Chloe Zhao To Direct Marvel Studios THE ETERNALS

Marvel Studios’ next big franchise is being prepped for launch, as Chloe Zhao, known for The Rider, has been tapped to direct The Eternals. Matthew and Ryan Firpo penned the script, which focuses on the cosmic heroes created by legendary Marvel creator Jack Kirby.  The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth, which leads to the inevitability of war against their destructive counterparts, the Deviants. The Hollywood Reporter, who scored the exclusive scoop, also say that one aspect to the story involves the love story between Ikaris, a man fueled by cosmic energy, and Sersi, who relishes moving amongst humans. Marvel is also looking to have a diverse cast of various shapes and sizes. Zhao was on a director shortlist that included Nicole Kassell from HBO’s Watchmen, Travis Knight from Bumblebeeand Kubo and the Two Strings, as well as Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra, the duo behind Colombian movie Birds of Passage. She was also a front runner to direct the Black Widow film before Cate Shortland was selected.