Disney is facing renewed criticism for its promotional tactics in China after releasing its latest poster for Captain America: Brave New World. The latest Chinese poster significantly diminishes Anthony Mackie’s presence, moving him into the background of the image and partially obscuring his face as he battles The Red Hulk.
A new Chinese Poster for ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD’ has been released.#CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld hits Theaters February 14! pic.twitter.com/enV8MB8tDv
— The Cine Geek (@CineGeekNews) January 20, 2025
This is something of a trend with Disney posters in China, where Black characters are typically obscured or repositioned in a way that makes them less prominent. Many have accused Disney in the past of pandering to the Chinese market while sidelining its professed values of diversity and inclusion.
This marks the second Chinese poster for the film, known there simply as Captain America 4. The first poster placed Mackie in the lower right-hand corner, with his face partially visible but secondary to the imagery of Red Hulk’s fist punching the Captain America shield.
#CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld is titled “CAPTAIN AMERICA 4” in this official Chinese poster! pic.twitter.com/RJXRLoZw4f
— PAC Entertainment Movie Theater News and review (@PrestonHoover11) December 16, 2024
This isn’t the first time Disney has faced backlash for minimizing Black characters in promotional materials for China.
When Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released in 2015, Disney created a Chinese poster that shrank John Boyega’s character, Finn, and moved him into the background, despite Finn being a lead character in the film.
Remember the time Disney shrunk Finn out of existence on their Chinese poster?
He was one of the 3 main characters but was deemed “racially inappropriate” for the Chinese audience by Disney.
To think that the Disney Shills call US the toxic racists … pic.twitter.com/b3yTFqS2m6
— Lucas Star Wars Girl (@LucasSWGirl) June 18, 2023
The U.S. version of the poster, by contrast, prominently featured Boyega in the foreground alongside Daisy Ridley’s Rey and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren.
Similarly, in 2018, the Chinese poster for Black Panther altered the iconic image of the late Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. In the U.S., the poster prominently displayed Boseman’s face in a close-up without his Black Panther helmet. For the Chinese market, however, the poster was altered to obscure Boseman’s face by placing the helmet over his head, leaving only his eyes visible.
I forgot about Black Panther, the Chinese poster tried to hide the black actor too, guess they think black people are bad for marketing? pic.twitter.com/CpqqxP9BCC
— Winston Sterzel (@serpentza) October 25, 2021
These instances have led to repeated accusations that Disney caters to discriminatory attitudes in certain international markets, prioritizing profits over its publicly championed commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Disney has built its brand in recent years on the foundation of progressive values, frequently highlighting its efforts to diversify characters and stories. From race-swapped protagonists to narratives centered on themes of inclusion, Disney has marketed itself as a leader in DEI-driven storytelling.
However, critics argue that these values are abandoned when they threaten the company’s bottom line abroad.
Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios‘ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 MARVEL.
The posters released for Captain America: Brave New World have reignited questions about whether Disney’s DEI initiatives are genuine or simply a convenient marketing strategy for Western audiences. Fans have expressed frustration, calling the posters further proof that Disney’s commitment to diversity is performative and that the company will readily compromise its messaging for financial gain in the Chinese market.
China represents one of the most lucrative film markets in the world, and Disney has long sought to maximize its earnings there. However, this pursuit has repeatedly led to controversies over the company’s willingness to alter films, posters, and storylines to appeal to Chinese audiences. The latest Captain America Chinese poster controversy adds to the growing perception that Disney is willing to trade its values for access to the China’s box office.
Do you think Disney’s values are for sale? Is the Captain America: Brave New World Chinese poster obscuring Anthony Mackie from view? Sound off in the comments and let us know.
