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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment industry, one with a massive fanbase. But there was a learning curve when it came to things like the franchise’s release schedule, as well as its diversity and inclusion. Some major steps forward have been made to put women, people of color, and queer characters in the spot light. And now one Marvel producer has commented on the future of LGBT representation in the MCU.
Victoria Alonso is the Executive Vice President of Film Production at Marvel Studios, and has a producer credit on countless MCU installments. With Loki recently revealed to be queer and Eternals welcoming the first major same-sex couple in the shared universe, fans are definitely eager to see more LGBT stories told. Alonso addressed these concerns, saying:
It takes time, we have so many stories that we can tell. We will empower those that are. We’re not changing anything. We’re just showing the world who these people are, who these characters are… There’s a lot that we have coming up that I think will be representative of the world of today. We’re not going to nail it in the first movie or the second movie or third movie, or the first show or second show, but we will do our best to consistently try to represent.
Well, there you have it. It looks like there are a ton of stories for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to tell moving forward. And as the property continues to expand, Victoria Alonso and company seem committed to making sure the shared universe represents the world IRL-- featuring actors and creatives of all shapes and sizes. And that includes members of the LGBT community.
Victoria Alonso’s comments to Variety came from the recent premiere of Black Widow. With that movie finally giving Scarlett Johansson center stage and Loki recently coming out as queer in his Disney+, it certainly feels like Marvel Studios is the most inclusive it has ever been. And as Alonso referenced, this will only continue moving forward.
Marvel fans can re-watch the MCU so far on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
This comment about Marvel Studios certainly rings true to how the studio has grown and adjusted with the times over the past decade. While Phase One focused almost entirely on white male characters, each new slate of movies have made the franchise a more inclusive place. But Victoria Alonso didn’t ignore the slow start that this might have taken for the MCU.
Indeed, the current slate of movies and television series show the studio’s continued focus on representation. Chloé Zhao’s Eternals will feature the most diverse starring cast of the MCU so far, with a variety of races and body types represented. The movie will also include the universe’s first gay superhero, as well as the first deaf superhero.
The next installment in the MCU is Black Widow which hits theaters July 9th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
