The Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement (BDS), Jewish Voice for Peace, and Movement for Black Lives have intensified their calls for a boycott of Disney and Marvel over the revival of the pro-Israel propaganda character Sabra (Ruth Bat Seraph) in the upcoming film Captain America: Brave New World.
Marvel ignited calls for a boycott in September 2022 after announcing the return of the superhero, initially introduced in the 1980s Hulk comics. Israeli actor Shira Haas was cast in the role, sparking backlash from pro-Palestine groups. In response, Marvel stated that the character would be reinterpreted.
Last week, the trailer for the film, set for release next February, depicted Sabra as a “high-ranking US government official” instead of a Mossad agent, as in the comics. This rebranding has drawn criticism from both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine groups. Pro-Israel groups see the move as diminishing Israeli and Jewish representation, while pro-Palestine groups are not appeased by the changes.
“By reviving the anti-Palestinian character, these companies are complicit in genocidal Israel’s propaganda,” stated a post on the advocacy groups’ pages. The post also coincides with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, a Marvel and Disney collaboration.
The BDS National Committee, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Movement for Black Lives are calling for a boycott of Disney+ subscriptions, Marvel merchandise, and screenings of Captain America: Brave New World. “Disney’s superficial changes to the character cannot erase its decades-long complicity in Israeli propaganda,” the groups added.
In 2023, over 25 Palestinian cultural organizations, including theatres and performing arts centres, called for widespread boycotts of the film, which was then titled Captain America: New World Order. The latest post acknowledges that while Sabra will no longer go by her alter-ego and will instead remain Ruth Bat-Seraph, a former Black Widow, Disney and Marvel are “complicit in glorifying Israel’s genocide” by keeping her character in the film.
Shira Haas, who plays the role, received a medical exemption from Israeli military service due to stunted growth from a childhood cancer but voluntarily enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Military Band and Theatre unit.
“We have together won an important partial victory,” the groups stated, “[but] we must escalate our tactics until the character is dropped for good.”
The character of Ruth Bat-Seraph was introduced by Marvel in 1980 and has a history of “complicity in anti-Palestinian racism, Israeli propaganda, and the glorification of settler-colonial violence against Indigenous people,” according to Palestinian cultural organizations.
“Even the largest entertainment corporations like Disney are susceptible to grassroots pressure when they harm Palestinians. Let’s use our collective power to demonstrate that racism against Palestinians is simply unacceptable,” the groups urged.
Marvel has yet to comment on the development.
