A very Happy New Year to everyone but especially to Marvel fans, who have plenty of comic book adventures to sink their teeth into as we swoop into the 2020s.
It’s no exaggeration to state that Marvel superhero movies dominated cinema-going audiences over the past decade, smashing records and leaving grown adults completely awestruck.
With a fresh new decade upon us, there appears to be no sign of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) phenomenon losing momentum. There are still many heroic characters for us to meet and fall in love with, some of whom will be LGBT+.
Attending a Q&A event at the New York Film Academy, president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige responded with a very positive ‘absolutely’ to questions about whether there would be greater LGBT+ representation in upcoming movies.
When quizzed about whether there were plans in motion to welcome more LGBT+ characters to the MCU – and ‘specifically trans characters’ – Feige, 46, gave the following reply:
Yes. Absolutely, yes. And very soon, and in a movie that we’re shooting right now, yes.
Following delighted applause from the audience, Feige was also asked a question about how he intended to make the MCU more inclusive and diverse going forward, with a fan pointing out the monumental successes of Black Panther and Captain Marvel.
In response to this, Feige explained this had ‘always’ been the plan:
It was always the plan for us. Every time we do a movie, we hope it’s going to succeed so that we can make another movie. That’s always the idea.
And with those two films in particular – Black Panther and Captain Marvel – we wanted to keep showcasing heroes from the comics that represent the world that goes to see our movies.
So our intention was always to continue to do that. What’s exciting is that both those movies were such big hits that it squashed any sort of question otherwise.
And I hope, and I think, it inspired other companies around the world to do the same thing, and tell those different types of stories.
You can watch Feige’s interview for yourself below:
In July 2019, Marvel Studios reportedly issued a casting call for a trans woman of any ethnicity in her twenties or thirties.
Pondering over who exactly this character could be, Geeks WorldWide suggested she could well be Sera, Marvel’s only existing trans woman superhero.
It’s been speculated Sera will make her appearance in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, where she could have a romantic storyline with Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson).
Thor: Love and Thunder will be released in UK cinemas from November 5, 2021.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 9am until 9pm Monday to Friday and 10am until 6pm Saturday, or email helpline@lgbt.foundation
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.