Kevin Feige Confirms a Transgender Character Will Appear in a MCU Film That is Currently Shooting
John F. Trent
|
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed a transgender character will appear in an upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film.
In a Q&A session as part of the New York Film Academy’s Guest Speaker Series, Feige was asked by a fan, “Are there any current plans on bringing more LGBT+ characters into the MCU specifically the T, trans characters.”
Feige responded, “Yes, absolutely. Yes.”
He continued, “And very soon. In a movie that we’re shooting right now. Yes.”
Feige did not elaborate on the character or what film the character would appear in.
Back in August, Feige confirmed on Good Morning America that the upcoming The Eternals film would feature a gay character.
He stated, “He’s married. He’s got a family, and that is just part of who he is.”
.@Disney‘s EPIC surprises! From #LizzieMcGuire to @DisneyFrozen 2 to @starwars #TheRiseOfSkywalker to #BlackPanther 2 — @Ginger_Zee has ALL the highlights!
Find more on all the incredible #D23Expo announcements here: https://t.co/EutVh4kPAM pic.twitter.com/P7jo6cfhDP
— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 26, 2019
This confirmation came after rumors earlier this year that indicated Marvel Studios would feature a gay male lead in The Eternals.
Feige addressed those rumors in a press junket for Avengers: Endgame.
He stated:
“Well it’s accurate in that we’ve talked about [it for] a long time. You look at the success of Captain Marveland Black Panther. We want the movies to reflect the audience and we want every member of our global audience to see themselves reflected on the screen. And that’s what we’ve been doing for a long time. And certainly, that’s what we’re focusing on going forward.”
Related: Report: Marvel Studios To Cast Transgender Female Character in Phase 4
Not only were there rumors about a gay male lead in The Eternals, but there was a report back in July that Marvel Studios would cast a transgender female character for Phase 4.
Scuttlebutt at the time indicated the character would appear in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder film with the character being the recently introduced Sera from Marvel Comics.
Transgender Actor Zach Barack to Play Peter Parker’s Classmate in Spider-Man: Far From Home
Spider-Man: Far From Home did feature a transgender actor in Zach Barack, who played one of Peter Parker’s classmates.
Feige has been talking about including LGBTQ characters for quite a bit now. In an interview with The Playlist in June 2018 he promised the MCU would incorporate LGBTQ characters.
Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Promises LGBTQ Characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Feige isn’t the only Marvel Studios executive who has promised LGBTQ character in the MCU.
Marvel Studios production chief Victoria Alonso was asked if the world was ready for an openly gay superhero. She responded, “The world is ready, the world is ready.”
Related: Marvel’s Victoria Alonso: “The World is Ready” for a Gay Superhero
Marvel Studios has come under pressure from LGBTQ activist group GLAAD for its lack of representation.
In 2018, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis demanded that studios “make sure that 20% of annual major studio releases include LGBTQ characters by 2021, and that 50% of films include LGBTQ characters by 2024.”
Related: GLAAD Goes After Marvel and DC for Lack of LGBT Representation
GLAAD specifically called out Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. for what they described as erasing characters’ queer identity despite not actually detailing which characters had allegedly been erased.
“There have been several films in recent years that have erased a character’s queer identity as they moved from page to screen. In 2017, Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok and DC’s Wonder Woman both included characters who are queer in their source material, but did not include any on screen confirmation of their identities. This must change going forward.”
What do you make of Feige’s statement?
More About:Movies