The second female-led Marvel movie in less than two years. A black Captain America. An Asian superhero. A female Thor. There’s no doubt about it: The newly announced Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is shaping up to be the most diverse set of movies from Marvel Studios to date.
In addition to those listed above, there are a few less-obvious examples of representation headed our way during the next three years of Marvel movies. To start, The Eternals will feature the first deaf character in the MCU. The studio cast deaf actress Lauren Ridloff (The Walking Dead) to play the superhuman Makkari, and plans to make the character deaf, too. This was also gender-bent casting, as Makkari is portrayed as a white male in the comics.
In terms of LGTQ+ representation, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige told Collider that it is on the way (more than just a small cameo, we hope — looking at you, Endgame) in both The Eternals and Thor: Love and Thunder. During Marvel’s Hall H panel, Thor actress Tessa Thompson went viral for saying that Valkyrie’s first priority as the new king of Asgard would be to “find her queen.” Thompson previously stated on Twitter that her character is bisexual, but this more formal announcement (along with Feige’s affirmation) seems to confirm that this will become an overt part of her identity, not just something that’s hinted at. The movie is, after all, called Love and Thunder.
Which Phase Four movie — or Disney+ series — are you most excited to see?
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