Have you guys heard about Black Twitter? No, not Twitter with dark mode turned on, but conversations on Twitter about racial issues some people would like swept under the carpet.
As Jamilah Lemieux and Roy Wood Jr explained on The Daily Show, Black Twitter is a digital and online version of the barbershop within the Black community in America where black people can hold discussions about what is happening in their communities.
Black Twitter has yet again marshaled up support to right the wrongs being done on a black person. This time, it was Danai Gurira, the Zimbabwean-American actress who stared as Michonne on AMC’s The Walking Dead and as Okoye in Marvel Studio’s Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and now Avengers: Endgame.
Avengers: Endgame poster
In case you are not yet in the know, Marvel Studios is set to release a new movie, which I think is a follow up on Avengers: Infinity War. Hopefully, we will know what happened to all the superheroes Thanos melted away.
But back to the point; on Friday, March 15, Marvel Studio released the official trailer of the Avengers: Endgame and alongside there was the official poster. Shortly after releasing the poster, it did not take long for people on the internet to notice that of the 13 actors in the main cast, just 12 had their names on top of the poster.
Yes all 12 of them including Bradley Cooper who only features as a cartoon character Rocket had their names at the top billing on the poster. Yet the only black woman in the main cast Danai Gurira did not have her name at the top billing on the poster. Her name was among the fine print at the bottom.
Below is the original poster:
Check out the new poster for Marvel Studios’ #AvengersEndgame. See it in theaters April 26. pic.twitter.com/c4yyiShAqo
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 14, 2019
The fierce General Okoye given a backseat?
General Okoye (played by Gurira) in Marvel’s highest grossing movie Black Panther is an all-around badass, ass-kicking strong woman leader/warrior who is an inspirational fantasy figure to women and girls around the world. Especially within the black community since they don’t have a lot of black women Hollywood figures to look up to.
Black Twitter took up the matter online and called out Marvel Studio on their ‘oversight.’
Me looking for Danai Gurira’s name on the poster pic.twitter.com/jRkgU6L94J
— ESainte (@ESainte) March 14, 2019
Um… why is the ONLY person who appears on this poster that is NOT credited Danai Gurira? I’m pretty sure that needs rectifying quickly Marvel! Mainly because she deserves her name up there just as much as everyone else. And also, because Okoye is Queen 🙌🏻
— Emily Jayne (@EmiJaye) March 14, 2019
I fixed it. @DanaiGurira pic.twitter.com/380N3KFz3C
— Harles (@homegirlharley) March 14, 2019
She just won the PCA for super hero, not to mention BP winning Oscars and the CCA for Best Pic. Her name should be at the top.
— Landy Taylor (@landytaylor1) March 14, 2019
You didn’t have enough room to put Danai’s name on the top of the poster? pic.twitter.com/Lk8wNShpCl
— Natty (@Natty_Danai) March 14, 2019
It must have dawned on Marvel Studios that Danai Gurira picture on the poster would have naturally given people the expectation that her name will be on the top billing of the poster. She has certainly grown to be a major actor having won several awards and pushed Black Panther to the limelight and high earner table of films.
Marvel corrected their poster
She should have been up there all this time. Check out the official Marvel Studios’ #AvengersEndgame poster. @DanaiGurira #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/5V1veWMxlz
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 14, 2019
So Marvel corrected their error and released a new poster with Gurira’s name where it ought to have been from the start. This development only goes to show you how the internet via social media has democratized things.
Before, these complaints (fair one at that) would have been heard within the barber shops, churches, and places of gatherings within the black communities. However, technology has given these conversations a global platform, forcing big-time companies to level out the playing fields, which have for generations been skewed against certain races.
So what is Black Twitter?
What is Black Twitter? @RoyWoodJr, @JamilahLemieux, and @ElonJames break it down. https://t.co/QWDqgdxsai pic.twitter.com/V6SWtOJtF4
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 4, 2017
Though she is also not featured on the trailer; and I am waiting to see how much screentime she gets on the actual movie when it comes out on April 26. Then we can be able to rightfully judge Marvel Studio based on each characters billing based on their screentime.
