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Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Black Panther Actress Talks About Why The Rumoured Gay Moments Didn’t Make The Final Cut

February 17, 2018 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Last April it was reported that the Marvel Universe was going to get a bit more gay with Black Panther, with Vanity Fair reporting on a scene they’d viewed which featured a flirtatious exchange between Okuye (Danai Gurira) and Ayo (Florence Kasumba). The magazine suggested the movie would have more gay content than this, and that as in the 2016 comic World of Wakanda, the two would become a couple.

However, Marvel quickly stepped forward to say this wasn’t true and there would be no romance. It appears though that as with Valkryrie’s bisexuality in Thor: Ragnarok, it appears scenes that would have made it more explicit were filmed, but ended up on the cutting room floor.

Vulture asked Kasumba why she thought her character’s sexuality wasn’t touched upon in the final movie. She says, “The thing is, if the makers would have wanted everyone to see the scene, it would have been in the movie. The final result that we’ve seen, there were a few scenes that have been cut. Different scenes, also. They didn’t make it into the movie for certain reasons, and at that point, I have to say: What their reason is, I can’t tell you, because nobody told me about whether it’s in or not.

“But at this point, I personally think people have no idea who T’Challa is, who are the Wakandans, what is Wakanda, where is Wakanda, what is their culture. There are so many important things that had to be told in these two hours. So the focus was on what is so important for T’Challa. What happens after the last movie that we saw. I know all the other scenes that we have also filmed that are not in the movie. People have their reasons why not.”

However, she does hope there will be a chance to explore that side of the character in the future, saying, “I’d love to, at some point. Not now, because it’s too soon. At this point, the focus is somewhere else. I started reading World of Wakandatowards the end of filming and I loved reading the comics. I loved reading about, Okay, how do the Doras become Doras? … That’s the whole reason why we had a boot camp [to train for the movie]: In order to be physically able to move as a unit. That was more important. That’s what I’m saying, right? Who is in love with whom and whatever — that was not important in this movie.”

Black Panther is currently tearing up the box office, with the film expected to take a record-breaking $205 million in its first weekend in the US.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Florence Kasumba  FILMS: Black Panther  

Marvel Quashes Rumours Of Black Panther Lesbian Subplot

April 22, 2017 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Florence Kasumba (far left) as Ayo in Captain America: Civil War

Florence Kasumba (far left) as Ayo in Captain America: Civil War

Last week we reported on news that an early screening on scenes from Marvel’s upcoming Black Panther had suggested there might be a couple of LGBT characters in the movie. However, after the likes of Vanity Fair praised this seeming step forward for the Comic Book Universe, Marvel has stepped forward to say it’s not happening.

The scene involves a flirtatious exchange between Danai Gurira’s Okuye and Florence Kasumba Ayo, who in the comics serve as the ceremonial guard of Black Panther, and help protect the Wakandan royal family. In the 2016 comic World of Wakanda by Ta-Nehisi Coates, the two women are a couple, leading many to believe the scene shown meant this would be followed through in the movie.

However, a Marvel spokesperson has now stepped forward to say, via Yahoo!, to say ‘the nature of the relationship between Danai Gurira’s Okoye and Florence Kasumba’s Ayo in Black Panther is not a romantic one and that specific love storyline from the comic World of Wakanda was not used as a source’.

Understandably that statement has caused a bit of a backlash on social media. Marvel has already been roundly criticised for not including any openly LGBT characters in its movies. Although the studio, including head honcho Kevin Feige, has suggested that it will probably happen one day, they’ve said it would have to be organic to the story. With Black Panther, it appears they’ve taken two characters who are canonically LGBT and decided just to ignore that side of them. It does seem like a major missed opportunity.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Danai Gurira, Florence Kasumba  DIRECTORS: Ryan Coogler  FILMS: Black Panther  

Will Black Panther Make The Marvel Universe A Bit More Gay?

April 18, 2017 By Tim Isaac 1 Comment

Florence Kasumba (far left) as Ayo in Captain America: Civil War

Florence Kasumba (far left) as Ayo in Captain America: Civil War

There’s been growing criticism of Marvel and DC’s superhero universes (as well as Fox’s X-Men), that despite a wealth of LGBT characters and stories in the comic books, the movies have stayed resolutely straight. However, now some footage has screened suggested that Marvel will be getting a little more gay with the upcoming Black Panther.

The film will feature Walking Dead star Danai Gurira, Florence Kasumba (who also played the same role in Captain America: Civil War, and Lupita Nyong’o as the Dora Milaje, who in the comics serve as the ceremonial guard of Black Panther, and help protect the Wakandan royal family. The footage that’s screened suggests the movie will be taking some of the storyline of the 2016 comic World of Wakanda by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which focused on the relationship between Ayo and Aneka (played in the movie by Gurira and Kasumba).

Vanity Fair reports that in the footage, ‘We see Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. Okoye eyes Ayo flirtatiously for a long time as the camera pans in on them. Eventually, she says, appreciatively and appraisingly, “You look good.” Ayo responds in kind. Okoye grins and replies, “I know.”’

The magazine suggests this will be a more prominent LGBT storyline than the ‘exclusively gay moment’ in Beauty & The Beast that left many feeling underwhelmed. However, it’s difficult to know whether they’re basing this solely on the scene shown in the preview footage, as if so, we may still be left with something that hints about the characters’ sexuality without actually saying it. We will just have to wait and see, although it is telling that Disney/Marvel chose to screen a scene with very obvious gay undertones as part of the few minutes of footage they showed. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out in the movie.

Black Panther is due in cinemas February 2018, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the title role which he first played in Captain America: Civil War.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Danai Gurira, Florence Kasumba, Lupita Nyong'o  DIRECTORS: Ryan Coogler  FILMS: Black Panther  

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