Marvel boss Kevin Feige almost quit over lack of representation, says Mark Ruffalo

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Mark Ruffalo has revealed that Marvel boss Kevin Feige nearly left the franchise over its lack of representation.

Speaking to The Independent, Ruffalo recalled an encounter with Feige on the set of 2012’s The Avengers, in which he said he was about to urge his Disney superiors to launch a female-driven superhero movie.

Feige was unsure whether Ike Perlmutter, at that point Disney’s largest shareholder, could be convinced.

Ruffalo said: “When we did the first Avengers, Kevin Feige told me, ‘Listen, I might not be here tomorrow.’ And he’s like, ‘Ike does not believe that anyone will go to a female-starring super movie.’ So if I am still here tomorrow you will know that I won that battle.’

“That was the turning point for Marvel,” Ruffalo continued. “Because Kevin wanted black superheroes, women superheroes, LGBT superheroes. He changed the whole Marvel universe.

“We now have gay superheroes, we have black superheroes, we have female superheroes – Scarlett Johansson has her movie coming out, we have Captain Marvel, they are doing She Hulk next. No other studio is being that forwardly inclusive on that level.”

“They have to, though,” he added. “This is the f***ing world. The culture is way ahead of the politics.”

Ruffalo, who has played Dr Bruce Banner and his alter ego The Hulk since 2012, isn’t currently confirmed to be reprising his role in any future Marvel movies.

The full interview with Ruffalo can be found here.