Tessa Thompson Talks About the Diversity Being Brought to the Fourth Phase of the MCU
The first three phases of the MCU were executed pretty precisely, with an interwoven story that was told by hundreds of characters on the front lines and in the background, in a culmination that defeated the Avengers’ biggest enemy yet in an epic showdown. There were characters lost along the way, and some characters’ stories came to a close in other ways. But the story got a pretty satisfying bow tied around it for a time.
Next up, we have a slate of new characters, as well as some familiar faces that will usher in a new saga of stories and adventures. One of those returning characters is Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson. The warrior was first introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, and she returned to fight in Avengers: Endgame, where Thor gave her the power to rule over Asgard. So we will see her again in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, where she will rule, Chris Hemsworth will be back as Thor, Christian Bale will play the villain, and Natalie Portman is returning as Jane Foster/Thor. And that’s an incredibly exciting movie that I’m looking forward to, but there are many others in the pipeline, and Thompson says they are more diverse than any films before them in the MCU.
In a recent interview with Variety (via ComingSoon), Thompson said:
“I think in this next phase of Marvel, we’re really talking about what representation looks like in those spaces. Because the truth is these movies travel globally in such huge ways, and if you can represent people that are of color, if you can represent people with disabilities, if you can represent the LGBTQIA community inside of these films, it’s a pretty big deal.”
“There’s millions and millions of people, particularly young people, that show up to the cinema. And I think if you can show them something that looks like them, they feel valued. Particularly inside of these narratives of the comic books, that’s what it’s all about. It’s that our differences make us special.”
Valkyrie herself is a gay character, as was revealed last year at Comic Con, when Thompson was asked what her first order of business would be as ruler of Asgard, and she responded that it would be to find herself a queen. The upcoming film Eternals will also have a gay character. Thompson added:
“I’m really excited that we’re able to continue to push the bounds of that and that I’m able to do that with Valkyrie, because there’s so many cool queer characters in the comic books and they should have a place on-screen.”
Absolutely! I am excited for the new stories and characters coming to the MCU in the next phases, and I can’t wait to get back to the theatre to see them. Which movie are you most looking forward to in Phase 4 of the MCU?