We are but mere weeks away from the release of Eternals, the next movie from Marvel Studios and that means it’s time for an MCU rewatch.
The Eternals are an interesting bunch of characters, none of which have been seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before. That means you pretty much have a blank slate when it comes to the new movie but if you do want to rewatch a few Marvel projects, these are the ones you should prioritise.
Which Marvel movies do you need to watch before Eternals?
First up, can you go into the Eternals without having seen any Marvel movies? According to director Chloé Zhao, yes.
The director told Fandango that Eternals stands alone as a film:
“The film completely stands alone. If you know half the universe disappeared and it came back, that’s all you need to know to watch this film. But what happens in this film will have huge implications on the future.”
If you’d rather go into the movie blind you are more than welcome to do so and can stop reading now. But if you’re itching for some Marvel content that will prepare you for Eternals here are a couple of options.
Avengers: Infinity War
The last two Avengers movies basically go hand-in-hand so while you could skip ahead and just watch Endgame, you’ll get the full story by watching Infinity War first.
Infinity War has a bunch of vital plot points, but most importantly it gives us a proper introduction to Thanos, played by Josh Brolin.
In the comics, Thanos has sometimes been interpreted as having Deviant DNA. The Deviants are a monstrous race of creatures and also the sworn enemies of the Eternals.
We’ll have to see whether Thanos is confirmed to be related to the Deviants when Eternals hits cinemas, but if he is at least you’ll know his back story from Infinity War.
Watch Avengers: Infinity War here.
Avengers: Endgame
Naturally, after Infinity War you have to see how it all pans out in Avengers: Endgame.
This is probably the single most important film you can watch before Eternals seeing as it deals with the ramifications of Thanos’ snap.
Zhao mentioned that as long as you know about the snap that obliterates half of all life, you’ll know what’s going on in Eternals. Presumably, the events of Endgame will be a large part of why the Eternals have suddenly come out of hiding after centuries.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
If you don’t know who the Guardians of the Galaxy are it’s probably best to start with Vol. 1 first, but assuming you do, here’s why Vol. 2 is important.
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 we’re introduced to Peter Quill’s father, Ego (Kurt Russell). Ego is described as a living planet that is able to manifest in human form. Ego is also Celestial, aka the god-like race of beings that also spawned the Eternals.
The cosmic metaphysics of Ego being a living planet are complex, but we’re going to learn a lot more about Celestials and Deviants in Eternals. So, if you want to get a preview of one of these beings in the MCU, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is where you’ll get it.
Watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 here.
Captain Marvel
This one is a long shot but may pan out if you believe in MCU theories.
Captain Marvel introduces us to the alien race known as the Skrulls. In some Marvel Comics Skrulls were linked to the Celestials and were considered another offshoot of Deviants.
We know thanks to the plethora of confirmed Marvel projects like The Marvels and Secret Invasion that the Skrulls are going to be an important part of the MCU’s future. It’s possible some of that groundwork will be laid in Eternals as well.
Eternals will release in Aussie cinemas on November 4, 2021, giving you plenty of time to smash through your Marvel rewatch.