Chloe Zhao’s Eternals could be the most impactful MCU movie since Avengers: Endgame. The millennia-spanning tale will reveal the prehistory of humanity and introduce us to many powerful new heroes destined to play a major role going forward. Expectations are high, particularly after Kevin Feige revealed that Zhao’s pitch was one of the best he’s ever heard.
With release day now just over a month away, the MPAA has delivered their verdict, and – in line with Marvel Studios’ other movies – it has been granted a PG-13 certificate. Their specific guidance is that the movie contains “fantasy violence and action, some language and brief sexuality.”
That last one is the only real eyebrow-raiser, though it’s speculated that the note came from scenes in which Phastos interacts with his husband. These are likely moments that wouldn’t warrant any attention from the MPAA if they were a heterosexual couple, but then this is a famously conservative institution.
Fans are looking forward to meeting a team of new heroes, with the studio no doubt paying careful attention to which ones audiences respond to best when they’re figuring out future appearances. There’s also a good chance the plot will drop some hints at where we’re heading in Phase 4 and 5, with a deep dive into MCU history potentially laying the foundation for the eventual introduction of mutants.
After Shang-Chi overcame COVID box office expectations to become a hit, Marvel Studios and Disney will be going into Eternals with confidence. Let’s hope the movie lives up to the promise of its trailers.
Eternals hits theaters on November 5, 2021.