Brie Larson, the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, says fans can expect themes of “intersectional feminism” when “Captain Marvel” lands in theaters March 8.
The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly boasts on its cover that Ms. Larson and Samuel L. Jackson are an “odd couple” who take on “sexism” in Marvel Studios’ latest installment. Writer Devan Coggan pushes her to unpack that idea for fans in a piece titled “Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson blast to the past with EW’s Captain Marvel issue.”
“This film is Carol Danvers’ story, but it’s also a story about female friendship, especially in Carol’s relationship with Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) and her daughter. What was it about that theme you wanted to explore?” the writer asked Thursday.
“I think because it’s 2019, and what 2019 is about, really, is intersectional feminism,” Ms. Larson responded. “There’s just no question that we would have to show what it means to be all different kinds of women, that we don’t just have one type. It became a great opportunity, even with things like the love story. [We wanted] to make that big love — that lost love, that love that’s found again — be with [Carol’s] best friend.”
“To me, that’s a part of what the meditation of this movie is: It’s female strength, but what is female strength?” she added. “What are the different ways that can look?”
The celebrity’s actions are likely to fuel the controversy surrounding the film and her outspoken activism.
In addition to comments about “the patriarchy” and when men, Ms. Larson recently told InStyle magazine that she sees the role as a vehicle for global activism.
“The movie was the biggest and best opportunity I could have ever asked for,” she said Feb. 5. “It was, like, my superpower. This could be my form of activism: doing a film that can play all over the world and be in more places than I can be physically.”
“I do not need a 40-year-old white dude to tell me what didn’t work for him about ’[A] Wrinkle in Time.’ It wasn’t made for him,” she also said in June at the Crystal + Lucy Awards.
Negative feedback on the movie review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes propelled the “Want to See” percentage below 30 percent before site administrators pulled the function.
Paul Yanover, president of Fandango, which owns the site, told CNET on Tuesday that decisions were not made at the behest of Disney.
“None of (the site is) owned by Disney,” Mr. Yanover maintained. “Some predestined arrangement between ourselves and Disney is completely untrue.”
Mr. Yanover worked in various capacities for Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Internet Group between 2002 and 2011.
He last served as executive vice-president & managing director, Disney Online, in 2011.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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