Chloé Zhao, the Academy Award-winning director of "Nomadland," has recently reflected on her experience directing Marvel Studios' "Eternals," admitting that the film's "unlimited" budget and resources may have been detrimental to the creative process. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Zhao explained how the constraints of a smaller budget on her upcoming film, "Hamnet," have paradoxically fostered a more focused and meaningful approach to filmmaking.

"Eternals," released in 2021, boasts an ensemble cast, including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, and Kumail Nanjiani. The film introduces a new group of immortal beings to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years. While "Eternals" grossed over $400 million worldwide, it received mixed reviews from critics and fans, becoming one of the MCU's lowest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes.

Zhao explained that the lack of limitations on "Eternals" proved "quite dangerous". She contrasted this with "Hamnet," where limited resources, such as only being able to afford "one street corner" to stand in for Stratford, forced the creative team to imbue every detail with significance. Zhao's comments highlight a potential pitfall of large-scale filmmaking, where excessive resources can lead to a diffusion of focus and a diminished sense of purpose.

Zhao noted that "Eternals" prepared her for "Hamnet" because of the world-building involved in both projects. She said that before "Eternals," she had only made films set in the real world, and that working on the Marvel film taught her what to do and not to do, and what's realistic and what isn't.

Zhao also touched on the divisiveness the film generated, suggesting that merging her artistic style with Marvel's established formula may have made some viewers uncomfortable. She recognized that taking what some saw as opposing forces—her background in independent films and the world of Marvel—and merging them, created something that disturbed the order for some people.

Another factor that Zhao believes contributed to the film's lukewarm reception was its delayed release date. Originally intended to premiere soon after "Endgame," "Eternals" was released when many were experiencing an "existential crisis" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zhao felt that the film's themes of existentialism, both for humanity and God, resonated differently in that context, contributing to the divisive response.

Despite the challenges and criticisms, Zhao's experience with "Eternals" appears to have provided valuable lessons that she is now applying to her future projects. While there were initial plans for an "Eternals" sequel, Marvel boss Kevin Feige revealed in 2024 that there are “no immediate plans for Eternals 2”. Nanjiani, who starred in "Eternals," had signed on for six movies and a video game, but the film's poor reception led him to seek therapy.