Chosen Topic: People of Color in American Television/Film
As a fan of Marvel films, I’m always excited to see my favorite superheroes save the day and memorize me with its special effects and world-building. Producer Kevin Feige has been building these films starting with Iron Man and most recently Avengers: End Game. As we enter phase 4 of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) we have yet to have many leading POC actors in these films. phases 1-2 have supporting characters who were people of color. Phase three however successfully had the Box-office boom with the 2018 film Black Panther. Film as often struggled with its depiction of people of color. While the MCU has made strides I hope for phase 4 in which actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans pass the baton to Anthony Mackie and Chadwick Boseman so they too can pass it later to other actors of color approaching phase 4 and at some point phase 5. In addition to more creatives behind the camera. while Ryan (Black Panther) Coogler and Taika Waitit (Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers End Game) have been great additions to the creative process I hope these future films give more opportunity to more minority film creatives.
the MCU and to film in a larger scale has typically centered around white men written and produced by white men. Tim Mulkerin, of Mic, writes “those who write and direct these films wield a great deal of power in shaping the narratives”. I believe that people of color need agency to tell their own stories and narratives. Even in this fantasy world where there are web-slinging teenage boys and a man dressed in a catsuit from a hidden Afro-futuristic country.
Cited
Mulkerin, T. Bustle Digital Group(2019, August 14). 10 years in, the Marvel Cinematic Universe still lacks diversity – and these 4 graphs prove it. Retrieved from https://www.mic.com/articles/188957/10-years-in-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-still-lacks-diversity-and-these-4-graphs-prove-it
