Eternals received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike and was not the post-pandemic success Marvel hoped it would be.
The last time an MCU movie received a reaction as cold as Eternals was Thor: Ragnarok which changed Thor, the tone and direction would be a huge mistake for the MCU.
Thor Needed A Reinvention; The Eternals Don't
Thor: The Dark World was commercially successful, and some audiences and critics did enjoy it, but it was widely regarded as one fo the weakest MCU movies, and it was the whole Thor series that was the issue. The Thor series lacked any definition around its titular character, with Thor’s personality changing between Thor and Avengers movies and left Thor: The Dark World extremely underwhelming. Thor had comedic moments and Taika Waititi, who had a huge say in the story as well, brought this back out in Thor: Ragnarok and truly put his own stamp on it which made Thor: Ragnarok a huge success.
Eternals already has Chloé Zhao’s directing stamp on it, and her visuals and tone do not need correcting in the way Waititi corrected Thor’s. Eternals is forgettable, and its reviews focus more on the story and its underdevelopment, especially with such a big cast. The Eternals 2 needs Zhao still to continue to match the tone that fit the immortal beings so well, but the storyline needs to delve deeper into the characters, so audiences are more attached to them. Now the foundations have been laid for who they are and what the Eternals have achieved, Eternals 2 can use it's time to have a more gripping plot with a more varied storyline.
Is Eternals 2 Happening? What We Know So Far
Despite Eternals ending with a clip saying they will return, there has been no official confirmation from Marvel or Disney about Eternals 2. Patton Oswalt, who voiced theEternals characters will appear in new MCU movies, and hopefully there will be an Eternals sequel.
