After some corporate restructuring seven or so years ago, Marvel Studios put an increased emphasis on making films and television shows more representative of the world as it is today. It's first film to feature a Black character in a lead role quickly became one of the franchise's top-grossing movies and others like Captain Marvel, the first female-led solo entry, and Eternals, the first Marvel film with an openly gay superhero, being box office behemoths in their own right. Now, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will introduce more LGBTQIA+ representation with the live-action debut of Xochitl Gomez's America Chavez.
"America represents so many people and I feel like with her on the screen, so many people are going to feel represented and that's important," Gomez tells ComicBook.com during a press tour junket. "The MCU now has America in this movie and she's an important part of story and people, one way or another, are going to see themselves on screen with her."
Gomez's co-star Benedict Wong adds that he's proud of the representation Marvel Studios puts forth on the silver screen. "That's what Marvel does, isn't it? They do often represent, offering a platform and opportunity. We've seen that with Shang-Chi and will see it with Ms. Marvel."
In a video in support of the release of Loki last year, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige said representation is an important aspect of the studio's creative output.
"Representation is important across the board, and the comics have charted, you know, charts the path in almost all ways for what we do in the MCU, and in the comics, there are many LGBTQ characters and we want to showcase that on the screen as well," Feige explained. "We want to bring those characters to life on the screen. We also, as Stan Lee used to say, 'Marvel represents the world outside your window.' And outside of your window, there are all different types of people in all different types of places with all different types of preferences and we want that reflected in the MCU, and in our fictional world as it is in our real world. So it is of utmost importance that when people go in and see one of our films or log into Disney+ and watch one of our series, it represents the true world outside their window when it comes to the types of people portraying the heroes and the characters."
Disney's official synopsis for the film can be found below.
"To restore a world where everything is changing, Strange seeks help from his ally Wong, the Sorcerer Supreme, and the Avengers' most powerful Scarlet Witch, Wanda. But a terrible threat looms over humanity and the entire universe that no longer can be done by their power alone. Even more surprising, the greatest threat in the universe looks exactly like Doctor Strange."
Inspired by the comics, the string of films that form the Marvel Cinematic Universe have become one of the biggest creative juggernauts around the world - dominating the box office and shaping the narrative of superhero fantasies.
While the characters presented are generally driven by their comic book source material, Marvel Studios has been making an effort to try and expand its vision to make its films more representative of the world as it is today.
The latest instalment to hit the big screen is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. One of the points of interest in this film is that it features the character of America Chavez - played by Xochiti Gomez.
"America represents so many people and I feel like with her on the screen, so many people are going to feel represented and that's important..." said Gomez, speaking during media interviews. "The MCU now has America in this movie and she's an important part of story and people, one way or another, are going to see themselves on screen with her."
America Chavez isn't the first queer character to feature in the MCU, but predictably there have been calls for censorship and banning of the film. For example, censors in Saudi Arabia have requested that Marvel remove 12 seconds of the film in which Gomez talks about her same-sex parents.
There's also been a lot of heat on social media - much if it directed personally at Xochiti Gomez, who is 16 years old.
Benedict Wong - who plays the character Wong in the film - has expressed his disappointment at the negative reaction.
“It’s not OK...” said Wong. “We have to all collectively understand that Xochiti auditioned aged 13 and she joined us aged 14, one of the youngest actors to join the MCU of a film of that magnitude. You know, she’s just a young girl playing her role. So there’s a real level of shame for all those trolls that are cowards not to actually put their face on, and they should feel a deep shame of what they’re doing. Let’s all just play nice. Let’s all just enjoy what we are representing. All we are doing is radiating representation, voicing the voiceless."
