Marvel Studios is reportedly seeking “a [male] actor, 30-49, who ‘physically looks like a superhero'” to play an openly gay lead role in its 2020 film The Eternals. The studio is open to actors of all ethnicities, but the character would be the first openly gay lead in any Marvel film.
The studio is keeping the identity of the openly gay character a closely guarded secret.
The Eternals originally appeared in Marvel comic books in 1976 as a race of god-like superheroes created on Earth by celestial beings over five million years ago.
The Eternals are immortal and unaffected by fatigue, poison, disease or extreme heat or cold. Though their individual powers vary, the Eternals can teleport, read minds, fly, emit energy blasts and force fields, create holograms and change physical objects with their minds.
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Filming for The Eternals begins at the end of this year and will extend into 2020.
Related: Making strides: Latest Marvel film is first in franchise to cast out trans actors
Even though Marvel has over 98 openly gay characters in its roster, Marvel Studios’ films have done a miserable job of presenting any explicitly queer characters whatsoever.
Its 2018 film Black Panther left out a lesbian relationship between Ayo and Aneka, “two of the Black Panther’s elite royal bodyguards who happen to fall in love with one another.”
In 2017, James Gunn, writer and director of Guardians of the Galaxy, said that the film’s second installment would feature a gay character, but fans were left scratching their heads when none of the characters did anything even remotely queer.
Marvel released two films led by the pansexual anti-hero Deadpool, but neither featured any same-sex action. Deadpool 2 introduced a polyamorous bisexual male hero named Shatterstar, but any hopes of male-on-male romance were dashed when Shatterstar died moments after being introduced.
So, while our fingers are crossed that Marvel will actually come through this time, we’re not holding our breath.
DCguy
Why does the headline say “Queer” when the character description says quite clearly the character is gay?
@HarryB
Really “Finally” – right word in headline
ShoDude
Because, as they stated in the article, there hasn’t been much of the queer community in any of the movies.
ricdardc1
Is Tom Cruise available?
decampbell
Where are we going to find enough out actors 30-49 to play these roles?
1) Luke Evans
2)
That’s all I got.
bbock
How about Vincent Rodriguez III from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? It would also add an Asian (Filipino) superhero to the roster. He’s very buff these days and has been doing superhero fitness training.
CanadianGuy62
When Marvel ceases to have a chairman that supports trump, I’ll consider spending a single dime on their product; until then, it’s #GrabYourWallet time for me.
CobraPowers
Normal people don’t care about identity politics and about the feminist/LGBT far left agenda, they just want to be entertained and enjoy a fun movie. That’s why Captain Marvel will be a GIANT flop this coming week.
charlieeod74
Cobra- You are obviously not normal either. Why else would you be on Queerty. It’s okay honey come on out and get on your knees.
DCguy
Translation: The Trump troll account came on to an LGBT blog so it could cry about a woman being cast in a Marvel movie.
CobraPowers
@charlieeod74 and @DCGuy:
Sorry to break it to your intolerant, hateful, full of BS mind, but LGBT people are not obligated to be far left SJW feminists, in fact, only 3% of the general population identify themselves as “feminists”. Most people don’t care about identity politics, trying to put people in boxes by gender or race is a losing game, that’s why HRC lost, people care more about what unites them instead of what separates them.
ShoDude
Cobra- you are completely right in that people should only care a pit what unites them instead of divides then and what best to unite people than to see someone who you can relate to as a hero? Thank you for helping make the point of needing more diversity in the cinematic world. (applauds)
Pete le meat
Hollywood is homophobic by nature.