“Captain America: Brave New World” sparks controversy over depiction of Israeli character

Multiple outlets claimed that Marvel Studios is changing Sabra's Israeli identity after a post called her a "former Black Widow."

A description in a Marvel summary for Captain America: Brave New World has sparked outrage online from multiple outlets, which claim that the film’s character Ruth Bat-Seraph (a.k.a the Israeli superhero Sabra) has had her backstory changed for the film.

Last Friday, Marvel published a post on its website about Brave New World's teaser trailer that does not explicitly utilize the name Sabra and instead characterizes Ruth as a “former Black Widow” turned “high-ranking U.S. government official.” In the comics, Sabra is a mutant agent for the Israeli intelligence service that has super strength, speed, and healing powers.

The perceived character change has sparked swift criticism from outlets like the Jewish Chronicle, who declared in a headline that “Marvel strips Jewish superhero Sabra of her Israeli identity.” Another headline from the Jerusalem Post proclaimed, “Marvel removes Jewish superhero Sabra's Israeli identity for new Captain America movie.”

Representatives for Marvel did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for comment.

Related: Captain America: Brave New World trailer reveals Red Hulk, first look at Giancarlo Esposito

Sabra’s involvement in Brave New World has courted controversy ever since Marvel announced that Shira Haas would be playing the character in the Anthony Mackie-led film in 2022. At the time, a Marvel Studios spokesperson told CNN that they would be taking a “new approach with the character” for the film, noting that all Marvel characters “are always freshly imagined for the screen and today’s audience.”

As of now, it is not immediately clear if Sabra's backstory remains the same as it is in the comics. However, it's worth noting that the summary that Marvel initially provided could be limited in its scope in order to prevent any potential spoilers about her character's plans. After all, she can only be briefly seen sitting at a table and firing weaponry in the film's trailer.

Related: Anthony Mackie enters Brave New World in first look at next Captain America

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

If she is secretly a spy, this wouldn't be the first time in a Captain America film where a character was presented one way, only for their own agenda or backstory to be later revealed. Mackie’s Sam Wilson even warns Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) that his “inner circle has been compromised” in the trailer, which means that there could be a plethora of double agents — or hidden superheroes — at work in the White House.

We'll have to wait and see what changes have been made when Brave New World soars into theaters on Feb. 14, 2025. For now, watch the trailer above.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.