In an absolutely stacked cast, Angelina Jolie still might be the biggest name attached to the forthcoming Marvel Studios film, “Eternals.” For decades now, she’s been an A-lister that has shown up in acclaimed dramas, as well as the occasional popcorn franchise flick. But even for her, “Eternals” is a big deal. And according to a new interview with Vogue, she explained why she signed on to be a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Eternals” tells the story of an ancient race of beings that have lived on Earth for thousands of years, in the shadows. But now, these superpowered beings must band together to take on some sort of bigger threat. It’s a brand-new franchise for Marvel Studios and it’s also might be the biggest cast ever assembled for a new MCU film, with Jolie joined by Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh, Don Lee, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan, and Barry Keoghan.
But for Jolie, the reason she joined is mainly due to writer-director Chloe Zhao and the chance to work with Marvel Studios to help expand the genre.
“I love this cast, and that we all came together,” said Jolie. “I signed up to support Chloé [Zhao]’s vision and Marvel’s commitment to expand the way we see ‘superheroes.’ Running around in a gold bodysuit was not how I imagined my forties. But it’s good crazy, I think.”
Of course, the conversation wasn’t all Marvel. When the topic of her next directorial effort, “Unreasonable Behaviour,” was brought up, Jolie mentioned how she’s nervous about bringing the life of war photographer Don McCullin to the big screen.
“I’m still very nervous,” she explained. “Even the other day, I thought to email him to ask him some questions, and I was composing my email to get it just right. He’s incredible. The story is about Don, but it’s also equally about the conflicts he has been witness to, and the lives of the people within the now-famous photographs, who they were, and the often darker truth of those conflicts.”
It’s unclear when we might see production begin on “Unreasonable Behaviour.” However, if you’re excited to see Jolie on screen, she’s the star of “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” which is hitting HBO Max and theaters in May and then in “Eternals,” which (for now) is scheduled to arrive on November 5.