Spectral photographs: Ghostly memories, trauma, and the haunted past in the MCU's Avengers franchise
Published
30-9-2025
Type of Work
Book Chapter
Abstract
This chapter examines how the Avengers films use photography, memory, and ghostly imagery to represent trauma and unresolved loss. Drawing on Gothic theory, the chapter argues that photographs and visual traces function as spectral reminders of the past, allowing characters to confront grief, guilt, and collective memory. Rather than depicting ghosts as literal supernatural beings, the MCU presents haunting as a metaphor for psychological and cultural trauma, demonstrating how past events continue to shape identity, relationships, and the franchise's evolving narrative.
Citation
Piatti-Farnell, Lorna (2025) ‘Spectral Photographs: Visual Hauntings and Narratives of Trauma in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’ in Ghosts and the Gothic, ed. Ruth Heholt and Jo Passey. PP. 281-296. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Link to Published Work
https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181916/?__cf_chl_f_tk=9ox24mi_DVrSPQmwng9P.sr_IhBAkwsRwYr6uagb3EM-1782951661-1.0.1.1-SXoUtTB5EEYO7o_LAhoP4RZsxaWySdein19G6VBQpXw