Last week, we reported that actor Michael B. Jordan was in the running to play Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot.
The news was met with skepticism in some corners related to reports that Allison Williams was in the running to play Sue Storm aka the Invisible Girl. Some fans raised a flag because of the actors’ races –Williams is white, Jordan is African-Amercian.
Jordan says skin color shouldn’t make a difference in whether or not someone is considered for the role.
“The characteristics of the Human Torch are his name is Johnny Storm, he’s charismatic, and he’s a playboy. That’s it. You know what I’m saying? That’s all there is,” Jordan explains
Jordan goes on to say that he’s worked with the reboot director Josh Crank on Chronicle, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to get the part or that there is any official news on the role yet.
“It’s something that, if it happened, I would be ecstatic. I’d love to be a part of it. I get a lot of support and a lot of love from comic-book geeks. I love it,” he said. “If you go looking for negative things, you’re going to find it.”
“The characteristics of the Human Torch are his name is Johnny Storm, he’s charismatic, and he’s a playboy. That’s it. You know what I’m saying? That’s all there is,” Jordan explains
And that he is Susan Storm’s brother. How are they going to explain that? Adoption? Step-Siblings? Ignore it completely? Alternate reality?
To be honest, changing a story too much from established canon would ruin the story for me.
Whats next, Benjamin Grimm is now Barbara Grimm?
Exactly what I was thinking.
And yes, if they change the story too much from the canon, I wouldn’t be interested either. Which is kind of the reason why I’m no looking forward to Man of Steel (I mean, turning Jimmy Olsen into a girl? What were they thinking.)
As long as they come up with a reasonable explanation, I wouldn’t be upset. It’s if they gloss over it, or don’t have a reasonable explanation, that’s what will cause problems with the origins and the characters’ relationships, and the expectations of the fans.
If they lock in the casting and put out an explanation before they start production/principal filming, I think the die-hard Marvel/FF fans will accept it, shrug it off, and go back to the more expected arguments about the story the movie’s following, and how or if it fits into the comics canon 🙂
That happens in real life every day. Same Mamma different Pops or vice versa. That makes them half-siblings and of the same family tree. I’m not sure what all the big whoop is. I thought we had evolved beyond such race pettiness by this time, especially scifi people raised on the milk of Roddenberry and P.K. Dick.
I think the folks complaining the loudest are doing so because it would mess up the long-established family bond amongst the Four, which would effectively turn them into a smaller band of X-Men otherwise… a team, but not a family.
I’m guessing it’s also a backlash against the possibility of a clueless casting director or someone not familiar with the FF at all throwing out names, not realizing what a huge mess they’d be cooking up 🙂
You pretty much summed up what is bothering me most about this!