Dread Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Ha! This is the sound of the internet tearing in half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadzilla Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Ha! This is the sound of the internet tearing in half. Evidently, it did There are some interesting points in the editorial, to be sure. One thing is for certain, though. Tony Todd MUST play Uncle Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightWing Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 >_< I am not a fan of race-switching for comic book characters. I don't want Peter Parker or Batman to be black, and I don't want Luke Cage, Mr. Terrific, or Steel to be white. People always use the excuse of "well, what's wrong with X character being black?" but that's not the point. It's not an issue of racism; it's an issue of altering iconic characters. If they want to switch a character's race, then make him/her a different character entirely, as was done with Ultimate Nick Fury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 And they fucked Nick Fury up by making him Sam Jackson. Fidelity is only as important as the fans make it. The real reason, and the most informed comment on that puff article, is that less than 13% of America is black. Regardless of how racist it seems, studios won't cast a black man in a role they feel they need white kids to identify with. They're right to some extent. They can't risk the possibility of Spider-Man being seen as a "black movie" which will bring in much lower numbers than they need to validate their reboot. It's cold but its true to some extent. In fact, one of my favorite moments in modern SM story is when he said to a racist "how do you know i'm not black under this mask?" Him being a white character gave that statement so much more depth. Maybe I'm rambling but the point is, it won't happen. Not because of overt racism, but because of the money behind the film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightWing Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 See now, I like Sam Jackson-Nick Fury. But you're right about all of that; I'm not worried or anything. I just hate it when people assume that there's no reason beyond pure racism to not change a well-established iconic character's race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 From his work on Community, I'm a fan of Donald Glover. If he were to get cast in the role, I would have no problem with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venneh Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 I've never seen Glover in anything, but hey, if he can carry the part, I'd be interested to see a black Spidey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadzilla Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Fidelity is only as important as the fans make it. True. Quite true. There are very solid reasons for fidelity to the sourcer material ("It isn't broke, don't fix it" being a good one) and there are some excellent reasons for non-fidelity to the source material (JAWS being a fine example, the casting of Ledger - which had a lot people goung "THEY CASE WHO!?! WTF!!!" a few years back - as the Joker being another). The real reason, and the most informed comment on that puff article, is that less than 13% of America is black. Regardless of how racist it seems, studios won't cast a black man in a role they feel they need white kids to identify with. They're right to some extent. They can't risk the possibility of Spider-Man being seen as a "black movie" which will bring in much lower numbers than they need to validate their reboot. It's cold but its true to some extent. Well, truth can be a very cold and very heavy burden. But the blunt truth is that there is, currently, a financial ceiling to "Black Cinema." Tyler Perry, the "Steven Spielberg" (in terms of box office success) of African-American film makers, has a gross cap in the 60 to 80 million dollar range. Solid box office, but still low enough for investors to give pause if Perry up and decides to make a 100 million dollar movie instead of his usual 20 to 30 million dollar movie. (Although his budgers were considerably lower back in the day. Not because of overt racism, but because of the money behind the film. While it isn't overt, the money issue can certainly lead to concerns over "soft racism." How often has the "race really doesn't matter" arguement been used to gloss over the white washing of characters? The most recent dust-up was over the Anglofication of the live action characters in The Last Airbender. But there have been long and storied moments where a "minority" character was played by a decidedly non-minority performer. Joel Grey and Roddy McDowall playing Chiun in The Destroyer movie and TV pilot (respectively) and Jonathan Pryce playing a Vietnamese character in the Broadway production of (I believe) Miss Saigon. Although this practice was parodied to some good effect in Tropic Thunder, it still remains a disquieting practice, nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 While it isn't overt, the money issue can certainly lead to concerns over "soft racism." How often has the "race really doesn't matter" arguement been used to gloss over the white washing of characters? The most recent dust-up was over the Anglofication of the live action characters in The Last Airbender. But there have been long and storied moments where a "minority" character was played by a decidedly non-minority performer. Joel Grey and Roddy McDowall playing Chiun in The Destroyer movie and TV pilot (respectively) and Jonathan Pryce playing a Vietnamese character in the Broadway production of (I believe) Miss Saigon. Although this practice was parodied to some good effect in Tropic Thunder, it still remains a disquieting practice, nonetheless. Agreed. In fact, that's about the only thing TT got right. My personal favorite is John Wayne as Genghis Khan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Also, and I just thought about this, it's in everyone's best interest for Peter Parker to not only be portrayed white, but to be portrayed as he is in the comics. Let's face it, these movies aren't made to be art. They're marketing machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDK_theBatmaN Posted June 3, 2010 Report Share Posted June 3, 2010 >_< I am not a fan of race-switching for comic book characters. I don't want Peter Parker or Batman to be black, and I don't want Luke Cage, Mr. Terrific, or Steel to be white. People always use the excuse of "well, what's wrong with X character being black?" but that's not the point. It's not an issue of racism; it's an issue of altering iconic characters. If they want to switch a character's race, then make him/her a different character entirely, as was done with Ultimate Nick Fury. You beautifully put into words exactly how I feel. In fact, one of my favorite moments in modern SM story is when he said to a racist "how do you know i'm not black under this mask?" Him being a white character gave that statement so much more depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFetch Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 Josh Hutcherson is on the short list for the role of Peter Parker in Marc Webb's upcoming Spider-Man reboot, the actor confirmed to Movieline today. "[i}t’s kind of exciting..." the actor said in an interview, "...to see how much excitement there is already built up about it. I’m really excited for the restarting either way. People are like, 'Did you read the comics growing up?' No, not really, but the first movie came out when I was nine years old! I grew up watching those movies." Other, still-rumored contenders for the part include Jamie Bell, Frank Dillane, Alden Ehrenreich, Andrew Garfield, Aaron Johnson and Anton Yelchin. http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/102704-josh-hutcherson-confirms-spider-man-rumors I had to look up who he was. Not a bad choice in my opinion. He's had a ton of acting experience for being only 17. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted June 19, 2010 Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 I've never seen him act, but he has a good look for a young Peter Parker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFetch Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 Yeah, he's one of those actors that you don't realize you've seen a bunch of times. I've seen 4 of his movies, and never knew it was the same kid in all of them. RV, Zathura, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Bridge to Terabithia. He's also carried a bunch of movies as the lead, so that's nothing new for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightWing Posted June 19, 2010 Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 That kid is frikkin' brilliant, and he'd fit great with Webb's directing style. I approve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaunKL Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 Hrm, I've seen RV and Zathura. I don't quite know about him, but if he is chosen I shall be happy to be proven wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuaveStar Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 Hrm, I've seen RV and Zathura. I don't quite know about him, but if he is chosen I shall be happy to be proven wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightWing Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 He was great in Terabithia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 Andrew Garfield has been cast as Spider-Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 I'm on board. Good enough for Fincher, good enough for anything as far as I'm concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFetch Posted July 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 That's going to be one ugly Peter Parker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightWing Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 Nah. He's about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 Yeah, like Tobey Maguire's a lantern-jawed man-god. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 That's going to be one ugly Peter Parker. I don't know Jack, He strikes me as the right person for the role. Well, At least his looks do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFetch Posted July 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 He's almost 30. How is that right for the role of a teenage Peter Parker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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