How Eternals' deaf superhero Makkari has raised interest in learning sign language?

Marvel's latest movie Eternals was pathbreaking in several ways, though the movie received mixed responses from the critics, it has left a powerful impact on the audience. A new study reports that the portrayal of MCU's first deaf superhero, Makkari, played by Lauren Ridloff has led to an increased interest in learning sign language.

The movie also stars  Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Harish Patel, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie.

MCU's portrayal of a deaf superhero led to an increased interest in learning sign language 

Eternals marks several firsts for the MCU as it features the studio's first deaf superhero, first openly gay superhero, and MCU's first intimate scene. As per ScreenRant, in a new study conducted by Preply, the buzz around Makkari as Marvel's first Deaf superhero has led to an increase in the number of people interested in learning sign language. The study cited that there was a 250% increase in searches for "learn sign language for beginners" over the last year as Eternals' marketing campaign began. 

The study however did not mention how many people actually started learning sign language. It did mention that Lauren Ridloff's character and the movie have contributed to a notable increase in the number of people who are interested.

Meanwhile, the movie was banned in several countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman due to the depiction of a gay couple in the movie. In Eternals, Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry, is Marvel’s first openly gay superhero. He is in a same-sex marriage with Ben, portrayed by Haaz Sleiman, and they have a son together. Angelina Jolie, who plays the role of Thena in the movie, reacted to the movie's ban.

In an interview with news.com.au., Jolie said, " I’m sad for [those audiences]. And I’m proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out. I still don’t understand how we live in a world today where there’s still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and that love. How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesn’t approve or appreciate it is ignorant." 

Image: Instagram/@marvel