be separate from mainstream Marvel continuity, as Kirby had grown sick of the way comics storytelling had become increasingly interconnected, and wanted to tell a tale without having to worry what was going on in Spider-Man, Avengers and the rest. However, after his departure Marvel reversed that, initially bringing Thor and his fellow gods into the picture as they attempted to protect Earth from destruction by the Celestials.

The Eternals bear a strong similarity to the New Gods, another race of superpowered beings Kirby created for DC Comics. Frustrated by his work for Marvel's rival, he switched back to his old publisher without finishing the New Gods' epic story. There he created the Eternals, only to stop halfway through that story under similar circumstances.

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This is only just the start.

(Incidentally, Warner Bros is developing a New Gods DC movie with director Ava DuVernay.)

© Marvel Comics Celestials vs Eternals

Kirby's Eternals is set in the present day, where mankind discovers that Superbeings Walk Among Us after the Eternals' war with the Deviants escalates again following the return of the Celestials to Earth.

The Celestials had come back to judge the Earth, with the promise that if we were found wanting their experiment would be branded a failure and we would all be killed! Thor and the gods allied with the Eternals to try to drive the Celestials away, but failed utterly. Thankfully, the Celestials decided that Earth was okay and left peacefully.

© Disney Celestial in Guardians of the Galaxy

As time went on, the Eternals were tied more closely into Marvel continuity. Notable Eternals include the warriors Thena and Ikaris, and Sersi, a sorceress-type who even became a member of the Avengers.

The aliens who live on Saturn's moon, Titan, were also retconned to be part of the race of Eternals.

Marvel's Eternals trailer: When can we expect it?

With filming having begun this autumn, we could get a trailer later this year. However, we have a feeling we'll be waiting a while for any official footage.

Marvel's Eternals will be out in cinemas on November 5, 2021.

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