DC and their "Urban Demographic"

[DarkSuperman]

I just wanted to point out how sad I think it is that The WB is apparently trying to lure in the black people by reading hip-hop celebrities for the role of John Stewart in the new Justice League movie. As a black person myself, I was going to try and give them the benefit of the doubt that they weren't just going with John Stewart as Green Lantern to fill their token black character slot on the team, but they're proving me wrong with every new "Urban" candidate I hear to be a contender. I mean really...T.I. and now Tyrese Gibson?

Now I'm not the biggest fan of John Stewart (I like Kyle Rayner myself) but If he's in the movie I sincerely hope he's played by someone more upstanding and talented acting wise than a rapper and washed up R&B singer whose best performance line so far was "Bring it!" in transformers.

http://movieblog.ugo.com/index.php/movieblog/more/green_lantern_jla_candidate_2_tyrese_gibson/

 

[KenK]

I'll agree with you on T.I., but I'd say Tyrese isn't nearly as offensive as a contender. He's been acting about as long as he's been a popular singer, which is close to about ten years now, so it's not like he doesn't have ANY experience.

Besides, one of the most popular and respected black actors, with two Oscar nominations under his belt before even turning forty, started out as rapper.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Well, it's not like just because someone starts off as a rapper, doesn't mean they can't be a good actor. I mean, there's Will Smith, Ludachris, Mos Def...even DMX wasn't too bad for the s**ty action movies he's been in.

As for John being a Token--I wouldn't go that far, and even if he is, it's not like he wouldn't be written well. Hell, John in JL/JLU was put in essentially as a Token and he's probably one of the best GL interpetations outside of the comics.

Plus, I f**king hate Hal, so...

 

[KenK]

Well, it's not like just because someone starts off as a rapper, doesn't mean they can't be a good actor. I mean, there's Will Smith, Ludachris, Mos Def...even DMX wasn't too bad for the s**ty action movies he's been in.

Let's not get crazy now. But I'll agree with you on Luda. His appearances on Law & Order: SVU were great.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Let's not get crazy now. But I'll agree with you on Luda. His appearances on Law & Order: SVU were great.

The last one he did with David Arquette wasn't that bad, actually--perhaps because he's probably just as f**ked up as the character he played, but still.

SVU also reminds me: Ice-T. I laughed at first, since the guy who did "F**k the Police" is now playing a police officer, but he still did some awesome stuff there.

 

[chamber-music]

Well, it's not like just because someone starts off as a rapper, doesn't mean they can't be a good actor. I mean, there's Will Smith, Ludachris, Mos Def...even DMX wasn't too bad for the s**ty action movies he's been in.

As for John being a Token--I wouldn't go that far, and even if he is, it's not like he wouldn't be written well. Hell, John in JL/JLU was put in essentially as a Token and he's probably one of the best GL interpetations outside of the comics.

Plus, I f**king hate Hal, so...

I agree although I woul prefer an actor over a rapper. I want Morris Chesnut for the role but his probabley not a big enough name for the studio.

 

[The Guard]

The only concern I have is that they're only going to make John Stewart a badass architect. Which is not all John Stewart is.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Good replies so far guys, lets keep this thread that way Kenk got an avvy

Let's not get crazy now. But I'll agree with you on Luda. His appearances on Law & Order: SVU were great.

Agreed, the scenes where he defended himself in court were superb.

 

[The Guard]

You know, I don't think they're going to go so much for a particular ethnic or racial group as they're trying to appeal to the crowd who likes tough heroes. Hence the badass version John Stewart.

 

[thorstone]

There is no room for the Lantern in the first film.

 

[ZIPBAGS]

I said it before..Morris Chestnut is your man. While I still prefer Jordan. If they go with Stewart. Morris is your man.

I honestly think they need to have Steel in the movie with Henry Simmons. Just to the fact that it would help erase the embarressment of a movie the Shaq Steel movie caused.

 

[KenK]

Good replies so far guys, lets keep this thread that way Kenk got an avvy

Why am I not surprised that you're the first one to notice!

 

[Hunter Rider]

Why am I not surprised that you're the first one to notice!

I'm so predictable

 

[Ibn]

The only concern I have is that they're only going to make John Stewart a badass architect. Which is not all John Stewart is.

No! **** man. I like John as a military prick. Suits him. Where'd you hear that anyway? I must be missing out like hell.

 

[ANTOINE X]

I just wanted to point out how sad I think it is that The WB is apparently trying to lure in the black people by reading hip-hop celebrities for the role of John Stewart in the new Justice League movie. As a black person myself, I was going to try and give them the benefit of the doubt that they weren't just going with John Stewart as Green Lantern to fill their token black character slot on the team, but they're proving me wrong with every new "Urban" candidate I hear to be a contender. I mean really...T.I. and now Tyrese Gibson?

Now I'm not the biggest fan of John Stewart (I like Kyle Rayner myself) but If he's in the movie I sincerely hope he's played by someone more upstanding and talented acting wise than a rapper and washed up R&B singer whose best performance line so far was "Bring it!" in transformers.

http://movieblog.ugo.com/index.php/movieblog/more/green_lantern_jla_candidate_2_tyrese_gibson/

I would go even further than that . No need for for big actors in a super hero movie period. Most the of time when there s too many celebrities the movie suck! I don't see JlLA with T.i or tome cruise or what ever big actors or rappers.

 

[bunk]

Tyrese would be an obvious choice for WB (not the best choice). Basically, anyone who appeared in TF would be appealing. Added to that, the fact he's already played a military man a few times and stays in good physical shape. T.I. on the other hand would just be comical to me.

 

[Hole Shot]

I just wanted to point out how sad I think it is that The WB is apparently trying to lure in the black people by reading hip-hop celebrities for the role of John Stewart in the new Justice League movie.

They're not trying to lure in black people by casting a hip-hop artist, they're trying to lure in even more white teenagers by casting a hip-hop artist.

 

[Tony Stark]

Great thread, and I totally agree. You only need to look at how Marvel got Terrence Howard to play James Rhodes to see that you can get a great actor with a good solid resume, without having to spend Denzel Washington kind of money.

It's really insulting to say that the only black actor they can find are wrappers and hip-hop artists. It really just shows the lack of class and sophistication with the producers of this movie.

While I commend the producers for going for the John Stewart GL, because other than Blade there really hasn't been any black superheroes in all of these recent superhero films. But as Dark Superman says, they need to find someone to play the role of John Stewart who is a well rounded character, and not get someone to be the "token" character in the film.

 

[The Guard]

They're not trying to lure in black people by casting a hip-hop artist, they're trying to lure in even more white teenagers by casting a hip-hop artist.

Exactly. That's what I meant by appealing to the crowd that likes "tough" heroes.

No! **** man. I like John as a military prick. Suits him. Where'd you hear that anyway? I must be missing out like hell.

There's much more to John Stewart, and I hope like hell it shows up in JUSTICE LEAGUE, and that we don't get some half-ass "We don't know what to do with the character so we'll use him as angry muscle" writing of him. Sure he's a badass, because he began as abou the worst cliche Angry Black Man Character ever, but every other Green Lantern is a badass, too. John Stewart has MUCH more going for him that just his battle prowess. He's incredibly intelligent, probably the smartest Lantern of them all. He's extremely methodical, and he's very compassionate and resourceful, more so than a lot of other heroes. He's almost anti-violence at points in his career. There's a lot to work with, but not much that people have over the years.

 

[DarkSuperman]

Why am I not surprised that you're the first one to notice!

Is that the dude from Jekyll?

 

[Crazymaverick]

I just wanted to point out how sad I think it is that The WB is apparently trying to lure in the black people by reading hip-hop celebrities for the role of John Stewart in the new Justice League movie. As a black person myself, I was going to try and give them the benefit of the doubt that they weren't just going with John Stewart as Green Lantern to fill their token black character slot on the team, but they're proving me wrong with every new "Urban" candidate I hear to be a contender. I mean really...T.I. and now Tyrese Gibson?

Now I'm not the biggest fan of John Stewart (I like Kyle Rayner myself) but If he's in the movie I sincerely hope he's played by someone more upstanding and talented acting wise than a rapper and washed up R&B singer whose best performance line so far was "Bring it!" in transformers.

http://movieblog.ugo.com/index.php/movieblog/more/green_lantern_jla_candidate_2_tyrese_gibson/

I hear ya man.

How about this guy:

Green Lantern (John Stewart) - Leonard Roberts

 

[OobeDoobBenubi]

??????????

 

[Dotten]

I say go for Charlton Heston. He played a mexican, so why not let the old guy try out as a black man?

Seriously. Go for an actor, not a singer. They need to find a young Denzel. Someone with "eyes of integrity".

 

[DarkSuperman]

Great thread, and I totally agree. You only need to look at how Marvel got Terrence Howard to play James Rhodes to see that you can get a great actor with a good solid resume, without having to spend Denzel Washington kind of money.

It's really insulting to say that the only black actor they can find are wrappers and hip-hop artists. It really just shows the lack of class and sophistication with the producers of this movie.

While I commend the producers for going for the John Stewart GL, because other than Blade there really hasn't been any black superheroes in all of these recent superhero films. But as Dark Superman says, they need to find someone to play the role of John Stewart who is a well rounded character, and not get someone to be the "token" character in the film.

Thank You. I completely agree.

It's just so painfully obvious with these candidates that they are throwing out that they are trying to cater to the young black audience (Who The WB believes must all love hip-hop) by trying to cast well known Hip-Hop artists instead of talented more experienced actors.

I mean its blatant that Stewart is filling their token spot sorta like how Power Rangers always manages to have at least one African-American and one Asian. And that's okay, I'm not complaining about that too much. At least they're thinking about representing more ethnicities than just Caucasian. America is a melting pot of different sorts of people, likewise the Justice League should also represent this, so I'm cool with them having the black Green Lantern to represent diversity in the group.

HOWEVER...The WB should try much harder and ELEVATE John Stewart from "Token" black dude who cracks jokes and shoots green lasers, to someone who is developed as a character and can be respected as much as Superman or Batman. Nothing wrong with entertainers who are music stars trying their hand at acting, but this move smells of them just being Lazy and trying to cash in on Music Artists deemed popular among the African-American demographic.

If they want to be taken seriously as a studio and want JL to be hailed as more than just a weak popcorn flick they should seriously look for Quality over popularity. Henry Simmons, Morris Chestnut, D.B. Woodside, etc. Would make exceptional John Stewarts given the opportunity script wise to shine.

All I'm saying to The WB is TRY HARDER. :gl:

 

[Hunter Rider]

I think a good point was made earlier that the idea of casting a hip hop artist is to appeal to the young male demographic not the young black male demographic, Of course it should also be said that it would totally unfair to not let a rapper try out for the role, some decent actors have come out of the rap game and they deserve a shot as well as anyone else.