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Credit: Inside the MagicIs this really the Avengers’ first big LGBTQ+ relationship?
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For years, Kevin Feige has held the position of President at Marvel Studios, leading the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) while operating under The Walt Disney Company. The MCU’s impact on the superhero movie genre and the entire film industry has been profound, leaving a lasting impression despite differing opinions. The expansive narrative, known as the Infinity Saga, reached a climactic conclusion with the epic releases of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), marking the end of Phase Three. Despite the departure of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), the franchise’s extraordinary growth and unparalleled success have firmly established it as a major, if not dominant, force in the movie industry.
The controversial Captain Marvel, and its sequel
The first Captain Marvel film follows the story of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), a former US Air Force pilot who becomes the powerful hero known as Captain Marvel, based off of the Marvel Comics. Set in the 1990s, Carol grapples with amnesia and is caught in the middle of a war between the shape-shifting Skrulls, led by Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), and the tyrannical Kree, led by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law). As she uncovers her forgotten past, with the help of a young Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and her best friend Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), Carol learns about her connection to the Tesseract, a powerful energy source. Embracing her true identity, aids the Skrulls, stops the manipulative Kree, and embarks on a journey to protect the universe, solidifying her role as a key (and super-powerful) Avenger in the MCU.
Needless to say, the introduction of this prominent female-led solo superhero film and its generally female-driven cast led to some serious amounts of hate — calling the film and its creators/stars “too woke” and pushing the “M-She-U” — an awkward play on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “MCU” acronym.
Related: Marvel Will Reportedly Add LGBTQ+ Relationship to ‘WandaVision’ Sequel
The Marvels will act as an MCU sequel to the initial film, basically “Captain Marvel 2” — but now taking place in the present day rather than the 1990s. The new movie, co-written by director Nia DaCosta, is slated to release in theaters on November 10, 2023. It centers once again around Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), known as Captain Marvel, who joins forces with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), the daughter of Carol’s late best friend Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), also known as Ms. Marvel. Together, they unite to stop Dar-Benn, portrayed by Zawe Ashton. The cast also includes Park Seo-joon as an ally of Danvers, Zenobia Shroff as Muneeba Khan (Ms. Marvel’s mother), Mohan Kapur as Yusuf Khan (Ms. Marvel’s father), Saagar Shaikh as Aamir Khan (Ms. Marvel’s older brother), Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Nick Fury, and Randall Park reprising his role as Jimmy Woo. Additionally, the film features Daniel Ings as Ty-Rone, Colin Stoneley as Papp-Tonn (a Kree scientist), and Gary Lewis, Shamier Anderson, Abraham Popoola, Ffion Jolly, Caroline Simonnet, and Jessica Zhou in undisclosed roles.
This time, there might just be one other undisclosed cast member, though — the superhero Valkyrie from the Thor franchise, played by Tessa Thompson.
Related: New “Captain Marvel” Actress Revealed In ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
New LGBTQ+ representation in The Marvels
In recent years, Marvel Studios has taken significant steps to enhance LGBTQ+ representation in its films and television shows. The inclusion of diverse and inclusive storytelling has become a led to the gradual introduction of more LGBT+ characters and plotlines in the Marvel universe.
One notable example of LGBTQ+ inclusion was seen in the character Korg, an alien in the Thor franchise, who was revealed to be “gay” — as his species reproduces through a lava pit ritual involving two Kronan men holding hands. Additionally, in the Disney+ series Loki (2021), the titular character portrayed by Tom Hiddleston has been depicted as gender-fluid, staying true to the character’s representation in the original Norse mythology. Eternals (2021) also saw Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos in a loving gay marriage — although he isn’t strictly a major Avenger.
But now, after actress Tessa Thompson and Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) director Taika Waititi confirmed that the character Valkyrie was bisexual — it seems that she might finally be finding love with another prominent female superhero.
According to known Marvel insider source CanWeGetSomeToast, Marvel Studios might be planning something big — that something being the MCU’s first LGBTQ+ relationship in the mainline Marvel films, involving their main pool of Avengers. Seeing as Thompson herself has commented on the likelihood of the good ship “Valcarol” (the fan-crafted portmanteau) sailing off into the Marvel sunset, it’s a real possibility that we’ll spot Valkyrie, the King of New Asgard make a cameo in The Marvels.
For now, it seems like upcoming The Marvels and the Captain Marvel franchise will continue to be a source of controversy for Marvel movies, if these reports are true. It would also mean that Marvel Studios could finally be putting their money where their mouth is, and explicitly showing these characters as LGBTQ+ in queer relationships, instead of just simply stating that they “are gay”. Overall, these efforts by Marvel Studios could reflect their shifting commitment to fostering greater diversity and representation within their cinematic universe — especially considering rumors already abound for yet another upcoming gay relationship slated for the MCU. Looks like fans will have to wait until they’re seated in a theater to see if this relationship really pans out, however.
What do you think about a possible romance between Valkyrie and Carol Danvers AKA Captain Marvel? Share your thoughts in the comments below!