Top News Stories –
Marvel Phase 4: A new era for diversity in Hollywood?
Comic book fans have been left giddy with anticipation by the bumper crop of superhero offerings unveiled by Marvel Studios at this year’s Comic Con.
Details of Marvel’s so-called “Phase 4” have also raised hopes about a real step forward for diversity in Hollywood.
The next stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will feature its first deaf superhero, its first Asian-American superhero and an openly gay superhero.
It will also see more women than ever taking the directorial reins.
The casting of deaf actress Lauren Ridloff as superhero Makkari in 2020 release Eternals has been particularly applauded on social media.
Other social media users praised Marvel for casting the black actress as a character who has always been depicted as a white male in its comic books.
On Saturday, Ridloff herself expressed delight at the prospect of co-starring with Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden and others under Chloe Zhao’s direction.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian director Destin Daniel Cretton revealed that Canadian star Simu Liu will play the MCU’s first Asian-American superhero, in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.
Twitter trends [from Trendinalia] – today from UK
Other News Stories –
Arts and culture
- 2019 in American music
- Billboard reports that Lil Nas X has tied the all-time record on the Billboard Hot 100 with his song “Old Town Road“, as it spends its sixteenth week atop the chart; the other record-holders are Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men with “One Sweet Day“, and Luis Fonsi with “Despacito” featuring Daddy Yankee. (Billboard)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Second Libyan Civil War, Libya–Tunisia relations
- Tunisia‘s Ministry of Defence says a pilot has been arrested after a damaged Libyan warplane, reported to be a L-39 Albatros, makes an emergency landing on a road near the southern town of Beni Khadash. (Reuters)
International relations
- Iran–United States relations
- The Iranian government announces the arrest of 17 citizens in the last months who are accused of spying in favour of the CIA. (DW)
Science and technology
- The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launches Chandrayaan-2 to survey lunar water from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India‘s second lunar exploration mission. If successful, Chandrayaan-2 will become the first spacecraft to land on the lunar south pole. (BBC)
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