Credit: Marvel StudiosThis month, Marvel fans will finally meet Tatiana Maslany’s Jennifer Walters AKA She-Hulk, in the new series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law from creator Jessica Gao, producer Kevin Feige, and directing lead, Kat Coiro.
Hyped for a long time, the first look at Gao’s She-Hulk series debuted this year to mixed response, with some excited to welcome the longstanding Marvel Comics character into live-action and others questioning why the series even exists. And when August 18 (shifted from August 17) rolls around, the commentary is likely to continue and intensify over the Green Girl’s inaugural Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance.
Related: ‘She-Hulk’ Trailer Full of Lies, Gaslights Fans with “Fake” Daredevil
Orphan Black‘s Maslany will be joined by Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, and Benedict Wong, who reprise their roles as Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk, Emil Blonsky/Abomination, and Sorcerer Supreme Wong, respectively.
Also starring in the upcoming MCU series will be Ginger Gonzaga (Nikki), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Amelia), and Jameela Jamil, who will star as Titania, the super-strong — and “annoying” — adversary of She-Hulk. Josh Segarra and Jon Bass also star in undisclosed roles.
When the first trailer for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law debuted, it drew immediate criticism for its CGI and VFX. While Maslany’s super-powered lawyer did gain backlash, it comes at a time when Marvel Studios are becoming increasingly criticized for their overall CGI output. Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight raised eyebrows, as did both of the MCU’s latest feature films, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). The director of the latter, Taika Waiti, even drew a heated response himself when he jokingly commented on the VFX in his latest Thor effort.
As calls for VFX workers to unionize continue, it seems those involved with the next MCU Disney+ series, one which itself is drenched in CGI, have come to the support of disgruntled workers, possibly ruffling feathers of executives higher up at the Marvel studio.
Speaking to journalists at the Television Association Summer Press Tour, Maslany voiced her opinion on the behind-the-scenes conditions of VFX workers. Via Comic Book Movie:
“We have to be conscious of how the work conditions are not always optimal,” she started. “I feel incredibly deferential to how talented these artists are and how quickly they have to work. [It’s] much quicker than probably should be given to them, in terms of churning these things out.”
The actor would add that she’s “Pro-union,” words Marvel Studios would probably rather not hear.
Gao also voiced her support of those working on Marvel’s many complicated CGI-heavy projects, including her own. The television series creator said:
“I think everyone on this panel stands in solidarity with workers and is pro-workers. This is just a massive undertaking, to have a show of this scale, where the character is CG, it’s a very overwhelming and enormous thing to take on.”
“It’s terrible that a lot of artists feel rushed, and feel the workload is too massive.”
The Marvel call-outs are happening amid a time when employees are speaking out about working conditions under various different movie studios. Just recently, Warner Bros. shockingly axed Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, when both were near completion, and refused to release them either theatrically or via a streaming service such as HBO Max.
Those involved have spoken out about the news including Batgirl star, Leslie Grace — the In the Heights (2021) actress was set to appear alongside JK Simmons (Commissioner James Gordon), Michael Keaton (Bruce Wayne/Batman), and Brendan Fraser (Ted Carson/Firefly).
As more of those affiliated with a Marvel Studios project speak out, it may be time for the billion-dollar studio to reassess its turnaround time and the speed with which projects are put in front of audiences. But, looking ahead through Marvel Phase Four, Phase Five, and Phase Six, it seems there is no slowing down for the superhero franchise.
What do you think of Marvel’s CGI? Let us know in the comments down below!