In an unexpected collaboration, Marvel and A-1 Pictures are promoting their new releases together in a pair of posters. 

The mirrored posters, below, feature the casts of Marvel’s Eternals and A-1’s Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night main casts. Each cast is positioned against a sunset backdrop looking towards each other.

Fans responded with surprise and delight, as well as a few Avengers jokes. 

It might be worth pointing out that the Eternals are not on the Avengers.

Cause for Collaboration

Sword Art Online -Progressive- is a retelling of the series’ original Aincrad arc, and is also adapted from Reki Kawahara’s own retelling of the same name. The light novel sub-series is eight volumes long. Cast and crew returned from the original anime to produce the first Progressive film, Aria of a Starless Night. A sequel film has already been announced for next year. 

ANN reports the film, which was released in Japan last Saturday, opened at the top of the nation’s box office. 

Eternals is directed by Chloé Zhao and features an ensemble cast of Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Harish Patel, Kit Harrington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie. It was released today to mixed reviews from critics and fans, and much, much hype. It reportedly took in $9.5 million at the box office from Thursday previews alone.

A trailer juxtaposing the films also seeks to highlight their similarities. Funimation calls both “tales of beginnings.”

Marvel previously collaborated with a major anime film in 2019, releasing a series of posters paralleling Golden Kamuy and Spider-Man: Far from Home.

Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night releases in the US and Canada Dec. 3. Eternals released today, Nov. 5, in the U.S. and Japan.