James Gunn Says There Could Already Be Gay Characters In The MCU

When it comes to Hollywood, more and more people are fighting to see themselves put on the big screen. Diversity is the name of the game for many upcoming projects as studios look to bring the real world into its fictional projects. Over the years, fans have petitioned big companies such as Marvel Studios to insert more meaningful diversity into its features, and the studio is starting to respond to such requests. Actors from different ethnicities, races, and sexualities are beginning to carve a spot for themselves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And, as more films debut, heroes will begin to do the same.

So, really, it is only a matter of time until the MCU introduces its first openly gay character. In fact, the franchise might have already laid the foundation for such a hero to exist. For James Gunn, the director says he imagines there are already gay characters in the MCU.

Recently, Gunn did an interview with The Guardian to support his new Marvel films, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It was there the director clarified his past statements about LGBTQ inclusivity in the MCU at present.

“You know, somebody asked me will there by any gay characters in Marvel movies, and what I meant was there’s a lot of characters in the MCU and very few of them have we delved into what their sexualities are – whether it’s gay or straight or bisexual,” Gunn said.

“We don’t really know. So, I imagine there are probably gay characters in the Marvel Universe, you know. We just don’t know who they are yet.”

Previously, the director spoke with Digital Spy about whether the MCU was ready to bring in an LGBTQ hero, and Gunn reiterated a similar stance.

“There are a lot of gay people in the world. There are a lot of bisexual people in the world. There are a lot of characters in the MCU. We’ve barely gotten to know the sexuality of any of those characters…
We know Gamora and Quill are interested in each other. That’s about the only sexual relationship that exists within the Guardians. We know Drax has a past with a wife so he’s got some sort of interest in women. But we don’t really know who’s gay and who’s not. It could be any of them.”

For now, fans will have to wait and see whether the MCU is on-board with bringing an openly gay character to its extensive canon. This year, Power Rangers took a step in that direction by making the Yellow Ranger lesbian or bisexual. As time moves forward, Marvel Studios will find a way to honestly broach the topic, and fans are hoping that time comes sooner rather than later.

MORE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2: Guardians of the Galaxy Star Shares New Behind The Scenes Photo / Marvel Unveils Guardians Groot Mr. Potato Head / Chris Pratt’s Son Likes Spider-Man More Than Star-Lord / Get To Know Ego In New Movie Clips

Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is written and directed by James Gunn (Slither). The film marks the return of the original Guardians, including Chris Pratt (Jurassic World) as Peter Quill/Star-Lord; Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness) as Gamora; Dave Bautista (Spectre) as Drax; Vin Diesel (Furious 7) as the voice of Groot; Bradley Cooper (American Sniper) as the voice of Rocket; Michael Rooker (Jumper) as Yondu; Karen Gillan (The Big Short) as Nebula; and Sean Gunn (Gilmore Girls) as Kraglin. New cast members include Pom Klementieff (Oldboy), Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, Everest), Chris Sullivan (The Knick, The Drop) and Kurt Russell (The Hateful Eight, The Thing).

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 opens in the domestic market this Friday. Are you excited to finally pop another edition of the Awesome Mix into your own Walkmen? Let us know with your rank in the Movie Database below!