Following criticism by MCU star Anthony Mackie of Marvel movies for lack of diversity, and his desire to use his status as co-leader of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to push for more diverse representation on Marvel projects. Studios, Tessa Thompson, who Replaying her role as Valkyrie in Thor: Love and Thunder, believes that Phase 4 will more fully embrace those ideals. As part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Thompson and Ramy’s Ramy Youssef spoke on the subject and why it is so important to fandom at large. “I think in this next phase of Marvel, we’re really talking about what representation looks like in those spaces,” Thompson explained. “Because the truth is that these movies travel globally in such huge ways and if you can represent people of color, if you can represent people with disabilities, if you can represent the LGBTQIA community within these films, it is a great problem”. “
“There are millions upon millions of people, especially young people, showing up at the movies,” Thompson continued. “And I think if you can show them something that looks like them, they feel valued. Particularly within these comic book narrations, that’s what it’s about. It’s that our differences make us special.”
“I’m really excited that we can continue to push the boundaries of that and that I can do it with Valkyrie, because there are so many cool queer characters in the comics and they should have a place on-screen.”
Since the start of COVID-19, the MCU Phase 4 schedule has been modified several times. The latest version has Thor: Love and Thunder set to premiere on February 11, 2022. Ragnarok director Taika Waititi will return for the film and has promised to “double” the madness.
Thor: Love and Thunder will feature Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster as Thor and Christian Bale as an undisclosed villain.
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
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