An Image featuring The Eternals director Chloe Zhao. Source: Screen Rant

While Chloe Zhao’s The Eternals, with its absolutely stunning visuals and hard-hitting action as teased by the films’ trailer, is all set to release in the theatres next month on 5th November and the cast and crew of the film are continuously bombarding the fans by giving them various new details about the much-awaited movie. Eternals director Chloé Zhao recently spoke to Variety in a promotional event of the film to reveal Marvel President Kevin Feige’s initial reaction when she dropped a Superman reference in a scene of the upcoming superhero epic.

When asked about the fact that why she snuck in a reference of Superman and Batman, Zhao told Variety, "You write it on the page, show it to Kevin, if he doesn't say anything, that's a go. I don't think there was a conversation. Not really, except, he goes, 'Oh, that's cool.'"

DC’s fan-favorite superhero character Superman’s reference in the film comes when a scene featuring Richard Madden’s character Ikaris shoots laser beams out of his eyes, after which a child refers to him as "Superman” as he resembles the Man of Steel iconic laser beam shooting style seen over the years in DC Comics and live-action films.

Although Zhao while speaking with Variety did not go into the details as to why she choose to included a reference to the Man of Steel in the film, Zhao in a separate interview revealed that Superman's influence on many different cultures made her do so. "I think we're in the business of telling stories about mythology, and Superman, for example, comes from... mythology," she said. Despite seeking to build her own mythology in the MCU, Zhao added, "It doesn't mean we can't pay tribute and have a good time with these iconic ones that we all love too so much. I mean, who doesn't love Superman and Batman? Clearly our Eternals like them."

A Poster from The Batman V Superman film. Source: Tylt

While, Superman isn't the only DC superhero referenced in the film as another scene, starring the 50-year-old Korean actor Don Lee’s superhero character Gilgamesh when meets Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo, calls him as "Alfred," a reference to Caped Crusader’s best friend and helper Alfred Pennyworth. Zhao explained that all DC characters that are going to be referenced in the film are fictional, just meant to be "pop culture" references.

Zhao further explains that Gilgamesh "watches Batman," so when he meets Nanjiani Kingo's, "He goes, 'Ah, I know!' Because he loves Batman, like so many of us, everything that's referenced in this film, whether it's in words or visually, is a tribute. It's out of love and our admiration for these characters."

Along with Chloe Zhao’s as the director of Marvel Studios The Eternals, features Salma Hayek in the role of Ajak, Angelina Jolie in the role of Thena, Brian Tyree Henry in the role  Phastos, Richard Madden in the role of Ikaris, Gemma Chan in the role of Sersi, Lauren Ridloff in the role of Makkari, Lia McHugh in the role of Sprite, Kumail Nanjiani in the role of Kingo, Barry Keoghan in the role of Druig, Don Lee in the role of Gilgamesh, Kit Harrington in the role of Dane Whitman with additional actors such as Harish Patel, Haaz Steiman as Phastos' husband, Ozer Ercan as a smuggler and Zain Al Rafeea in an unknown role.