Marvel Studios‘ Eternals is coming to theaters on November 5 and Marvel has released a “final” trailer for the film.
The trailer gives us a better idea of the story of the film and delivers a first look at a living Celestial.
The ensemble film is directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao and features Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Ma Dong-seok, and Lia McHugh.
Marvel Studios has dropped the first teaser trailer for Eternals. Created by Jack Kirby, the Eternals are a race of immortal beings with superhuman powers who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years.
Directed by Chloé Zhao, the screenplay is by Zhao, Kaz Firpo, and Ryan Firpo. It stars Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Bruan Tyree Henry, Barry Keoghan, Lauren Ridloff, Ma Dong-seok, and Lia McHugh.
Eternals comes to theaters on November 5, 2021.
Maleficent in 2014 made a killing at the box office. It was a critical success, and (along with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) set off Disney’s current craze of remaking all of their IP as live action blockbusters. So the sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil was a sure bet, right? Yes and no.
Angelina Jolie returns as the eponymous and misunderstood queen of the fey. Elle Fanning is back as her adopted daughter, the Princess Aurora. Prince Phillip has proposed to her, so now it’s time to meet the parents! Michelle Pfieffer sinks her teeth into the juicy role of Queen Ingrith, who bears a giant grudge against the magical moor lands and all magic users. This great feud breaks out between her and Maleficent. It’s like if Joan Crawford and Bette Davis’s squabbles were also all a pretense for war. There are certain elements in this film that seem to condemn the military-industrial complex. . . or at least its equivalent in a pre-industrial medieval setting.
Maleficent also discovers her heritage as she discovers a near-extinct species of dark fey that once lived all throughout the land but who have hunted by humans and driven into hiding. Their tribes are divided between wanting to pursue war or peace with the humans, with the peace faction being led by Conall (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and the war faction led by Borra (Ed Skrein).
The giant action sequences and production design of this film are phenomenal. The only problem is that it’s the personal interactions between Pfieffer and Jolie that are the best parts here. The giant action scenes where they are literally fighting one another are altogether less interesting.
While visually stunning, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is missing some of its edge. I loved the first Maleficent. It’s an amazing film that dared to turn the essence of a classic Disney tale on its head. It features a strong feminist message about not pitting women against each other. This sequel feels like nothing but pitting powerful women against each other.
Still, the aesthetics of the film are amazing. Maleficent’s costumes and makeup/CG-enhancements make her absolutely stunning to look at. Maybe it’s the wings, maybe it’s those cheekbones, maybe it’s the CG-coloring that makes the green magic swirl in her eyes, but it’s gorgeous.
While maybe not as good as the first, like most modern sequels this film does it bigger and brashier. That’s not necessarily a good thing. If you’re a fan it’s a good enough reason to go ahead and make sure you see this on the big screen.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Though they were introduced at San Diego Comic-Con, more casting for Marvel Studios’ The Eternals was revealed at D23.
On the stage at the convention was Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Lia McHugh, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, and Don Lee. Three new members of the cast: Barry Keoghan, playing “Druig”, Gemma Chan who will be playing “Sersi” and Kit Harrington who’s playing “Dane Whitman,” were introduced.
Chan is already a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe having played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel.
Dane Whitman is also known as the Black Knight, a character who has been rumored to join the Marvel live-action universe for quite some time and was rumored to have seen his debut in Avengers: Endgame, which obviously didn’t happen. A British superhero, his introduction plays to more rumors we might see more British superheroes like Captain Britain.
Also revealed was concept art for the film and the cast in their costumes.
Marvel Studios’ The Eternals comes to theaters November 6, 2020.
