Ant-Man star Jonathan Majors calls on Marvel fans to ‘evolve’ on LGBTQ characters

One of the stars of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Jonathan Majors, has called on Marvel fans to “evolve” when it comes to LGBTQ characters.

Since the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debuted in 2008 fans have been clamouring for more LGBTQ representation in a genre typically dominated by straight white men.

In the last few years, Marvel has begun to reflect more representation with the likes of queer characters Phastos in Eternals and America Chavez in Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Sadly, however, such representation has always been met with a homophobic backlash.

Speaking exclusively to Attitude on Thursday (16 February), actor Jonathan Majors, who plays Marvel’s next big baddie Kang the Conqueror, said “We got to evolve.”

He then said: “We got to move, we got to grow. We will be tolerating no hate, we lovingly dip the hate. That’s no good. That’s no fun for anybody. Open your minds.”

On whether the world and the MCU are ready for a lead gay superhero (or supervillain) Majors answered: “Why not? Absolutely.”

Quantumania director, Peyton Reed, echoed Majors adding that the homophobes needed to “get over it.”

He continued: “This is the real world that we live in. This is not something new, that sort of thing is crazy to me.

“Anybody who has an issue with anything based on anyone’s gender or sexuality or race or anything, I don’t really have any tolerance for that.”

Reed also questioned “What’s taking so long?” when it comes to a queer superhero-led film.

Kathryn Newton, who makes her Marvel debut as Cassie Lang, the daughter of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) also agreed with her colleagues.

In the Marvel comics, Cassie Lang joins the Young Avengers, which has had several LGBTQ members including Wiccan, the son of Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch.

Newton told Attitude she’d want the LGBTQ characters introduced in any potential Young Avengers project.

“They’re in the comics, right? So, shouldn’t the comics come to life? That’s my hope.”

Wiccan has already been in the MCU in the Disney+ series WandaVision and in Multiverse of Madness.

He’s also rumoured to appear in the upcoming series Agatha: Coven of Chaos played by Heartstopper star, Joe Locke.

Marvel’s record when it comes to LGBTQ representation has been patchy at best. On several occasions, fans have been teased with a major development only to find that the reality is quite different.

Avengers: Endgame was the start, with the MCU’s first openly gay character being a quick cameo by director Joe Russo.

Afterward, Marvel head honcho, Kevin Feige, promised “more prominent“ LGBTQ characters in the MCU. Feige later said Phastos, the MCU’s first gay superhero, was “just the start” of the franchise’s slate of LGBTQ heroes.

However, characters such as Phastos, America Chavez, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Aneka, and Ayo, Valkyrie, and Loki have had their queerness sidelined since.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is out now.