We are now just a month out from the release of Marvel’s Eternals, expected to be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, a full year after its original intended release date. And with that extra year, we can now say that the movie is directed by the reigning Best Director Oscar-winner, Chloe Zhao.
Marvel dropped a new teaser for Eternals earlier this week:
Given how close we are now, we should be seeing more and more promotion from the Eternals’ ensemble, and here’s Gemma Chan, the First Eternal, whose voice you first hear in that preview. She was in Paris yesterday at the Louis Vuitton show in a bomb-ass black hooded coat and cropped leather pants, SO good.
I’m not sure that we can say right now that Gemma is a household name, even with the success of Crazy Rich Asians and Captain Marvel, but as the First Eternal (Marvel head Kevin Feige has said that if there is a lead in the ensemble, it would be Gemma), this will change because LOT of people will be seeing this movie and how much screen time she has in it. By American Thanksgiving, everyone will know Gemma.
While we’re here though… and since we didn’t mention it at the time… can we throw it back to Gemma at the Met Gala?
Gemma attended with Prabal Gurung. As you recall, the theme was In America and they paid tribute to Anna May Wong, considered the first Asian-American movie star:
A documentary short inspired by Anna May called Searching for Anna May Wong was released last year and is currently streaming on Amazon. It’s about East Asian actors following the path of Anna May and asks the question: “If trailblazing actor Anna May Wong were still alive today, would she still face the same racism and challenges she experienced during her time in Hollywood?”
There is still racism. There are still challenges. But Gemma Chan is leading a Marvel movie two months after Marvel’s first East Asian superhero, Shang-Chi, broke box office records. So there has been progress too. But it doesn’t mean the push stops here.
