Marvel Studios Phase 4 announces brand new diverse cast and people are ecstatic

San Diego’s Comic-Con has been a treasure trove of trailers, news, and Mall things Marvel – particularly Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And one thing has become abundantly clear: it’s very, very inclusive.

The racial and gender diversity has been a point of celebration to fans online.

Major roles are going to women, people of colour and those from the LGBT+ community, reflecting the demand for better representation.

Angelina Jolie will be directing The Eternals, which will feature Pakistani-born Kumail Nanjiana as well Salma Hayek, Brian Tyree Henry and deaf actress Lauren Ridloff.

Black Widow is set to explode onto the screens with Scarlett Johansson reprising a role people actually enjoy watching her play, there’s the all-Asian case of Shang-Chi which includes Simu Liu, Tony Leung and Awkwafina.

The Blade reboot will star Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali and Tess Thompson’s Valkyrie will be the first queer Marvel superhero.

The fans spoke and Marvel answered and then some.

People couldn’t be happier

South Korean actor Ma Dong-Seok, who received global acclaim with the horror Train to Busan, is joining The Eternals

A queer Valkyrie!

Lauren Ridloff will be Marvel's first deaf hero

In 2018 Simu Liu queried Marvel about the possibility of a Shang-Chi movie. Marvel listened.

Fans are celebrating Asian representation - with actors in lead roles, a rarity in Hollywood thus far

Crazy Rich Asians broke the mould and things seem to be going from strength to strength on representation.

"It looks like the real America"

Others are questioning how long Phase 4 will last – will Marvel permanently commit to inclusive character representations or is this a fad?

There is lots of optimism out there, and people are hoping this is the new status quo

Wakanda forever

And here is remembering what the late Stan Lee, creator of Marvel comics, said about the importance of diversity.

In 2016 he told Huffington Post:

A good many of our people here in America are not white. You’ve got to recognise that and you’ve got to include them in whatever you do.

If my books and my stories can change that, can make people realise that everybody should be equal, and treated that way, then I think it would be a better world.

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