I Can't Wait Any Longer for a Female-Led Movie

It's been almost a year since I last called out a Marvel Studios producer, director, or executive for their lack of gender equity, and I've waited 11 long months for more women to be included in the Marvel movie universe. To be fair, Marvel has made some progress with the introduction of Gamora and three very strong female Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and while it seems that further inclusion of women in the Marvel universe is always on the horizon, female-led films often get shoved aside for another Thor sequel. Thanks, but no thanks. Fans of female superheroes like myself have been yanked around this year — at Comic-Con, Joss Whedon was adamant he personally loves female superheroes, and there were rumblings we'd get a prominent Wasp character in Ant-Man, then rumors of her death mid-movie happened — and well, after a year of waiting, we need a change.

I would like to direct my lady-Marvel-loving attentions to Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, because it's time we made some more progress. Yes, I'm happy that the next Avengers will include Scarlet Witch and another mystery female superhero, but that's not quite enough. It's time for a stand-alone film for a female Marvel hero. I won't even suggest a hero, any will do, but it's time to pick one and run with her. Like Drax the Destroyer, I'll no longer accept metaphors, vague promises, or cop-out excuses.

So Feige, when you say that the delay on a woman-powered Marvel film is due to "managing more franchises than most people have," I refuse to take that as a condolence. And if you have to put one of those franchises “on hold for three or four years in order to introduce a new one," I'll take that as a sign that it's time for Iron Man or Thor to take a back seat. I'm no longer sitting by for mansplaining and procrastinating, and neither are my female-hero-loving friends.

Women are 52 percent of moviegoing audiences, and we no longer want pandering romantic comedies. We want superhero action movies, preferably with female protagonists. Imagine how many of us would storm theaters if you made an action-packed movie about a woman superhero. The results could be better than the early Guardians of the Galaxy box office sales.

The next time representatives announce Marvel news, I'll be expecting to see "Black Widow" or "Squirrel Girl" or "Captain Marvel" next to "Standalone Film." The studio has let down the majority of their audience for over a year now, and it's time to make things right.

Images: Marvel; Getty Images