Last week meant huge progress for those in the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) community with the landmark decision that granted federal rights to same-sex couples to get married.
The U.S. has seen shifts in attitudes towards those who identify as LGBTQ, and those attitudes have become even more present in entertainment, particularly pop culture.
Even comic books now have openly gay characters (some who've already wed), although we haven't yet seen many LGBTQ characters in those comics' cinematic universes.
Collider recently chatted with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige about when we might see a LGBTQ character in a Marvel film or TV series, and unfortunately, the answer was not exactly that clear: "within the decade, or sooner."
But why should it take so long to put something in a film or TV series that's relevant to the here and now. Feige attempted to explain that Marvel's cinematic universe takes its cue from the comic books and that means that the movies and TV shows are about 10 years behind, as far as stories go.
"The comics always make the path that we get to have the fun of saying, 'Yeah let's choose this way or let's choose this way' and I think there are a lot of cool things happening in the comics now that-it's usually a five to ten-year cycle between when something happens in the comics and when we can do it in the movie, sometimes a little less, but Civil War is certainly about the 10-year mark," says Feige.
Marvel introduced its first gay character, Northstar, in 1979, although the character didn't come out as gay until 1992. In doing the math, that's over 10 years ago, so Feige's explanation seems a little weak. Of course, Northstar hasn't been developed as a character for the cinematic universe, and Marvel doesn't yet have plans to make him part of it.
However, it's likely Feige is buying time until the premiere of Netflix's Jessica Jones series. Photos from filming show Carrie Anne Moss' character from that show kissing another woman.
Nuove foto dal set di #AKAJessicaJones con @_Rachael_Taylor e @CarrieAnneMoss! #marvel #netflix #jessicajones pic.twitter.com/GCMLoH0tLk
— MoviesBook (@MoviesBookIT) March 25, 2015
Obviously, Feige is aware of what's going on with the production of Jessica Jones, so it's possible he's just being coy with interviewers and we'll see confirmation of a LGBTQ relationship on that series before it airs in 2016.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
