China thinks Captain Marvel isn’t attractive enough

Online comments for Marvel’s first film focused on a female superhero revolve around star Brie Larson’s looks

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China thinks Captain Marvel isn’t attractive enough

Published: 9:01pm, 18 Mar 2019Updated: 8:59am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

As the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to focus on a female superhero, Captain Marvel is meant to be a celebration of female empowerment. But in China, plenty of discussion online isn’t focusing on the character’s actions or the film’s plot -- it’s focused on the looks of star Brie Larson.

“I’m not judging a person by their looks,” writes a commenter that is about to judge a person on their looks, “but the main character in a superhero movie shouldn’t be a ‘da ma’” -- a derogatory term for middle-aged housewives.

Another person re-posted a Photoshopped meme comparing the butts of Captain Marvel and Spider-Man, using the edited picture to suggest that Larson’s hips aren’t round enough.

“The reputation of Captain Marvel was destroyed by this picture,” wrote one Weibo user of this Photoshopped meme. (Picture: Weibo)

While Captain Marvel is far from being the most successful Marvel film in Chinese box office history, it’s hardly a flop either. It’s grossed over US$127 million since its March 8 debut, according to Chinese ticketing giant Maoyan. It also boasts a 7-star rating on Douban -- China’s equivalent to Rotten Tomatoes, which is comparable with Avengers: Age of Ultron and Venom.

And there are plenty of people defending the film’s choice of Brie Larson.

“Why must the superheroes look sublimely beautiful? This face looks tough. It’s exactly what Captain Marvel calls for,” wrote one Weibo user.