8 Marvel Characters Who Could Be The MCU's First Gay Hero

8 Marvel Characters Who Could Be The MCU's First Gay Hero

Inclusion and diversity are slowly-but-surely coming to superhero movies. Wonder Woman, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel have all been massive successes, but even after 22 movies and 11 years, there has yet to be an openly gay Marvel superhero on the big screen. Marvel has promised the MCU will become a more diverse place in the near-future, and the first LGBTQ character looks to be right around the corner.

While one Marvel producer has stated we've already met the upcoming LGBTQ big screen character, there's no doubt new heroes will be introduced as the MCU enters Phase Four. With that in mind, there's no shortage of gay comic characters who have yet to make the leap to the big screen. Marvel likely already has its picks, but these are perhaps some of the strongest candidates for the MCU's first gay superhero. Take a look.

Wiccan

Wiccan doesn't have that long of a history in the comics compared to some other characters, but he's built up a loyal fanbase and appeared in numerous books since he debuted in 2005. He's a powerful magic user and is so strong that he's one of the candidates to be the Sorcerer Supreme. Wiccan is frequently associated with the Young Avengers and his long-term boyfriend, Hulkling.

If Wiccan does show up in the movies, he likely won't be the exact same character from the comics universe. That's because his backstory is that he's actually the long-lost son of Scarlet Witch and Vision, but he's conceived by an ordinary couple because of confusing reality-altering magic which is complicated to explain. With Vision being dead and all, the MCU version of Wiccan might not have any relation to Wanda other than as a mentor figure.

Hulkling

Teddy Altman may have based his identity after the Hulk, but he's got nothing to do with Bruce Banner. Hulkling is a Kree/Skrull hybrid, possessing the powers of both races. His shapeshifting powers let him take a Hulk-like appearance, in addition to growing wings, claws, or whatever else he needs in a given moment. Like his boyfriend Wiccan, Hulkling was a frequent member of the Young Avengers.

It wouldn't take much to bring Hulkling into the MCU fold. His father is actually Captain Marvel (the original, not Carol Danvers), who doesn't really exist in the movies. Annette Bening's Mar-Vell could always end up being his mother though, so perhaps he'd get introduced in Captain Marvel 2 before getting a Young Avengers film? There are options, is all I'm saying.

Moondragon

Moondragon has got one hell of a complicated backstory, but she's definitely a candidate. Her real name is Heather Douglas and she is the human daughter of Drax the Destroyer. In the MCU, Drax has always just been an alien, but in the comics, he was a human who was reborn into a cosmically manufactured body to kill Thanos. Heather gets dragged along for the ride and goes on a bunch of space adventures, learning psionic powers and becoming a martial arts master.

Moondragon has long been associated with the Guardians of the Galaxy and her comic book history with Drax is an interesting wrinkle. Making them father and daughter in the movies might be too ridiculous, but The MCU has found clever twists to tie back to the comics before. As the MCU expands its cosmic world, Moondragon is a pretty logical choice to make an appearance.

Miss America

One of the youngest characters on this list, America Chavez has nevertheless been making an impression on readers. Operating under the name Miss America, she possesses strength, durability, and the ability to kick open portals to other dimensions. With all of this talk of a multiverse in Spider-Man: Far From Home, that power becomes awfully useful.

America is known for being on a bunch of different superhero teams such as Young Avengers, the Ultimates, and the all-female team A-Force. There's no Avenger who's tied to her in the same sense as say, Captain Marvel and Miss Marvel, but there should be simple ways to introduce her to audiences should that be the direction Marvel chooses. America is Marvel's first Latin-American LGBTQ character to star in an ongoing series, so she's already trampled one record.

Hercules

I'm cheating a little bit with this one, because it's technically an alternate universe version of Hercules that is bisexual, but I think he would be a stronger addition to the MCU than the "canon" version. Hercules is the same demigod from Greek mythology and much like Thor, he spends his time nowadays adventuring with Earth's modern-day heroes. Hercules is a frequent member of the Avengers, and his habit for boasting and storytelling often makes him a fun personality to throw into the mix.

Seeing as how Hercules has a lot of similarities to Thor, I think Marvel could ditch the Greek god angle to help set the characters apart. It might be a great idea to make Hercules one of the Eternals, the advanced race of beings who will be the focus of the upcoming Eternals movie. There's been no indication he will be in that movie, but it could be a smart way to include him and his core character traits while really only altering his backstory a little.

Phylla-Vell

Phylla-Vell is another of Marvel's cosmic characters who has yet to make the jump to the comics. Phylla is a member of the Kree and has held a couple of different titles in her career. She was notably Captain Marvel for a time and she also served as a hero known as Quasar. She possesses a couple of different powers such as super strength, flight, and energy projection, and she's most commonly associated with carrying a big energy sword around. Phylla is usually in a relationship with Moondragon.

Much like another character on this list, Phylla is the daughter of Captain Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, so there's a legacy angle to explore if Marvel wants. Phylla has done some time as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, so she could also have a future in that franchise depending on how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shakes out.

Iceman

The X-Men have no shortage of gay members, and while we wouldn't get to see any of these characters in the MCU for years, we can cherry pick a few of the most notable for speculation. That list would have to include Iceman, who made headlines a few years ago when he finally came out of the closet after decades of publication history. Iceman is an original member of the X-Men and one of the most powerful mutants alive with the near-unlimited control over ice.

Introducing Iceman (and really any mutant character)into the MCU is super complicated, but it's something that will happen eventually. How it does is anyone's guess right now, but I don't think that there's any question that he will be a gay man. It's possible that Marvel will keep his closeted story line, but that might be too similar to the scene in which Iceman "comes out" as a mutant to his family in X2.

Northstar

It's hard to talk about introducing the first gay hero without mentioning Marvel's actual first gay hero, Northstar. A frequent member of the X-Men, Northstar is one of the first openly gay characters in comics and the first openly gay character to come out in a book published by Marvel Comics. He married his husband, Kyle Jinadu, in the first-ever same-sex marriage in Marvel and DC, so it would be extremely fitting for him to be the first gay MCU character.

Being a mutant, it's tough to introduce Northstar without dealing with how a whole section of the populace that suddenly gained superpowers, but in Northstar's case, I think we can get away with side-stepping that. While he's a member of the X-Men, I don't think he has to be introduced as one. Maybe he can be out on his own and then join the X-Men later when those characters can be brought into the fold? Either way, when the X-Men do show up, Northstar is a strong candidate to be on the team.

Marvel has said it will be focusing on bring more diversity into the movies during Phase Four. Marvel comics made a lot of history in that area, so it's nice that the movies are finally making strides to catch up. There are plenty of options for characters who have yet to arrive on the big screen and with so much unknown about the future of Marvel, it's a very exciting time to be a fan right now.

The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

Since the spine-chilling release of 2013’s The Conjuring, a successful franchise of sequels and spinoffs has ruled the horror genre. The interconnected universe is inspired by the lifelong work of Lorraine and Ed Warren (portrayed by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in the Conjuring films), who have investigated high-profile hauntings and chronicled supernatural phenomena. At 92, Lorraine passed away in her sleep on Thursday night.

The Warren’s own New England Society of Psychic Research announced the news Friday morning (via Fox 61). Lorraine was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1927 and was a self-proclaimed clairvoyant and light trance medium. She and her husband founded the society in 1952 and conducted investigations into reports of paranormal activity, such as the Lindley Street poltergeist, West Point ghost and Amityville Horrors (which spawned 17 films).

The couple wrote 10 books together and traveled across the world lecturing on their findings. Ed Warren passed away in 2009 at 79 years old. One of their early cases was for Annabelle in 1968, a Raggedy Ann doll that was reportedly possessed by the spirit of a child named Annabelle Higgins. It inspired the Annabelle movies, which will continue with Annabelle Comes Home this summer. The upcoming film will see the first appearance of the Warren’s in the spinoff series, thus making it a homecoming for the Conjuring universe.

The Conjuring is based on their assistance to the Perron family in 1971, who experience frightening paranormal sighting in their farm home in Rhode Island. Lorraine Warren served as a consultant for the first movie and even had a cameo in it. She seemed to have bonded with the actress who has portrayed her for the past six years, as Vera Farmiga took to Twitter this morning to honor her following the news of her passing. Take a look:

The couple looked to be the gritty real-life Ghostbusters who certainly made a mark on the subject matter for many belovedly scary horror movies and various supernatural and psychic phenomena. The Warren’s also inspired the The Nun spinoff which became the highest-earning Conjuring film in 2018 when it racked up over $365 million worldwide. A sequel for The Nun is on the way, along with The Conjuring 3 and The Crooked Man.

Lorraine Warren’s death also comes on the same day of the release of The Curse of La Llorona, the first Conjuring spinoff film that does not tie to the couple’s paranormal investigations, though it finds itself in the universe’s timeline between the two Conjuring films.

Although Lorraine Warren was not a filmmaker herself, she will have a lasting impact on Hollywood as her experiences continue to capture the interest of audiences and be immortalized through the dramatic portrayal of her by Vera Farmiga, who will play Warren again in Annabelle Comes Home, coming to theaters on June 28.

Frank Oz Still Liked The Last Jedi, Doesn't Think The Audience Expectations Matter

Frank Oz Still Liked The Last Jedi, Doesn't Think The Audience Expectations Matter

This December will mark two full years since Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrived in theaters, and the fandom hasn't stopped discussing and dissecting Rian Johnson's wild sequel. The director purposefully subverted fan expectations, and challenged everything we were meant to believe about the galaxy far, far away. Lucasfilm was clearly happy with Johnson's work, as he's been given his own trilogy to develop within the Star Wars universe.

But The Last Jedi seemed to split the fandom, and is arguably the most divisive installment of the beloved space opera. Some fans took umbrage with the risks and changes to the Star Wars canon, while others appreciated Rian Johnson's vision and the challenging material. The legendary Frank Oz returned to the franchise to play a Force Ghost version of Yoda, and the Muppets icon recently spoke to his feelings about The Last Jedi, and the idea of living up to fan expectations. He said:

I love the movie. All the people who don’t like this ‘Jedi’ thing is just horse crap. It’s about expectations. The movie didn’t fill their expectations. But as filmmakers, we’re not here to fulfill people’s expectations.

Spoken, Yoda has. While Star Wars is a franchise that is beloved by generations of moviegoers, Frank Oz doesn't think that should expect the creative process. Instead, directors should make their own Star Wars movie, regardless of what the fandom wants. What's more, this isn't the first time he's defended The Last Jedi.

Frank Oz's comments to IndieWire once again echoes how everyone involved in The Last Jedi is ultimately proud of the movie that hit theaters. While it was subject to extreme trolling and backlash by angry fans, Oz is fond of the most recent Star Wars sequel, and doesn't seem to be worried about things like fan expectations. After all, that's just not what filmmaking is about to him.

The stakes were high for The Last Jedi, after J.J. Abrams did a ton of set up in the Force Awakens that needed to be resolved. Rian Johnson purposefully went against popular fan theories, challenging what the franchise was capable of. Luke Skywalker was a jaded recluse, Leia was revealed to have Force Abilities, Supreme Leader Snoke was unceremoniously killed off, and Kylo Ren revealed that Rey's parents were nobodies who dumped her on Jakku. Fans couldn't have predicted all these plot twists, and some purists had issues with the liberal changes made to the official canon.

Regardless of backlash, everyone involved in the Star Wars franchise seems pleased with The Last Jedi, and Rian Johnson's work. The cast and director came to the film's defense when trolling happened, and Jonson is still moving forward with his own trilogy. So in the end, Frank Oz's comments may be right.

The Skywalker Saga will come to an end when J.J. Abrams' Episode IX arrived in theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The 10 Best Morgan Freeman Movies, Ranked

The 10 Best Morgan Freeman Movies, Ranked

This is a tough list to make. The list of Morgan Freeman movies that stand out above all the rest. He has had so many great performances and played so many beloved characters over the years, is it even possible to break them down and pick a top ten?

Of course it is! For a man who didn’t really have his big break happen until he was 50 years old, Morgan Freeman has put together an amazing career. His dedication to acting shows in every role he takes and the world -- or at least Hollywood --is much better for it. He can be funny or serious and his God-like voice is both powerful and soothing.

So here it is, the best of the best – and it is the best of the best, his filmography was difficult to cull down, but in the end, we did and here are the choices!

10. Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves (1991)

This version of Robin Hood gets trashed these days, but unfairly so. It probably has something to do with Kevin Costner’s accent, which is admittedly terrible, but there are some amazing performances in the film, like Alan Rickman as the Sheriff Of Nottingham and certainly including Morgan Freeman’s role as Robin Hood’s faithful friend, Azeem.

Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves was a really big deal when it was released. Mel Brooks even made a parody of it, and though it doesn’t get much respect today, it’s worth a second watch if it’s been a while since you last saw it. Especially for the great cameo at the end that the movie managed to keep a secret from most people in those halcyon pre-Twitter, spoiler-free days.

9. Invictus (2009)

Morgan Freeman’s brilliant portrayal of South African President Nelson Mandela in this not-really-about-sports sports movie is what elevates Invictus. It doesn’t matter you don’t like sports movies, or rugby, this is a movie about redemption and overcoming the suffocating history of apartheid in South Africa.

Morgan Freeman’s co-star, Matt Damon, is also masterful in this film. Both were deservedly nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes for their performances. Clint Eastwood’s direction is, as usual, excellent and also elevates the performances, but it’s really all about Freeman’s performance as the beloved South African leader that keeps audiences entranced.

8. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Morgan Freeman credits Street Smart (below) as his breakout role, but for most audiences it was his performance as the chauffeur to Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy) that really put him on the movie star map. Driving Miss Daisy won four Oscars and was nominated for another five, including Best Actor for Freeman, though he didn’t win.

Driving Miss Daisy is another example, like Robin Hood, of a performance and a film that is often overlooked today, but it’s a really well made film with wonderful acting performances from Jessica Tandy, who won an Oscar for her role as Miss Daisy and Morgan Freeman, as well as Dan Aykroyd, who were also nominated!

7. Street Smart (1987)

Morgan Freeman considers this his breakout role and he's also has said that Street Smart is his favorite movie that he has made (sorry Shawshank fans). In the film, Freeman plays a pimp named Fast Black who is suspected by the police of murder. Morgan Freeman’s co-star Christopher Reeve plays a struggling newspaper reporter who fabricates a story about a pimp the police believe is Fast Black and Fast Black believes is about him as well, setting up the conflict between Morgan and Reeve.

Street Smart resulted in Freeman’s first Oscar nomination and set him on the path to stardom. At age 50, it's remarkable this was the movie that really got his career going like gangbusters. It's hard to image there was a time when Morgan Freeman movies were the norm! Everyone can thank Street Smart for all the Morgan Freeman in our lives. Thank you Street Smart!

6. Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins is really just the best way to represent Morgan Freeman’s role as Lucius Fox, the loyal employee of Wayne Enterprises who works with Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) to develop and reconfigure all kinds of technology for Wayne’s alter ego, Batman in the Christopher Nolan directed Dark Knight Trilogy.

In Batman Begins, Freeman’s character has been demoted in Bruce’s absence. He is stuck in the Applied Sciences division where the current bosses think he’ll be out of the way, but it turns out that it’s the perfect position for Fox to help Bruce Wayne/Batman. Morgan Freeman’s signature calm-but-firm demeanor is perfect for the loyal and dedicated Fox and his inclusion in the film, while it may be fleeting, is perfect.

5. Glory (1989)

Glory is an incredible and powerful movie. It toes the line between being important and fun brilliantly and Morgan Freeman’s role is critical to that. Freeman understood how important a movie like Glory was from the beginning and he gives it his all in his performance. Glory, believe it or not, was the first time, even in 1989, that many people ever heard the story of African-American soldiers fighting for the Union during the Civil War.

While all the actors in the film played their roles well, not surprisingly it was the two African-American leads, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who were at the heart of this cast. Washington won a richly deserved Academy Award for his performance as a disillusioned private under Mathew Broderick’s command and it would have been perfectly acceptable had Freeman won one too.

4. Seven (1995)

Seven, was a big film for a lot of big stars. While it wasn’t Brad Pitt’s breakout role, it was the first time he was taken seriously as a lead actor. The movie is, however, Gwyneth Paltrow’s breakout role and behind the both of them, like a rock keeping calm in a sea of crazy, is Morgan Freeman's Detective Somerset.

Directed by David Fincher, the film is masterful and Morgan Freeman excels in his performance as a detective on his last case, catching a serial killer. That is the kind of role (and trope) that many actors would phone in or overact in, but not Freeman, he doesn’t overplay the “I gotta get out of here” vibe, but you can feel the pain in his character as he deals with one last psychopath.

3. Unforgiven (1992)

In Unforgiven, Morgan Freeman plays sharpshooter Ned Logan, a loyal and longtime friend to Clint Eastwood’s Will Munny in this epic western. Logan joins up with Munny to help a young man called “The Schofield Kid” track down a gang a vial cowboys accused of torturing a prostitute.

In a film filled with some of the best actors of their day, including Clint Eastwood (who also directed), Gene Hackman, and Richard Harris, Morgan Freeman more than holds his own with his brilliant performance. In fact, Unforgiven might just be his best performance that he WASN’T nominated for any major awards for.

2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Ah yes, that TNT Sunday afternoon special. A movie so important, you can find it somewhere on cable at almost any time of the day or night, every single day. If you took a poll on the street of people asking them for their favorite Morgan Freeman movie, it’s a safe bet that The Shawshank Redemption would far and away be the most popular answer. For a movie that was a disappointment at the box office, that is pretty amazing.

Freeman plays Red, a man whose been in jail for a long time when Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins arrives after he is sentenced to life for murdering his wife and the man she was having an affair with. Red mentors Andy and their friendship grows. It’s a wonderful movie and Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of the convicted criminal with a heart of gold made millions of Gen Xers and Millennials who grew up watching the movie on cable consider Freeman one of the most beloved actors of all-time.

1. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

If you are counting, Million Dollar Baby is the third time a Morgan Freeman performance in a Clint Eastwood-directed film is on the list. It has been one heck of a partnership over the years, to say the least. Million Dollar Baby and its story of redemption is everything viewers could want from a serious and personal movie.

The acting in the movie, by Eastwood, Hilary Swank, And Freeman are as good as you will find in any movie, anywhere, in any time in Hollywood history. It’s a masterclass by all three and it makes even this sad, tragic story a true joy to watch.

It’s amazing to think of how many other movies and performances aren’t on this list also. Great films like The Power Of One and Lean On Me or powerful films like Amistad. Morgan Freeman’s remarkable career also, of course, includes his stellar voice over work in documentaries like March Of The Penguins.

At 81-years-old, Morgan Freeman is still going, still playing roles that audiences will appreciate for years to come. He is truly a remarkable actor.

New Avengers: Endgame Clip Proves Iron Man Missed Captain America

New Avengers: Endgame Clip Proves Iron Man Missed Captain America

After a long year of waiting, it's finally happening. This week will bring the highly anticipated debut of Avengers: Endgame, picking up the narrative after Thanos snapped his fingers and destroyed half of all life. Fans are eager to see how the surviving heroes manage to turn things around, and eventually bring the fight back to the Mad Titan. How this'll happen is largely a mystery, especially thanks for the cryptic marketing campaign for the film.

Marvel Studios has been methodically releasing new Avengers: Endgame to the footage, keeping the secrets of The Russo Brothers' upcoming blockbuster in the process. A new TV spot recently arrived, which showed that Tony Stark has missed Steve Rogers during their years apart since Captain America: Civil War. Check out the clip below.

Captain America and Iron Man haven't shared any scenes in the MCU since the ending of Civil War back in 2016. They're the biggest characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the Sakovia Accords and Bucky's brainwashing put a serious wedge between the two Avengers. Now they've got to bury the Stormbreaker if the surviving heroes are going to stand a chance against Thanos.

This new trailer shows Tony safe back on Earth, after previously being stranded in space alongside Nebula. It's unclear how he makes it home, but the mismatched duo of characters are presumably going to need some rescuing. Despite their fractured relationship, Cap and Iron Man seem to be on good enough terms, presumably since The Decimation made their tiff look like child's play in comparison.

Related: 4 Shots In The Avengers: Endgame Trailer That Will Break Your Heart

In the Avengers: Endgame trailers, Chris Evans' Steve Rogers seems a bit less jaded than his appearance in Infinity War, and is once again trying to inspire Earth's Mightiest Heroes to rise up and fight the good fight. While this is a habit that previously rubbed Tony Stark the wrong way, the above clip shows he's done an about-face, and is now appreciating Cap's never-ending optimism.

Cap and Tony's reunion is one of the most highly anticipated aspects of Avengers: Endgame, as they've been kept apart for years. This includes the events of Avengers: Infinity War, as The Russo Brothers put them in two separate conflicts during the massive ensemble movie. The Black Order arrived in New York just before Tony called Steve Rogers, and Iron Man eventually followed Ebony Maw into space. Meanwhile, Cap stayed on Earth and helped lead the Battle of Wakanda.

After Doctor Strange sacrificed the Time Stone to save Tony Stark, the OG Avengers all miraculously survived Thanos' snap. This should allow Endgame to focus on the original members of the team, although they'll get help from Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, Rocket, War Machine, and Nebula.

Avengers: Endgame will finally arrive in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The Cool Fight Scene That Had To Be Cut From Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

The Cool Fight Scene That Had To Be Cut From Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

Successful blockbuster action flicks are often the result of a miraculous balancing act. With Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the filmmakers were tasked with showing off the legendary Kaiju in a refreshingly terrifying light and bringing in King Ghidorah, Mothra and Rodan for him to clash with. Oh, not to mention the ensemble of humans to bounce between as well.

By the looks of early reactions to King of the Monsters, the new Godzilla manages to offer up an exciting new entry to the long-running mythos. However, not everything originally in the script will make it to the big screen this weekend. During CinemaBlend’s exclusive interview with Millie Bobby Brown, the young actress revealed one cut scene she was sad to see not make the theatrical release. In her words:

Oh yeah. There was this full fight montage that I had done. It was a fighting, full-on MMA on this guy, this man-guy. [It was] cool. They cut it! So bummed out about it. … By the way, I never got to see it, but I would have loved to see it, too. And I’m sure everybody else would.

This is a bummer! It would have been a treat to see the 15-year-old Stranger Things star show off some badass MMA skills in the Godzilla movie. The actress likely had to go through some intense training in order to pull off a scene that may never see the light of day.

Here’s hoping the bonus features allows Millie Bobby Brown and fans to see her take on this “man-guy” she speaks of. Movies such as this one have big scenes cut all the time. Her big fight sequence was likely taken out to make room for more action between Godzilla and the titans he goes up against.

The lost scene does have us thinking about who exactly Millie Bobby Brown’s Madison Russell is. What 15-year-old knows MMA? As far as we know, her character is the daughter of Vera Farmiga’s Dr. Emma Russell, who is a paleobiologist involved in research on Kaiju creatures and Kyle Chandler’s Dr. Mark Russell, a former Anthrozoologist. Perhaps this is her particular family talent?

The film’s script may have originally developed Madison’s character further by showing off her MMA skills but there wasn’t enough room in the film to fit everything. Brown is also among an ensemble including Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, O’Shea Jackson and Thomas Middleditch. So, there were a ton of performances to fit in.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters follows the events of 2014’s reboot as the mighty Godzilla must face-off against three ancient super-species in order to restore balance on Earth and reign at the “king of the monsters”. The movie hits theaters this Friday, May 31.

Disney’s Alan Menken Thinks One Animated Blockbuster Is Too Controversial For Live-Action

Disney’s Alan Menken Thinks One Animated Blockbuster Is Too Controversial For Live-Action

Disney has found a goldmine in the form of remaking the studio's animated classics. Movies like The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast have been massive box office smashes. It looks like Disney may have another hit on their hands with Aladdin opening this week, and other remakes, like The Lion King and Mulan are waiting in the wings.

With several other remake projects rumored, we know Disney is going to be continuing this franchise for quite some time, however, Alan Menken, the Academy Award winning songwriter of many of Disney's Renaissance classics, thinks there's one animated Disney movie that likely won't get the remake treatment, 1995's Pocahontas. According to Menken...

I don't know if we'll ever be able to do Pocahontas. I think that story is going to be difficult. With modern sensibilities, it'd be hard – you're going to offend somebody – so I don't know.

It's not hard to believe that Alan Menken is correct in his comments to Express. The fact of the matter is, Pocahontas was criticized for its depiction of Native Americans when it was released in 1995, so doing a note-for-note adaptation of the film now would certainly cause similar complaints, only more so.

At the very least, an adaptation would need to go through some major modifications. Considering how close movies like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin have stayed to the source material, a version of Pocahontas that was significantly different doesn't seem like the sort of movie Disney would want to make, but if they also can't make the original version again, the movie gets stuck in limbo and probably never gets made.

It's not the first time that the test of time has not be kind to a Disney movie. Dumbo had a collection of crow characters back in the 1940s that included a character that was actually named Jim Crow. Needless to say, the recent live-action remake of that movie did not include that scene.

Song of the South is a movie that Disney would probably rather we all forgot existed. The depiction of African-Americans during Reconstruction was also criticized in its day, but that criticism has only grown over the years and the film has never been released on home viewing in North America. Disney has confirmed the film will not even be released on the Disney+ streaming service.

Pocahontas isn't Song of the South bad, Disney hasn't disowned the film, but it's still another example of a movie that simply hasn't aged well. The fact that Moana another Disney animated film focused on a cultural minority group, has a largely similar story, but is viewed much more positively, makes it feel like the film was an attempt to make up for the missteps of Pocahontas.

Disney's live-action remake slate currently includes The Lion King, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Mulan, and Cruella on the big screen as well as Lady and the Tramp coming to Disney+. We also know that The Little Mermaid is a project currently in development. Other projects that have been rumored include Pinocchio, Snow White, and Sword in the Stone.

Pocahontas hasn't even been rumored as a potential remake, which would seem to confirm Alan Menken's feelings. Al;though, after all the other remakes have been made, Pocahontas might start to look like a more attractive option.