Where Have All The Women Been In The X-Men Movies?

2019’s Dark Phoenix starts with Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) chastising Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) after a perilous mission. She points out, “the women are always saving the men around here. You might wanna think about changing the name to X-Women.” Unfortunately, this line is emblematic of a broader issue in late 2010s blockbusters—raising feminist points superficially without any deeper exploration. Despite featuring powerful female characters, Dark Phoenix and, by extension, many X-Men movies fail to further the conversation on gender equality substantively.

This pattern of overshadowing female characters dates back to the early days of X-Men movies. Although beloved comic characters like Storm, Jubilee, and Kitty Pryde have significant roles in the comics, they’ve often been placed on the back burner in films. Even though the X-Men comics began with limited female representation, characters like Storm became essential under writer Chris Claremont’s influence. Uncanny X-Men and its subsequent series introduced many indispensable women characters like Rogue, Emma Frost, and Mystique. Claremont’s vision was to have women characters who were complex and integral to the storyline, influenced by strong women in his own life.

In May 2014, Chris Kaye from Refinery29 highlighted Claremont’s commitment to women superheroes, citing his personal connections as a key influence. The 1980s saw characters like Storm replace Cyclops as the team leader, something daring, especially for that time. Claremont’s interpretation of these characters as more than just supporting roles left a significant legacy. X-Men: The Animated Series continued this focus on female mutants, delivering strong, relatable female characters that resonated with audiences who often felt like outsiders.

The promising start of the first X-Men movie focused on Rogue’s (Anna Paquin) journey. This aligned well with the comic’s themes of teenage angst and discovery. Despite this, Rogue quickly became a damsel-in-distress by the third act, receiving little development. This trend continued, with characters like Jean Grey and Storm getting minimal screentime and shallow character arcs. Mystique, played by Rebecca Romijn, was one exception, having some of the most memorable action scenes.

Hollywood’s treatment of female characters is often a reflection of the people behind the camera. Directors Bryan Singer and Brett Ratner, who helmed initial X-Men films, have numerous allegations of misconduct against them. These accusations extend to their behavior on set, as reported by several people, including producer Lauren Shuler Donner and actor Elliot Page. This dehumanizing attitude translated into how they portrayed female characters, reducing them to secondary or powerless roles.

The movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine furthered this unfortunate trend. Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins) serves merely as a plot device to motivate Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Her role is not only minimal but also an example of Hollywood whitewashing. The original character is Indigenous, yet she is portrayed by a white actress. Director Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class somewhat improved female representation but faltered with its leery depictions of women, inconsistent with its 1960s setting.

James Mangold’s work on The Wolverine made strides in giving female characters more depth. Four prominent female characters appear, each with her own motivations and roles, showing an attempt to break away from typical gender norms. The female characters in Mangold’s films are more nuanced, although they still fall into some conventional pitfalls.

The subsequent X-Men movies like Days of Future Past, Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix reverted to the old habits. Female characters not only had reduced roles but also often served to elevate male storylines. Jessica Chastain’s portrayal of Vuk in Dark Phoenix lacked the dynamic energy that characters like hers could have delivered. She was restricted to a stern, emotionless persona, depriving the film of the vibrancy that Chastain could have brought to the role.

The original X-Men series concluded with The New Mutants, which had some of the most diverse characters in the franchise. However, the film’s treatment of its first female protagonist of color, Dani Moonstar (Blu Hunt), was criticized for her portrayal and interactions with other characters. The movie emphasized surface-level representation without substantial character depth or growth.

The inconsistency in handling female characters across the X-Men movies stands out more given the rich source material. The comics proposed imaginative and varied roles for women characters, but the films often missed these opportunities. Even Deadpool’s partner, Vanessa, who has mutant powers in the comics, was killed off in Deadpool 2 to advance the protagonist’s story, though she is later revived in a mid-credit scene.

Ironically, the character Dazzler—known for her flamboyant and campy style—appears for a brief cameo in Dark Phoenix, dressed in an uninspired outfit that misses the essence of her character. This reflects the broader issue: an unwillingness to fully embrace the potential of these women characters.

As the X-Men universe looks towards the future, the portrayal of women remains a critical area for improvement. With a new era of superhero films on the horizon, there’s hope for more balanced, engaging, and dynamic representations of the female mutants who have long been an integral part of the X-Men legacy.

Source: Refinery29, Vulture