It seems that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be including LGBTQ characters in upcoming films, but in what context?
While promoting the incoming Ant-Man & The Wasp film, MCU President of Production Kevin Feige talked about the future of the superhero franchise. Not only did he release the official title for the next Spiderman film, Spiderman: Far From Home, but he also talked about the role of LGBTQ characters in the movie universe.
While talking to The Playlist, Feige mentioned that new and old LGBTQ characters from the franchise will be appearing in upcoming films.
Specifically, that part of the interview went as follows:
“The Playlist: When are we getting a Gay, Bi, LGBTQ, out character in the MCU? Is it even in the works?
Kevin Feige: Yes.
TP: That’s the answer?
KF: Yeah, that’s the answer.
TP: It’s not someone we’ve seen yet, I’m guessing?
KF: Both.
TP: Both?
KF: Both ones you’ve seen and ones you haven’t seen.”
Most likely, three LGBTQ characters we have seen before and will most likely see again are Valkyrie, Ayo, and Korg.
Valkyrie played a supporting role in Thor: Ragnorak and was not seen during the first Infinity War film. Fiege himself later revealed that Valkryie had survived the attack by Thanos off-screen, so she is available to appear in the franchise at a later date.
In addition, Ayo is one of Black Panther’s elite guard of warriors titled the Dora Milaje. Ayo’s character was very small in the first Black Panther film, but she’s still alive and will most likely appear in the sequel.
In addition, the third LGBTQ character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was Korg, a rock-like alien creature who also appeared in Thor: Ragnorak.
Feige revealed in a conversation with Fandango that Korg, and another character named Miek, will appear later on, but he didn’t reveal in what context.
"We have plans for Korg and Miek," he said, "When and where we'll have to wait and see, but we, like the audience now that they've seen them, can't get enough."
These three LGBTQ characters could appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe again along with new characters yet to be revealed.
That said, many are still concerned about LGBTQ visibility. As with many LGBTQ characters in recent Hollywood films, the sexualities of the three characters mentioned above aren’t mentioned in their respective films. As such, most fans have to know the fact that a character is LGBTQ before watching the movie.
In some ways, this is understood as with Ayo’s situation.
As Florence Kasumba, who plays Ayo, stated in February, the sexuality of her character was irrelevant to the main plot of the film.
That said, fans were upset to hear that a filmed scene in which Ayo flirts with another female character was eventually cut out of final film.
The same also happened to Valkyrie who had a scene confirming her bisexuality, but it was deleted before the film's debut.
All of this is to say, we’re excited for these new and old LGBTQ characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but we’re also hesitant to see how they’ll be delivered.
