Front cover image for Fandom, racism, and the myth of diversity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Fandom, racism, and the myth of diversity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently one of the most commercially successful entertainment brands in American popular culture, with a range of film franchises and television series under its banner. Although the brand maintains its popularity with various demographics, the casting choices in Doctor Strange (2017) generated controversy among Marvel fans and critics alike for excluding people of color or reducing them to villains and sidekicks. This thesis examines the online commentary surrounding the casting and marketing of Doctor Strange to evaluate how social media users on Reddit, Tumblr, and Twitter come to understand race and gender through the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and how executives and filmmakers react to the push for racial diversity in Hollywood
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 2017
The College of William and Mary, [Williamsburg, Virginia], 2017
College of William and Mary