It’s becoming a familiar refrain. Hollywood churns out film based on beloved anime (or plain ole’ animated) property, and fans revolt/recoil at casting news. Receiving particular derision these days is the casting of The Last Airbender, the live-action film based on animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. It likely doesn’t help that director M. Knight Shyamalan has become a bit of an internet punching bag in the past few years. However, that only exacerbates the tension that’s already present when Avatar’s pan-ethnic selection of characters gets overrun with extremely white actors.
This is similar to the storm that erupted when the Dragonball live-action trailer hit. Fan reaction videos overran YouTube; Schwapp compiled a number of the clips here, and they run the gamut from impassioned to generally pissed.
Obviously, it would be easy for outside perspectives to dismiss this as typical fan-grousing. However, I think that it illuminates a couple of important points. First, fans like the media to honor the material. And secondly, isn’t it about time that some white kids complained that the studios aren’t recognizing ethnicity? That, to me, is a welcome notion.
What do you think, gentle readers?
January 12th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
The white washing of ethnicities in fantasy and science fiction adaptations should bother more than just fans.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
“Extremely white actors”? Are we talking about albinoes here?
January 12th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Here here! Nice, unaggressive article you have. And for Beheader, I think he means they’re people like blonde pop star Jesse McCartney, and the incredibly pale, ‘vampire’, Jackson Rathbone. Not to mention Noah Ringer, from Texas, and this ‘darling little angel’: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm259495680/nm2443758
January 12th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
So, fans are upset over casting decisions for an upcoming genre-related project, and making decisions befoer a single frame has been shot?
Well, I’m glad that’s being covered here in Blog@, as opposed to the News section. Cause that sure ain’t.
January 12th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
i was very disappointed to learn of the casting of avatar…still am.
January 12th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
They are mad because it’s racist not because they are fanboys.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Why do they need to make a live action version of it anyway?Theres nothing wrong with it now.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
@ Yawn: You’re absolutely right… Avatar was great show, possibly my favorite animated show ever (although The Simpsons and JL/JLU are right up there too). Also, probably my 2nd favorite show of the past few years (behind only Lost). I thought the show ended much too soon, and there’s really no need for a live version. Fans will, undoutbedly, compare the screenplay, the cast, everything, to the show and the film will likely come up short. Condensing three seasons of a show into three movies? Not liking it.
@ Vinnie: It’s only not news because other outlets (EW, AICN, and others) reported all of this weeks ago and ‘Rama was slow on this one. Otherwise, since when is film casting (esp. when it’s for a major studio film) not news? When it’s casting that’s got fans up in arms (Jesse Freakin’ McCartney? As Prince Zuko?? WTF?), and when it’s film by the always controversial M. Night Shama-lama-ding-dong, that’s news. Just beacause you’re not interested doesn’t make it not news.
As for not having shot any film yet… Well, Shyamalan’s track record of the past few years speaks (badly) for itself. And if you know the Avatar TV show at all, then you why the casting of a prissy Disney star like Jesse McCartney, in the role of a total badass like Zuko, is all wrong. Then there’s the “white wash” of casting all caucasian kids when really, the cast for this film should be all Asian. Maybe I’ll be wrong, but I expect this film to suck, and suck hard.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:16 am
I want to reserve judgement for the movie but it helps to see how valid their complaints really are:
http://aang-aint-white.livejournal.com
It’s making a lot of sense really. Doesn’t hurt to speak out about the suspicious handling of the casting though.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
“Philly is a great place to find extras, people here bring a great authenticity to the film,” Ricketts said.
Yeah, seriously.
I’m sure they’ll find tons of asians in Philly!
January 27th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Vinnie Bartilucci, I have to disagree.
http://aang-aint-white.livejournal.com/1007.html
Take a look for yourself about how the show is supposed to be. How can you put white actors in those scenarios and pull them off? What, you pinch their eyes and put on some “yellow” makeup? That’s incredibly disrespectful.
I definitely think that this is news, and that people should start covering this controversy. I hope the boycott succeeds, though I doubt it will.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I think that it’s really sad that people don’t care about white washing when it comes to something that is obviously based on Asian culture. Just think, in Lord of the Rings it’s never stated that everyone is white, but since it’s set in a fantasy European setting we all just assume. So when we get a fantasy world based on Asia the producers automatically think….white?
By this point, they should know that casting Asians (or Inuit or some other Native person) won’t hurt the film. Just look at ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.’ That one was even subtitled and people loved it.