Oscar winnerAngelina Jolieis in talks to star in Marvel’sTheEternals, an individual familiar with the project has told Collider.
Marvel had no comment.
Chloe Zhao(The Rider) is directing from a script byMatthew FirpoandRyan Firpo, and Marvel chiefKevin Feigewill produce.
Created byJack Kirby,TheEternalsfollows super-powered and near-immortal beings known as Eternals and their enemies the Deviants, who were created by cosmic beings called Celestials. Feigepreviously told Colliderwhat appealed to him about the property…
“Everything afterEndgame, and afterSpider-Man: Far From Home, will be different and be unique, as we try to make every film. But seeing returning characters is certainly something we’re gonna do and want to do. But also introducing characters that the majority of the world has never heard of, much likeGuardians, much likeAvengersbefore we madeAvengers. And there are lots of them.Eternalsare one group, but we like the idea of introducing an ensemble, doing an ensemble movie from the start, as opposed to building up as we did with the firstAvengers. More likeGuardians, not tonally, but in terms of introducing a new group of people. You were asking about ’60s, and ’70s before. Jack Kirby did an immense, amazing epic withEternalsthat spans tens of thousands of years, and that’s also something we haven’t really done, which is why that among many other things post-Endgame, we find appealing.”
It’s unclear who Jolie will play, but the actress has been a longtime advocate for gay rights – she andBrad Pittfamously said they wouldn’t marry until same-sex marriage was made legal – andEternalsis expected to feature Marvel’s first openly gay character. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was one element of the story that appealed to Jolie, since it distinguishesEternalsfrom other superhero projects.
I’m also encouraged by Zhao’s presence behind the camera, as I thoughtThe Riderwas one of last year’s best films. Here’s hoping she finds a role of some kind for the breakout star of that film,Brady Jandreau. But Marvel may have set its sights on better-known actors who can help carry the MCU post-Avengers: Endgame, which is expected to be the last Marvel movie for several A-list stars.
Jolie recently wrapped two Disney movies – the sequelMaleficent: Mistress of Evil, which will be released this fall, and the live-action/animation hybridThe One and Only Ivan. She’s represented by UTA, andthe Hollywood Reporterbroke the news.
