#LGBTQ: “Captain America: Civil War” Directors Open To Gay Characters in Marvel’s Universe

Blockbuster films have portrayed hundreds of characters and dozens of superheroes but is lacking in the LGBTQ universe. Gay characters have been introduced on Marvel TV shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Jessica Jones but the directors of latest Marvel film Captain America: Civil War have given a thumbs-up to the idea a diversity in an interview with Collider. Sibling directors, Joe and Anthony Russo are hopeful that the Marvel universe will likely break the barrier – at some point, anyway… Joe Russo said:

“I think the chances are strong. I mean, it’s incumbent upon us as storytellers who are making mass-appeal movies to make mass-appeal movies, and to diversify as much as possible. It’s sad in the way that Hollywood lags behind other industries so significantly, one because you think that it would be a progressive industry, and two it’s such a visible industry.

So, I think it’s important that on all fronts we keep pushing for diversification because then the storytelling becomes more interesting, more rich, and more truthful.“

R-rated superhero flick Deadpool is not a Marvel film, but it featured a pansexual superhero who flirted with men and still made $760 million globally – though it WAS denied a wide release in China. But aiming for global appeal across Russia and China it is not a valid reason for an absence of gay characters.

Anthony Russo added:

“I think this is a philosophy of Marvel, in success it becomes easier to take risks. There’s a lot of unconventional ideas in Civil War in terms of what people’s expectations of a superhero movie are, but I think we were able to do that because Winter Soldier worked and Marvel’s been working in general, so there’s more of a boldness in terms of what you can try and where you can go.

So, I think that’s very hopeful for all of us moving forward that bolder and bolder choices can be made.”

If fan art is any indication of interest, as you can see here, there’s a built-in audience for some same-sex super hero action of a sexier kind.