When Captain Marvel was released in 2019, I was very excited. As a kid, I loved comics and I gravitated toward superheroes who were female or were people of color. Among that list was Captain Marvel. When it was announced that she would be getting her own movie, I was ecstatic. Brie Larson was casted to play the lead role, Carol Danvers, and it was expected that she would be the new face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Captain Marvel is back for her sequel titled “The Marvels.” When the trailer for the first movie came out, people were genuinely disappointed. I remember many fans saying that she doesn’t smile, saying Larson is too serious. While there were a million other things to pick through, no one saw the potential of Captain Marvel being a good movie. Many looked past the significance of a woman being the heart of this ever expanding universe – and are doing it once again with this sequel.
Just from the trailer, fans were acting as if they had seen the entire movie. In my view, until the movie is released, there should not be any criticism. A trailer of a movie only makes up two to three minutes of the entire film. For people to be angry over only two minutes speaks largely to the maturity of the audience.
When it comes to female superheroes, there is always a loud opinion that comes from the male fan base. When “Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice” came out in 2016, Gal Godot became the modern actress to star as Wonder Woman. Upon getting her poster for the movie, many fans commented on her body, instead of her talent as an actress. They were critiquing her body type, from the presence of her muscles, to her bust, to the way she was dressed.
While none of those things matter in reference to the character, these things were blown out of proportion. Wonder Woman – and Captain Marvel – are not known for smiling, being motherly, or any other stereotypes perpetuated against women. In fact, they break most of those barriers, and challenge what it means to be a strong female protagonist in an action setting.
Women don’t have to dress sexy. Nor do they have to show skin or be damsels in distress. They don’t need a love interest. They can lead teams; in fact, they can make up the entirety of a team. Black Panther showed that women – especially women of color – can lead armies. Wonder Woman showed that women don’t have to fit into expected molds. And Captain Marvel showed that women can succeed in male dominated spaces. Even comics are adapting, creating female superhero suits that are less restrictive and scandalous. Female characters don’t need to have just sex appeal – they can have personality, and their suits can represent that.
Marvel is now releasing another female-focused movie, and the only people who seem to be upset about it are the traditional comic–loving fanboys. Although we have only received a teaser for the movie, it already looks like a fun adventure. Just because a film is made by women and has a predominantly female cast does not mean that it will be bad.
The movie is directed by Nia DaCosta, a very accomplished Black female director. Having diversity and representation in movies, especially featuring strong women, is important as mentioned earlier. When it comes to real-life situations, it is incredibly important to recognize the power of women of color – even though that’s often controversial.
The term “wokeness” is now entering conversations about movies, TV and other types of media. While that term is recognizable in a political atmosphere, it is now entering conversation when it comes to casting for roles, and recognizing race, gender and sexuality in the media. This independent, headstrong character is now on a team with a teenager that idolizes her – as many real teenagers do. The teaser shows that they ultimately need each other.
It is important to change the way women are represented in society, especially in cases where men and young boys can see women as equals. Seeing powerful, diverse women, who can work together and put aside their differences – like those in the Marvel universe – can continue to break down the molds of sexism and racism shared in our country. That is why representation is important.
According to video game and popular culture website Game Rant, this trailer is the most disliked Marvel trailer on YouTube, with over 430,000 dislikes. If Captain Marvel is truly the heart of the MCU, then fans should be excited instead of expecting failure because she’s a woman – let the film speak for itself.
