Chloé Zhao Defends Comic Movies, Eternals

Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao defended comic book movies and reflected on her experience making Marvel's "Eternals" during a masterclass at the Venice Film Festival on Friday, September 4, 2026. Zhao, who directed the 2021 film, expressed no regrets about the project despite its mixed critical reception and commercial underperformance, calling the experience a "dream come true." Zhao, who won the Academy Award for Best Director for "Nomadland" in 2020, spoke about the importance of not dismissing stories based on their perceived artistic merit. "I do feel it's important to not write off stories because we don't consider them high art," she said. "The purpose of storytelling for me, humbly, is to create containers for people to try to process what they need to process. Archetypes are such a great way to do it, and we see them in myths because it's something we all share." The filmmaker, now 44, described her work on "Eternals" with enthusiasm, comparing comic books to manga. "I loved doing it. For any of you who love anime, I know you know this was a girl's dream come true. Comic books are the western equivalent of manga.