Marvel LGBT+ superhero is on its way, says studio president Kevin Feige
Kevin Feige has promised fans that an openly queer superhero is on its way. (ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty)
The idea of a Marvel film with a LGBT+ superhero is “percolating,” according to the studio’s president Kevin Feige.
Marvel has never explicitly shown a queer superhero in one of its films, but Feige told Entertainment Tonight that such a character was in the works.
The interviewer suggested Marvel make films involving Muslim superhero Kamala Khan, teenage Avenger Nova, a LGBT+ superhero, “or” Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi.
Feige responded: “Or? Or ‘and’? Can’t we have all of them?”
“Let’s put it this way: They’re all percolating.”
— Marvel president Kevin Feige about ideas including a LGBT+ superhero
He added: “I think all of those are percolating and… Let’s put it this way: They’re all percolating.
“I do want to keep the focus on this one and on the immediate future, but everything you just named [is] percolating, some closer than others.”
Reports emerged earlier this month that Marvel is recruiting an openly gay man to play the lead role in an upcoming film called The Eternals, but the studio has not confirmed the news.
Comments from Kevin Feige may signal shift from years of Marvel films refusing to show LGBT+ superheroes
Feige’s revelation comes after Marvel exec Victoria Alonso said earlier this month that “the world is ready” for a gay superhero.
She added: “Our entire success is based on people that are incredibly different. Why wouldn’t we? Why would we only want to be recognised by one type of person?
“Our audience is global, it’s diverse, it’s inclusive. If we don’t do it that way for them, we will fail.”
Fans have rushed to hold up Captain Marvel as a queer film about a same-sex love story, but Marvel has been careful not to explicitly reveal that any of its film characters are LGBT+.
This has even meant erasing scenes which reveal a queer character’s sexuality, as happened with bisexual warrior Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok.
Valkyrie was bisexual in Marvel film Thor: Ragnarok, but not explicitly. (Marvel)
Following the release of the film, Tessa Thompson revealed that her dashing, flawed renegade of a character was bisexual, faithful to her portrayal in the comic books.
She said: “She’s bi. And yes, she cares very little about what men think of her. What a joy to play!”
However, the film itself did not explicitly confirm her interest in women on-screen, even deleting a scene which featured a woman walking out of Valkyrie’s bedroom.
The lesbian couple in Black Panther comic books was simply rewritten as straight, their queerness erased from the Oscar-winning film.
The Black Panther comics have depicted a same-sex relationship between warriors Ayo and Aneka—but a scene hinting at the romance was allegedly dumped from Ryan Coogler’s 2018 film adaptation.
