Representation is becoming an increasingly prominent issue around the output of Marvel Studios, with Kevin Feige and his team seemingly taking various measures to offer more diversity in the franchise, both in front of and behind the camera.
The upcoming Captain Marvel will undoubtedly serve as a major step in these ongoing changes, as the first female solo superhero outing of the MCU, as well the first to be directed by a woman. What’s more, though the franchise drew criticism from GLAAD earlier this year for its lack of openly LGBTQ characters, Feige has assured us that a few are on their way. Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, however, seems more concerned about the absence of LGBTQ actors being cast to play these superheroes.
While promoting his new drama The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, Harington argued that with none of the super-powered roles going to gay actors in the MCU, Marvel Studios are helping to perpetuate old stereotypes about homosexuality
“There’s a big problem with masculinity and homosexuality that they can’t somehow go hand in hand,” he explained. “That we can’t have someone in a Marvel movie who’s gay in real life and plays some super hero. I mean, when is that going to happen?”
Though you could argue that the issue of openly LGBTQ superheroes is more important than having openly LGBTQ actors play these superheroes, it’s hard not to see where Harington is coming from in his statement. And with Deadpool 2 providing both earlier this year in the form of Negasonic Teenage Warhead – played by out gay actress Brianna Hildebrand – it’s surely only a matter of time before Disney follows suit.
That being said, it may still be some wait before we see an openly gay film star in the role of a Marvel hero, with the next MCU movie not hitting cinemas until Captain Marvel comes out on March 8th, 2019. Still, with the subsequent Avengers 4 bringing the franchise’s Phase 3 to a close on May 3rd, you can expect some big changes coming to the series within the next year.
