Phase 4 limelight.
As awards season ramps up, Zhao's Nomadland is widely considered the frontrunner for Best Picture at the Oscars. The film has already netted four Golden Globes nominations, including a Best Director nomination for Zhao, whose previous works include 2017's The Rider and 2015's Songs My Brother Taught Me. The director's filmography has remained largely independent in nature, so Eternals will mark a major shift for her. However, there is reason to believe Zhao will maintain a similar approach, even with a Marvel-sized budget at her disposal.
One of Nomadland's defining traits is its strict use of natural lighting throughout the film. The movie strives for a strong sense of realism, even using amateur actors who play lightly fictionalized versions of themselves. This natural lighting only further grounds the narrative, and leads to some beautiful and unique imagery, as well. Zhao has already stated that some if not all of Eternals will also rely on natural light, suggesting some intriguing cinematography for the film, and evading criticisms often aimed at superhero films, which usually revolve around them being either too visually dark, or too eclectically colorful.
Because of its natural lighting, as well as s McDormand's naturalistic performance, Nomadland almost comes across like a documentary at times. Of course, Eternals will inherently be very different, as it follows a group of cosmic beings who have hidden from humanity for thousands of years - but this combination of a sci-fi storyline and realistic visuals could provide something genuinely unique. In addition to Zhao, the company brought in accomplished indie directors like Destin Daniel Cretton and Nia DaCosta to direct Phase 4 films, signaling several new visions for entries in the MCU.
Zhao is not the only one to share promising details from the Eternals set. Actress Salma Hayek has also praised Zhao's insistence upon shooting on location, an increasing rarity amongst MCU films. Zhao seems to have largely skipped out on the CGI-fueled soundstages that have made so many other MCU films possible, instead opting for real-world locales. Considering the immense scale of Eternals, and the long-term implications of having these new characters around, Zhao absolutely has to get it right with Eternals. If nothing else, it seems safe to say the film will be among the most visually stunning entries in the MCU. Zhao's Eternals is obviously a huge departure from a film like Nomadland, but it seems the director has taken the measures necessary to bring her own unique vision to the MCU.
