Update: Kevin Feige says the MCU will soon have more female heroes than male heroes.
Avengers: Infinity War doesn’t just unite most of the MCU to date, it also makes a strong case for why Marvel Studios should move forward on an all-female team-up film. Marvel has never lacked female characters and books in the world of comics, but they haven’t yet made as many inroads in their cinematic universe. A handful of female heroes exist, but it won’t be until this summer’s Ant-Man & the Wasp that one of those characters gets her name in the title. And it will be next year’s Captain Marvel that finally gives Marvel their first female-led film.
Luckily, the future of Marvel films is very female according to Tessa Thompson. Thor: Ragnarok not only introduced Thompson’s Valkyrie to the MCU, but gave Marvel their first lead female villain in Hela. With Phase 3 coming to a close, Marvel has a number of opportunities to expand its roster and a Black Widow film is already on the docket. But even more exciting than that is the promise of a team-up film comprised of Marvel’s growing group of female heroes. And if anyone wonders what that movie may look like, Avengers: Infinity War provides a hint.
Last October, we first heard about how Marvel’s female actors pitched a film to Kevin Feige that would unite all their characters. The idea quickly gained steam online with word that multiple actors and creatives were on board to explore the idea. And with Wonder Woman and Black Panther both proving how effective diverse stories and perspectives can be at the box office, it’s hard to believe Marvel isn’t developing something along the lines of A-Force at the moment. But whether or not that’s on the horizon, Avengers: Infinity War offers a mini team-up of sorts during the battle in Wakanda.
A number of smaller fights take place throughout the assault on Wakanda, but audiences who saw Avengers: Infinity War this weekend will be well aware of the noticeable increase in excitement when Black Widow and Okoye combine forces in a trench against Proxima Midnight to protect Scarlet Witch. Though both Okoye and Widow lack superpowers, they’ve become fan-favorites due to their wry wit and combat skills. And while the Black Order’s female warrior puts up a good fight, she’s no match for when Scarlet Witch finally joins in the fight.
The scene is, of course, just a taste. After all, Gamora, Mantis, and Nebula have never interacted with those characters and Shuri also sits out the battle. And then there’s the Wasp, Valkyrie, Nakia, and Captain Marvel, none of whom appear in the film. Even without a Marvel movie and TV crossover, the films have plenty of heroes they could bring together after the threat of Thanos is finished.
We don’t know what Phase 4 of the MCU will look like, but it will likely be a different beast. The first arc of the films will come to a close in Avengers 4 next year, and from there we’ve heard both more grounded and more cosmic movies are on the way. We have our predictions for Marvel Phase 4, and they definitely include a female team-up film. And though it could still be a few years off, we have a feeling future films will include more mini team-ups just like in Avengers: Infinity War.
MORE: Avengers: Infinity War End Credits Scene Explained
- spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02 Avengers: Infinity War Release Date: 2018-04-27 Ant-Man 2 Release Date: 2018-07-06 captain marvel Release Date: 2019-03-08 The Avengers 4 Release Date: 2019-04-26