racism in hollywood - and how far it has come.

[TheComicbookKid]

The thing is, it's kind of self-perpetuating problem. Films with predominately black casts are aimed at black audiences.

And if you're wondering what I mean by that, the entire cast is black. The only non-black characters are villains, or stooges.

But I don't see how Hollywood is able to pander/market Superman or Noah to Christians and not lose sight by making it a "Christian movie" but can seem to put money behind "Beyond the Lights" without it being a "black movie" and just being whatever.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well, the big budget and special effects helps. Most "black movies" have fairly modest budgets, since they have limited marketability.

 

[KevanG]

If you've been following FF movie news rumors, casting is the very least of it's problems.

Hey, Hobo Doom is going to be amazing.

"Richards! I will have my revenge! Soon as I get some change for coffee. Hey buddy, spare some change?"

 

[jaymes_e06]

I thought you put "Lobo vs. Doom" and was about to get really excited and confused at the same time but then I read more carefully.

#depression

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Well, the big budget and special effects helps. Most "black movies" have fairly modest budgets, since they have limited marketability.

It's not even about budget. Hollywood knows how to promote horror movies to more than one demographic. Even rom-coms aren't all marketed the same. They won't put a Helen Mirren romance movie out for Valentines Day. They want couples of all kinds going to the movies so they put Gerard Butler or Jen Garner..etc.

 

[SuperJediHero]

The reason people have a problem with Fantastic Four casting is because Chris Evans did a GREAT JOB as him! Chris Evans is actually a very good and underrated actor. So, I think people want to find a replacement that looks like Chris Evans as close as they can find, and also have the same acting abilities.

It's not about being racist, but want something that doesn't completely look out of place than their last impression, also facing a huge unknown in the acting quality.


I am sure if this actor play a GREAT Johnny Storm, like Jennifer Lawrence's acting levels, then all will be well. Everyone will be worshipping his talent than worry about the skin colors, but the problem is no one knows that yet! He could possibly also act bad, then that wouldn't be good.


As for Samuel L Jackson playing white characters, like Nick Fury, etc there isn't any problem, because this man is an acting LEGEND already!

 

[SpideyFan866]

I'm not sure about anyone else, but the reason I have a problem with the Johnny casting is that it was wholly unnecessary, and racebending for the sake of racebending.

When it comes to comic book adaptations, you are dealing with (first and foremost) a visual medium. And in he case of the Fantastic Four, characters that have been around for 50+ years.

And so....... there's no good reason why they should ever be represented as a race other then what theyve been for half a century.


Johnny Storm is white.

Period.

 

[SuperJediHero]

To me, I think the industry is already going ABOVE and BEYOND now days in finding talented blacks to fulfill whatever roles that's aliens or not necessarily defined in comics what their race is. Again, already going ABOVE and BEYOND! So, there is a line need to be drawn and no need to be changing very popular, well-known characters to another race that the comics never ever suggested.


At any time, an artists' work, idea should be forever respected and be faithful to, when getting adapted by other people. Major changes are very disrespectful to the original artists!

 

[moviedoors]

I have a problem with the Johnny casting is that it was wholly unnecessary, and racebending for the sake of racebending.\

How can anyone make a comment like that when they haven't seen a single second of the performance yet?

 

[Godzilla2000]

It's nice to practice toleration towards other ethnicities but in effect have we lost all interest in tolerant Caucasians as well?

 

[Lilbaz]

The problem is there are not enough writers in America from ethnic backgrounds. Roxanne Gay did some research of the NY Times book reviews and found that nearly 90% were white.

http://www.poynter.org/mediawire/to...-new-york-times-are-written-by-white-authors/

I would guess that this would be similar to script writers.

Writers will usually write what they know. Thus most of the main characters will be white. How can a middle class white man write a story from the perspective of a black girl brought up in a ghetto? Not only could he get the perspective wrong but risks creating a caricature or sterotype and then himself be called racist.

There needs to be more encouragement for kids from ethnic minorities to become writers. The music industry needs no help, the creativity and skill is there. It is probably a catch 22 situation though. How do you get a child from ethnic background into books when there are hardly any written by people he can relate to?

 

[Lilbaz]

It's nice to practice toleration towards other ethnicities but in effect have we lost all interest in tolerant Caucasians as well?

I do think that film should represent society that we live in. But they do have to respect the source material. Casting Djimon Hounsou in Knights of the Round table as a Merlinesque character worries me. If it means they are going to cut Merlin and he will play that role it craps over a thousand years of mythology. There are not many great Celtic heroes, changing ones nationality/race/history will hurt.
If they want a black role in the film/s then write a new one in. Robin Hood Prince of Thieves did it well enough with Morgan Freeman.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

I'm not sure about anyone else, but the reason I have a problem with the Johnny casting is that it was wholly unnecessary, and racebending for the sake of racebending.

When it comes to comic book adaptations, you are dealing with (first and foremost) a visual medium. And in he case of the Fantastic Four, characters that have been around for 50+ years.

And so....... there's no good reason why they should ever be represented as a race other then what theyve been for half a century.


Johnny Storm is white.

Period.

exactly. well, I'm sorry to see that you've been banned, but I think you're right in this case. The same goes for Heimdall. They add racial diversity just for the sake of it, and even decide go ignore the fact that he's Sif's brother. You know what, I don't care that he's black if he even had one line referring to Sif as 'sister' I would've been fine with it. But they thought it was more important to have racial diversity than to stick to the source material.

And the case with Johnny, going back to my OP, yes they added racial diversity by making him African American, but is it a coincidence that they chose an African American instead of an Asian, brown, Hispanic i.e so on and so forth (aside from the fact that there are not that many actors from those ethnic backgrounds to be casted)?

 

[Erzengel]

The new movie with Kevin Hart as the "Best Man" for hire, I got annoyed by him being exasperated during the trailer and says, "White People." I know if some white person said, "Asian, Hispanic or Black People", there'd be a s' storm.

 

[SuperT]

To me, I think the industry is already going ABOVE and BEYOND now days in finding talented blacks to fulfill whatever roles that's aliens or not necessarily defined in comics what their race is. Again, already going ABOVE and BEYOND! So, there is a line need to be drawn and no need to be changing very popular, well-known characters to another race that the comics never ever suggested.


At any time, an artists' work, idea should be forever respected and be faithful to, when getting adapted by other people. Major changes are very disrespectful to the original artists!

If you truly think Hollywood is going "above and beyond" in representing minorities in the film industry than you are completely delusional.

 

[BatmanVSuperman]

Black population is about 13% and whites around 70%+ so I think in terms of film and tv there is actually quite a bit of representation for a minority segment of that size. We have lead shows with black females (who are about 7% of total US population) like Scandal now. Lead roles for black men (who are 6% of total US population) in both movies and shows. Of course it would make sense to see more coverage from the majority population though, as that represents the majority of audience also seeing the film. Still, if you think about it, there is more than sufficient representation for black people based upon proportional population stats.

 

[chaseter]

The new movie with Kevin Hart as the "Best Man" for hire, I got annoyed by him being exasperated during the trailer and says, "White People." I know if some white person said, "Asian, Hispanic or Black People", there'd be a s' storm.

It's a double standard.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I don't think blacks are under represented either. If the country were half black I'd say so. Yet like pointed out they are such a small portion of the population, so get pretty good exposure if you think about it.

 

[SuperT]

...you people are joking right?

 

[Manic]

Are... are people really trying to justify a lack of diversity in TV/film by population ratios? By that logic, because Polynesians make up only 0.2% of the US population, Jason Momoa shouldn't be getting any work at all.

 

[childeroland]

As the lack of excitement over him playing Aquaman clearly shows.

 

[Breogan]

I don't think blacks are under represented either. If the country were half black I'd say so. Yet like pointed out they are such a small portion of the population, so get pretty good exposure if you think about it.

While I still think blacks are under represented in leads, population wise I agree - Latino and Asians are the ones who are most under represented.

Just looking at upcoming Marvel & DC Superhero slate as an eg, there are at least some strong black lead Superhero projects in the works - Black Panther, Cyborg, Luke Cage, Dead Shot, and several strong secondaries already entrenched in the movie franchise Fury, Storm, Falcon, Iron Patriot, there was Blade trilogy too.
While by comparison there are absolutely NO strong Latino or Asian movie leads in the works.
Not even any secondary characters either developed or upcoming.
That is abysmal.
Other than Marvel's Shang-Chi (nope their martial arts guy will be Danny Rand) they haven't even developed any strong adult lead Asian or Latino characters in the comics themselves, to actually turn into movies.

So yeah by comparison Latino and Asians are really the most underrepresented.

 

[childeroland]

Supposedly Sony wont even consider a Miles Morales film.

 

[MadVillainy]

Supposedly Sony wont even consider a Miles Morales film.

so?

 

[Spider-Who?]

I do think they should just say "black". Though most black people are urban.

Still we don't call things relating to white people "rural".

Suburban on the other hand...

Instead of "rural" people say "redneck".