"Captain America: Brave New World" has found itself at the center of a controversy that's been simmering for decades, now exacerbated by current events.
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| Shira Haas in 'Captain America: Brave New World' MARVEL STUDIOS/SCREENGRAB |
The film features Anthony Mackie as Captain America and introduces Harrison Ford to the Marvel Studios universe, taking over the role of U.S. President Thaddeus Ross from the late William Hurt. The first trailer, released early Friday, has generally been well-received by fans.
However, a supporting character in the film seems poised to become an inadvertent flashpoint. Emmy nominee Shira Haas ("Unorthodox") portrays Ruth Bat-Seraph, an Israeli former Black Widow who now serves as a high-ranking U.S. government official. This casting has sparked calls for a boycott of the film, even before its release.
The backlash against the character stems from her comic book origins. Ruth Bat-Seraph, originally known as Sabra, was a Mossad agent. Pro-Israel supporters take issue with changing her allegiance to a U.S. agency, while anti-Israel critics protest due to her Israeli roots or simply because she is Israeli.
The situation is muddled with misinformation. Some assume the character's name and backstory were altered due to recent events, while others calling for a boycott are unaware of any changes. Many recognize the alterations but insist it makes no difference.
The switch dates back to 2022 when Marvel announced at the D23 Expo that Haas was joining the MCU. At the time, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel criticized the decision, condemning "the original comic’s ugly racism and valorization of Mossad as sickening."
Marvel Studios clarified their approach to the character, stating, “While our characters and stories are inspired by the comics, they are always freshly imagined for the screen and today’s audience, and the filmmakers are taking a new approach with the character Sabra who was first introduced in the comics over 40 years ago.”
Marvel frequently updates its characters to resonate with contemporary audiences. For example, Benedict Wong’s portrayal of Doctor Strange’s Wong, originally steeped in dated tropes from 1963, has been warmly received in its modern cinematic interpretation.
In "Captain America 4," the character will no longer be referred to as Sabra. Introduced in "The Incredible Hulk" comic in 1980, she sported a blue and white costume featuring the Star of David. Despite never headlining her own series, Sabra became a significant figure in Marvel’s comic universe as the first Israeli superheroine.
The character of Sabra, originally depicted in the comics, has been criticized for perpetuating Arabic terrorist tropes. The name "Sabra" itself is multifaceted: it refers to an Israeli-born person, a cactus with a tough exterior and sweet interior, and controversially, the Sabra refugee camp, where a militia massacred hundreds of Palestinians in 1982 while Israeli troops did not intervene.
This event occurred two years after the character's debut, leading to false claims that Marvel named the character after the massacre.
A current protest message states, “The character’s backstory includes working for the genocidal Israeli government and its occupation forces. By reviving this racist character in any form, Marvel is promoting Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.”
Given the complex and sensitive nature of the topic, it’s challenging to imagine any portrayal of an Israeli hero in a major cultural event without facing some level of protest in 2024. This was evident when Eden Golan faced antisemitic backlash during the Eurovision Song Contest.
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