One of the most memorable and kid-unfriendly episodes in the Season 2 premiere of Peacemaker involves Chris Smith/Peacemaker self-medicating with booze, drugs, and an orgy. In a wild sequence, after being rejected by Emilia Harcourt, Smith’s house is suddenly populated with countless naked people all engaging in various forms of sexual intercourse, which Smith proceeds to drift through aimlessly. While the scene drew criticism for its explicitness, especially on the heels of Superman, whose titular character doesn’t use swear words, the orgy scene in Peacemaker confirmed a major difference between the DCU and the MCU.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Over the span of 37 movies, there have really only been two sex scenes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but clearly, sex is going to be a part of the DCU. The first MCU example occurs in Iron Man when Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) hooks up with reporter Christine Everhart (Leslie Bibb), yet it’s worth noting that the scene occurred back before the formal creation of the MCU, and certainly before Marvel Studios was acquired by Disney. Since the only film to feature a sex scene was the underperforming, generally panned Eternals, between Sersei (Gemma Chan) and Ikaris (Richard Madden). And even then, the attempt by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao wasn’t positively received.
Is the MCU’s Lack of Sex A Problem For Audiences?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe certainly doesn’t lack romance; however, the obvious answer as to why it keeps sex largely out of the picture comes down to the fact that Marvel is owned by Disney. Not only does Disney famously promote a family-friendly image, but one can also see sex being taken off the table due to a desire for Marvel movies to appeal to the broadest audience possible, which includes the family audience. There’s also Disney and Marvel also want to move consumer products, most of which are marketed toward younger viewers. That all being said, most Marvel films are rated PG-13 for violence. Interestingly, our society has a higher tolerance for violence than sex, since in most Marvel films, we barely get more than a kiss from the hero and their love interest, and a gratuitous shirtless scene if the hero’s a ma,n so he can show off all the money Disney spent on getting him into superhero shape.
While we can understand the reasoning behind Disney and Marvel’s bid to appeal to the lowest common denominator with the MCU, is the lack of sex in Marvel films partly to blame for the apparent stagnation in the franchise currently? Thunderbolts* and its claim of counter-programming would’ve been a great opportunity for Marvel to include more sex and appeal to a mature audience with an R rating; however, it towed the PG-13 line and fell short of box office limitations. Fantastic Four: First Steps portrayed a committed monogamous couple, and even though Sue Storm was pregnant in the film, very little intimacy between her and her husband was shared. It too is floundering in theaters. No one here is suggesting a Peacemaker-style orgy in Marvel films, but perhaps they’re all starting to feel the same because there’s only so far creatives can go in crucial storytelling areas.
The DCU Embraces Sexuality and Storytelling
It’s also important to note that, as much shock value as the orgy in Season 2 of Peacemaker provided, it also served a narrative purpose. On Peacemaker: The Official Podcast, showrunner and director of the episode James Gunn shared that all the sex happening around Peacemaker, which he refuses to engage in, demonstrates how Smith’s character is trying to numb himself with his typical vices, but they aren’t working. The inability to find (literal) connection is what fuels him to re-enter the Quantum Unfolding Chamber and wander back into the parallel universe he stumbled upon months prior, and there kicks off the main action of the season.
Even Superman, which didn’t feature any nudity, felt sexier than most of its Marvel counterparts. Clark and Lois show the audience they’re dating with a steamy make-out session in Lois’s kitchen. Even their resulting argument over ethics and geopolitics never loses its sexual undercurrent, which only enhances and adds texture to their conflict. In openly showing their attraction to each other, Gunn further anchors Lois’s actions when she entreats the Justice Gang to save Clark from Lex Luthor’s pocket universe. Gunn also makes the topic more explicit and tangible in the film by having the second half of the message from Superman’s parents include them encouraging him to “take many wives” and repopulate the Kryptonian race. The film has currently grossed over a hundred million dollars more than Fantastic Four: First Steps, too.
Although Superman firmly operates within its PG-13 boundaries, it acknowledges sex in the fabric of existence rather than trying to skirt past it. And while we likely won’t get an orgy in any installments of the upcoming Superman saga, Gunn seems to be staying true to his word that the different projects in the DCU will all have their own distinct tone and feel. It doesn’t just feel more authentic that sexuality will be a part of the lives of the characters in the DCU as the storytellers see fit, but it also may just give the fledgling franchise the legs it needs to surpass its Disney-owned rival.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Paramount+
