I think we can all agree that Guardians of the Galaxy is a pretty great movie. It's funny and unique with a tone that's completely its own. That is not to say, however, that the movie is not without its faults. There are some problems in the third act when it gets all explode-y, and there's a pretty big villain problem in the form of a one note Ronan. James Gunn is back in the directors seat for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and he's looking to fix some of his past mistakes - one mistake in particular. It has to do with Gamora, but not in regards to the film. No, James Gunn wants to fix the action figure problem.
James Gunn recently posted a video to Facebook, where he announced that Chris Pratt was wrapped for production. In the comments of that post, someone said that he couldn't find any Gamora toys for his daughter during the first film and asked if it would be an easier find for the second time around. Gunn was sympathetic and said that he had been working on a solution to this.
I'm making sure this time around the female characters are more represented in the toy world. Not only Gamora, but Mantis, Nebula, and Elizabeth Debicki's character as well.
For those who may not remember, there was a big issue back in 2014 when it was super hard to find any toys or merchandise for Gamora. You could find Star-Lord or Groot by the droves in Target, but a Gamora figure was basically the holy grail. If she did happen to be on any merchandise then it was minimal and always overshadowed by the four other male members of the team.
This isn't an issue exclusive to just Gamora, and includes other female action heroes like Black Widow, Princess Leia, and Rey. All of these characters have been or still are heavily underrepresented in toys compared to their male co-stars and all of the properties are owned by Disney.
James Gunn saying he's taken the time to personally make sure that not just one, but all of his female characters, are represented in toys must be great to hear for all fans and collectors. It's always nice to know that the people in a high position are listening and doing something about a known issue. Toys and merchandise for Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 are still a ways off, so we'll see if Gunn's words hold true when the time comes.
Disney has been making more strides lately to include their female heroes in merchandise. If you look at the Disney store, you'll find a bunch of Black Widow t-shirts for girls and few more Rey centric bits of merch. Are they still underrepresented? Definitely, but it's all about making sure the people who make these decisions know we're not happy about it.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2017, and it will feature a bunch cool ladies who may or may not get action figures.
