The internet can be a dark place, and and the powerful females of the MCU are no exception to scrutiny, often served up by the trolls of the internet. Following the recent trailer release of the first female-fronted MCU film Captain Marvel, a slew of critics pointed out that Carol Danvers just wasn't smiling enough in the footage. Despite the trailer introducing that the hero fell from the sky and is missing a life full of memories on Earth, some fans seemed to be expecting more flashes of pearly whites from Brie Larson. Some even went as far as rendering fake smiles on screenshots of her character. The Captain Marvel actress wasn't having it as she cleverly fired back at the internet's comments, with this:
The picture of a grinning Captain America was featured on Brie Larson's Instagram story, after being originally edited and posted by Twitter user Jane Ritt (via Uproxx). The goofy edit of Chris Evan's Cap is a clear jab at the internet trolls who complained that the character just wasn't smiley enough. It's a cliché comment that men have been telling women for, and one addressed in TV and film. By Larson showing this altered image of male superheroes given the same treatment, it highlights the unequal treatment of the characters due to gender. However, Larson didn't stop with Steve Rogers. Take a look.
Doctor Strange was also rendered into a smiling superhero using FaceApp, adding a comical tone to the movie poster for his solo film. The 2016 film followed the wealthy doctor as he suffered a major car accident, losing function in the million dollar hands he used to treat patients in the past. Not exactly the laughing matter, is it? His fake smile definitely feels out of place here, along with this last rendering of the Iron Man 3 poster:
These images were followed by this comment by Brie Larson: "Breaking news: You can be you. That means you can smile or not. You can be strong in the ways you want to be. You can own who you are. If anyone tells you different don't trust them." Her Instagram story certainly highlights the double standard approach toward the depiction of women in the media. Since Captain Marvel will have Carol Danvers going on a challenging journey to remember her memories on Earth and mixed in a galactic war between two alien races, smiling certainly isn't likely.
The response to the first footage of Captain Marvel is certainly a reminder of the prevalent unequal treatment of the genders but the long-awaited addition of a the most powerful female superhero to the MCU line-up is an exciting development to the franchise. Captain Marvel comes to theaters on March 8, 2019.
