Captain Marvel might be a big feminist win for MCU. Not only is Brie Larson's Captain Marvel MCU's first female solo superhero film, but she has beaten Black Widow to the race. But could she take over Wonder Woman's territory too? DC championed the female superhero formula with Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman last year. And while MCU may feel threatened, captain Marvel has great potential to be the next best superhero.
The audiences have not met Captain Marvel yet while Wonder Woman has already been a part of three movies. Two of them might have been bad movies but fans are always ready for more Wonder Woman. Gal herself is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood and eventually it comes down to Brie vs Gal and who can carry their films on their shoulders and hit the jackpot first. So between Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel who would win?
Wonder Woman is already three-films old. Not only did Gal's solo outing earn her major fame, it also made tons of money for DC. The superheroine has already carved her niche and audiences. Plus, her character arc in the DC-verse has been handled brilliantly. While Captain Marvel is a stunning idea for a superhero, the character has to prove her mettle first in her first few films. It also remains to be seen if the audiences accept Brie as one of the most significant comic favourites.
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Hollywood unanimously agrees that Gal Gadot is totally iconic. In fact industry experts have claimed that Hollywood hasn't seen a female superstar as dynamic as her in the last decade. The fight between Wonder Woman vs Captain Marvel is also about star power. The names behind the mantles matter a lot and many people believe Gal is a bigger star than Brie any day.
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Gal's Israeli heritage is a big factor in this raging debate. Not only is a non-white superheroine a big deal, but it makes a terrific statement at this juncture of cultural discussion of Hollywood. The fact that a non-white actress plays Wonder Woman, is a huge bonus for DC in the diversity issue and one of the reasons why fans hail the franchise.
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People unanimously agree that for DC, Wonder Woman is a knight in shining armour. While none of DCEU's superheroes including Batman, Superman and Aquaman didn't work, Wonder Woman struck gold. It is no wonder that DC pours in all their attention and time behind the Wonder Woman films. Whereas MCU is so wildly successful and has so many superheroes projects running simultaneously that Captain Marvel might just suffer from lack of attention and scrutiny.
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Unlike Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman is an actual goddess and the comic book premise is wider when it comes to her powers and her viability as a superhero. Her Amazonian heritage makes for a breathtaking background story and comic book fans always want more and more mythical contexts. Which is why Thor, Aquaman and Loki have such an edge over other superheroes.
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The character of Wonder Woman, of course, has a rich Hollywood legacy. Fans have seen numerous actresses play the role of Wonder Woman on big and small screen from Lynda Carter to Cathy Lee Crosby. The biggest suspense about Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman was about how she would be different from the earlier Wonder Women. And while Gal has hit a home run, Captain Marvel has no such Hollywood legacy and Brie world need to work a lot harder than Gal Gadot to create a space for her character.
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While Brie Larson is the new face of showbiz feminism and MCU couldn't have found anyone better to be Captain Marvel, Brie still remains an indie icon. She has had considerable success and has even won an Oscar but doesn't have much experience in blockbusters. Meanwhile Gal is already a bankable face in Hollywood and an A-lister. A superhero film be it Marvel or DC is a very commercial affair and Gal obviously has an edge over Brie.
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Captain Marvel has not been featured in any Avenger movies yet and that might have been a mistake. It would have helped if she had proved her mettle as a superhero in an ensemble cast before getting a solo outing because in her case the stakes are too high and unpredictable.
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Brie Larson may be all sorts of fierce but Gal is the one who has seen the real-life action. Brie may be the face of activism but Gal has fought real battles when she was with the Israeli forces. When it comes to a superhero, a military past is like a huge bonus and makes for a more viable icon.
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It is no secret that fans have been miffed with MCU for delaying the Black Widow solo movie. They are now upset that Captain Marvel gets her solo outing before Black Widow, considering Black Widow already has such a successful story arc. The Black Widow film is coming out in a couple of years. Introducing Captain Marvel before Black Widow may have been a blunder.
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Gal Gadot is a total multi-tasker. She is a superstar, a humanitarian, a global beauty pageant winner, an ex-soldier, a vocal spokesperson in Hollywood's important movements. While Brie even with her Oscar is just an actress. Gal with her extremely impressive resume makes a better case for a superhero any day.
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Wonder Woman's fling with Batman which could flourish into a full-fledged relationship any day is one of the main reasons why people are so interested in Wonder Woman. In the comic world too Batman and Wonder Woman end up together in several storylines. It's obviously imagined that Wonder Woman and Batman's chemistry is only going to get better which only gives us hope for the future wonder Woman movies.
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There are very few women who can hold their own while sharing screen space with an icon like Ben Affleck. But Gal's Wonder Woman and Affleck's Batman did wonders for the two movies they were in together. People want to see more of them together. Brie Larson's Captain Marvel, on the other hand, is yet to prove, if the film has a viable story arc for her character.
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At the end of the day, star power matters. Interestingly Gal was able to make her niche with an incredible solo outing as the time was ripe for a dynamic female superhero. Brie on the other hand is a fantastic actress but being a superhero is more than just about acting. Marvel fans have argued about whether Brie could pull it off. But as far as blockbusters go, Gal is a bigger crowd-puller any day.
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Hollywood is emotionally attached to Wonder Woman owing to the fact that the film is a total feminist victory. Not only is she a female superhero but the film had a female director, and this is perhaps the first female superhero film where the male lead wasn't in every scene hogging the limelight. The movie itself made an incredible statement with its powerful screenwriting and great direction. Brie's Captain Marvel is going to face tough waters as Wonder Woman has already conquered the female superhero market.
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