Billed as a not-so-typical superhero flick, Birds of Prey has been buzzing praise for its women-led cast, but its two male villains have seen a different kind of response from fans.
Actors Ewan McGregor and Chris Messina play the Black Mask and Victor Zsasz respectively in the spin-off from the Academy Award-winning film Suicide Squad.
Rumours swirled that the characters, in contrast to their original depiction in the DC comic books, might be gay.
Are the Birds of Prey villains gay? ‘More than likely’, says Chris Messina.
This was heightened when reports cited that the Black Mask’s characterisation will be that of a “flamboyant gay man”, polarising fans and leading to some to accuse the studio of whittling sexuality down to tired tropes.