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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 & Superman: Legacy Are Leading The Way In Art Department Gender Equality-TGN

Summary

  • Representation is important behind the camera to bring authenticity and depth to superhero stories, allowing diverse voices to shape the narrative.

  • Having diversity in the art department of big blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 empowers women and promotes equality in the industry, as evidenced by production designer Beth Mickle’s experience.

  • Characters like Mantis, Gamora, and Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 highlight the importance of telling unique and diverse stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.

Production Designer Beth Mickle discusses the importance of gender equality both in front of and behind the camera on projects like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Superman: Legacy. Hollywood has taken major steps forward in diversity in the last decade, with more LGBTQ and BIPOC stories being told both on television and in film. This has also been a major fight behind the camera, with more women and BIPOC creators telling their stories and the stories they’ve always wanted to see told.

Screen Rant caught up with Mickle during San Diego Comic-Con. She discussed her collaboration with Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Suicide Squad, and the upcoming Superman: Legacy. Mickle also revealed that half of the art department on both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Superman: Legacy is made up of women. Check out Mickle’s full quote below:

Beth Mickle: It’s been an honor and the biggest privilege of my career to be brought into this arena. But yes, five, six, seven years ago, you didn’t see women production designing superhero movies, production designing giant tent-pole movies. And when I did Suicide Squad, I was the second woman in America to have done it. And I remember at the time, and still, the weight is huge, but it’s also really important to me, to the department, to other female production designers that those films go off successfully, that the studios end up having faith and trust in us to be able to do these.

And so now, you’re starting to see at least a third of the bigger tent-pole movies that have come out recently do have female names attached. And one of the things that’s most important to me, knowing what a big position it is, what a big responsibility it is, I really prioritize hiring women and (having) diversity in the art department. And I’m really proud to say that on Guardians of the Galaxy, and on Superman, half of the art department was filled by women. And so it’s great to start to see nice big changes behind the camera as well.

Why Representation Is Important Behind The Camera & How Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Shows That

Superhero stories have taken over the box office and television screens with both Marvel and DC. In recent years, more of these stories have focused on women, like The Marvels, Harley Quinn, and WandaVision, and BIPOC heroes, including Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Ms. Marvel, and Black Panther. While it is important to tell these stories and have this representation on screen, it is equally important to have these voices in different roles behind the camera as well.

Related: Guardians of the Galaxy 3: 25 MCU Easter Eggs & References Explained

A writer or director telling their own stories or incorporating their own experiences into the story adds authenticity to the series or movie. They are a true representation of this experience, and it becomes an all-encompassing part of the storytelling instead of a token character in a larger cast. Recognizing why representation matters and that this is a space that everyone should be welcome in to help craft stories that people around the world love and connect with.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 focuses on Peter and Rocket’s pain, but Mantis, Gamora, and Nebula each have an important story to tell as well. They have all grown and changed since their initial introduction and need to find their place in the world, be it with or without the Guardians. Having diversity in every department of movies and series, especially the big blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, opens the door to more voices from those who haven’t been able to tell their story for so many years.