Fine, but does it really matter? How many Marvel fans knew who Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, or Chris Hemsworth were before they were cast as Avengers? Let’s add DC into the mix and I could easily make the case that some of the best Batman roles were played by lesser known or controversial casting choices (Bale, Keaton), while the worst Batman movies featured bigger names in the leading role (Kilmer, Clooney). Ultimately all that matters is how good the actor is in the role, and Brie Larson is earning positive reviews from many critics and fans.
40% ain’t peanuts. What businesses can afford to neglect 40% of their patrons? And if we are going to talk Star Wars, hold my beer, the Bloomberg article you link to says nothing about the loss being the fault of female focused merchandising. It doesn’t even mention it. Instead it blames timing and franchise fatigue. Personally I think it’s also because the latest Star Wars trilogy isn’t that great (maybe the third movie will save it). I think it’s better than the prequels, but not close to the original trilogy. I don’t even think the merchandising for it has been overly “female focused” as you say. Most of the main characters are still male. Meanwhile the Star Wars universe books, comic books, video games, and animated series have long been rich with strong female characters, including female Jedi. My kids (one boy and one girl) are on the third season of Star Wars Rebels right now (we watch it as a family) and they both love it. Rebels probably has the best balance of male and female leads in the entire franchise, and yes I do think that is a good thing. I really can’t see how any of this adds up to Disney going “SJW.” Dave Filoni already had Ashoka Tano and other strong female characters in the Clone Wars animated series before Disney bought the franchise and produced Rebels with Filoni still at the helm. Star Wars has always had a history of strong female characters that have inspired feminists. Carrie Fisher became a feminist icon in part for her portrayal of Princess Leia, and made headlines when she admitted regret over the “Slave Leia” bikini and told Daisy Ridley to fight for her costume.
Males might be the primary target demographic for many action movies and comic books, but they certainly aren’t the only ones. I may not be a huge fan of the latest trilogy, but it warms my heart to see little girls dressing up like Rey just as my friends and I dressed up as Luke Skywalker or Han Solo back in the early 80’s. Not that girls can’t dress up as boy characters (my daughter was the red ninja from Ninjago last Halloween), but they should be able to choose from a collection of heroes that represent all genders, races, etc.
I think she makes a great point. Sometimes when I am trying to find a good movie for my daughter, I look for reviews written by women. I find that female reviewers are more likely to notice when, as an example, a movie is pushing a negative female stereotype. I’m more concerned about whether it ‘s a good movie or not, but sometimes there can be things that are problematic that many male reviewers gloss over. We have certainly watched movies (especially older ones) that are still great despite such flaws (if the kids notice we make it a teachable moment), but as parents we usually prioritize the ones that are a little more evolved in how they portray female characters. I have no problem with what Brie Larson said there. She doesn’t hate white dudes. Not even those of us in our 40’s. I don’t feel like she’s lecturing me at all. It sounds like she’s addressing her female fans, and that’s okay. (But by the way, some men do need a lecture.)
This kind of reminds of me of the Riot Grrl movement in the 90’s. I loved bands like Bikini Kill and Sleater Kinney. I knew the angry femism wasn’t directed at all men... just the sexist and rapey ones. I was never treated poorly at a Riot Grrl concert, although the male fans were often encouraged to let the (on average) shorter female fans move to the front so they could see. Standing in the back only seemed fair. The point is: Feminism exists for a reason. Sexism isn’t dead anymore than racism is.
Wouldn’t you agree that if 4 out of 10 fans are female, and there are plenty of female heroes in the comics, at least 1 in 10 of the movies should have a female hero as the title character? Forgive me if I say your take on this sounds a bit over the top and far-fetched. I’ve been a fan of all this stuff too... for most of my 48 years on this planet, and I don’t feel like anyone is saying I’m the enemy. Women just want things to be a little more equitable. That does not tranlate to a war on men. Now there are certainly sexist men out there, and some of them have a lot of power in the entertainment industry. Sexism thrives in industries that are male dominated. More women directing, producing, and yes... reviewing movies will help things be more civil and equitable. It may also lead to new ideas and better movies.
Okay... well we thank you for your concern, but really we will be fine. We can go and enjoy watching Captain Marvel, and we can love it even if the star of the production says that she cares more about a different demographic. We don’t need to be offended by that, and if we don’t like the movie we can even criticize it as long as we do so without being creepy or sexist about it (some men do struggle in that way).
TL;DR
Women have been going to, and even enjoying, movies featuring hypermasculine male heroes for years. The least us men can do is to occasionally enjoy a movie with a strong female hero, and not feel threatened because she’s not dressed to please us. So what if the actor is outspoken and feminist? Male actors have been saying far more controversial things for years without nearly as much outrage.
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