Marvel confirms Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie as first LGBTQ superhero

Tessa Thompson has played Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame. Photo / AP

Marvel has confirmed that Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie is the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first openly queer character.

During the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic-Con last weekend, it was confirmed that Thompson would reprise her role as Valkyrie in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, The Huffington Post reports.

When asked about her character's role in the film, Thompson confirmed Valkyrie - who was crowned the new king of Asgard in Avengers: Endgame - will be canonically queer in the film.

"I think first of all as king, as new king, she needs to find her queen. That'll be her first order of business. She has some ideas. Keep you posted."

Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok. Photo / supplied

Marvel head Kevin Feige then confirmed to iO9 that Love and Thunder - directed by Kiwi Taika Waititi - would feature a queer storyline.

"The answer is yes ... How that impacts the story remains to be seen with that level of representation you'll see across our films, not in just Thor 4."

With 23 films under their belt, the MCU has not yet featured a single LGBTQ+ superhero.

Natalie Portman, Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson are all returning for the fourth Thor. Photo / AP

Thompson confirmed on Twitter in 2017 that Valkyrie is bisexual - but it was later revealed a scene confirming this was cut from the film.

With Waititi back to direct the fourth Thor, Feige also revealed Natalie Portman would return to the franchise to take up the hammer as female Thor.