Eternals Official Synopsis Confirms 2 Storylines Set in Past & Present

An official synopsis for Eternals reveals the movie is set in two timelines. Directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao, Eternals is fast approaching as the next movie in MCU’s Phase 4 slate. The movie takes the focus away from better-known Marvel superheroes like the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, introducing a new eponymous team of superpowered individuals based on Jack Kirby’s characters. The Eternals are an immortal alien race created by the Celestials, and they have dwelled on Earth for the past 7,000 years without letting disclosing their identities. But now, in the present-day, they resurface and reunite to protect the world from an impending threat posed by their evil counterparts – The Deviants.

Although the Eternals aren’t massively popular among the general public, Marvel is still betting big on the movie. That is presumably because interest in the film has grown over the months, with fans anxiously anticipating Eternals‘ stellar cast members’ turns as the divine superheroes. The film features the top talent from Hollywood, including Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, and Kit Harington. Recently Dan Stevens also subtly teased his role as the Deviant general Kro, although Disney is yet to officially confirm his casting.

Related: Eternals: Every Change To Marvel’s New Superheroes We Already Know

With only a month left until Eternals‘ release, the promotional campaign sure has kicked into a higher gear. Disney has unveiled a new plot synopsis for the movie, which indicates that the story is set in both the past and the present. The description details how the Eternals used to fight side-by-side back in the day, but they eventually drew apart and went their own ways. The movie picks up from when the Eternals are living their lives separately among humans, but then are forced to reunite for the sake of humanity. Take a look at the synopsis below.

“The story takes place across two time periods. One storyline is set in the past when they operated as a formidable team and a close family unit. The second storyline is in the present, when the group has fractured and split apart, content to live among humans, hiding in plain sight. The prevailing threat of the Deviants, which once again threatens the existence of mankind, means the Eternals need to put their differences aside and regroup.”

The idea that the Eternals wouldn’t be in touch in modern-day had been suggested by the movie’s official trailer, which sees Sersi (Chan) admitting that she hasn’t seen some of her teammates “for centuries.” The trailer had also showcased some scenes featuring the Eternals fighting alien conquerors in what appeared to be an ancient era, thus, there was already the assumption that multiple timelines would be incorporated into the movie. What fans do not know is which members will fight the Deviants in the present, and who would be the ones to ultimately prevent the “Emergence” from happening.

Although it can’t be said for sure, it’s highly possible that the past timeline will be depicted through flashbacks. Each team member could reminiscence about how the group used to fight together, as well as how they broke apart. The reason behind the rift will probably not be shown instantly, rather the respective reflections of the characters will build up to reveal what went wrong between the Eternals during the climax. The superheroes will then hopefully resolve their differences while facing off against the Deviants, thereby regrouping for good and laying the groundwork for future movies set within the franchise. Of course, all of this is mere speculation at this point, but with a 156-minute runtime, Eternals can effectively span all of these storylines.

Next: Eternals Final Trailer Breakdown: 31 Reveals

Source: Disney (h/t The Direct)

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