Kevin Feige Just Confirmed Marvel's 'Eternals' Movie Will Include an Openly Gay Character

"Hes married, hes got a family, and that is just part of who he is," he said, adding that it would be one of the movie's core line-up, not a side character. Fans had been mainly speculating that it will be Ikaris, played by Richard Madden, but that was before the announcement that Madden's Game of Thrones co-star Kit Harington would be joining the cast as the Black Knight. Other male leading roles include Kingo, played by Kumail Nanjiani, and Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry.

Marvel Studios faced some criticism regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion following the release of Avengers: Endgame, which the Russo brothers promised would include an openly gay character. That ended up being an unnamed guy in a brief group therapy scene, played by Joe Russo and credited only as Grieving Man.

Phase Four of the MCU will also include an openly bisexual character on-screen, in the form of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson). After stealing the show in Thor: Ragnarok , Valkyrie returned in Avengers: Endgame and was eventually named by Thor as the reigning king of New Asgard. During her recent appearance at San Diego Comic Con to promote Thor: Love & Thunder , Tessa Thompson told fans that her first quest as king will be to find a queen, confirming that Valkyrie's bisexuality, which is canon in the comics, will be made explicit in the next movie.