![Eternals Director Chloé Zhao Comes Out In Defense Of Superhero Films: "It's Important Not To Write [Them] Off"](/cdn-cgi/image/onerror=redirect,width=640,height=640,format=webp/https://storage.googleapis.com/uploads.mongoosehq.com/url/media/174351141/b61ca794aa8a1d671f402df41c9b5a29b68a7ef53fffb205ee1998d79f01957a)
Overview
- Speaking at a Venice masterclass Friday, Zhao urged the industry not to write off comic-book films and said stories should not be dismissed because they are not labeled 'high art'.
- Zhao said she 'loved doing' Marvel’s Eternals and described making the film as a 'girl’s dream come true,' likening Western comics to the role manga played in her youth.
- She rejected the idea that Nomadland and Eternals are opposites, saying both projects explore common interests such as landscape, mythology, and complicated human relationships with nature.
- The director acknowledged Eternals’ mixed reception, which earned roughly $400 million worldwide against a reported $200 million-plus budget and left its large ensemble largely disconnected from the wider MCU.
- Zhao also voiced personal doubts about a life 'occupied by screens' and said she remains open to returning to the MCU if the right story presents itself.