In the last few weeks, there have been two points of conflict in the geek and geek-adjacent film communities over casting of characters in upcoming movies.
This November we get a movie I have been really wanting, Doctor Strange, my second favorite Marvel Superhero. (Iron Man has always been by tops.) In the source material Strange learns his arts from an old Asian fellow known as The Ancient One. In the film this part has been gender-flipped to a woman and is being played by Caucasian actress Tilda Swinton. Some have been upset by an character that was clearly Asian suddenly becoming Caucasian.
Frankly this one has bothered me that much. The ‘character’ of the Ancient One was dreadfully close to stereotype and over the line as a cliche. Moving away from cliche is an improvement. I know that there are many who disagree with me and I understand their sincerely held position, but I am not convinced. A cliche is bad writing and I’m happy that we have hopes of avoiding such things in this film.
The second storm is centered on a live-action version of the well-known Japanese Anime Ghost in the Shell. I have never seen the original, but I am open to it, it’s just my exposure to Anime in general is rather limited. However what we have here is Japanese source material, with Japanese characters, now being made with the lead character, Kusanagi, being played again by a Caucasian, this time Scarlett Johansson. I have nothing against Scarlett, she is a talented actress and I have seen her deliver a number of very interesting performances but there is no reason to ignore the ethnicity of character in the casting.
Producers and Directors generally defend these casting decisions as being forced by the financing forces beyond their control. Stating that without a big star they can’t get big budgets to make these epic films. This is true – as far as it goes, but there is a lie of omission here.The banks and
The banks and investor group that fund these project DO want big stars attached to the projects. The signing of major stars signals serious resources and commitment to a project. Without that, it is very hard to raise the fund for a massive budget. I would say beyond hard and nearly impossible. But nowhere is it written that the big star have to have the lead role. That is the dirty secret they would prefer you not recognize.
Here is a famous case to prove this: Superman The Movie. When the producers signed a negative pick-up deal with Warner Brothers to make them film, that put them on the hook to raise the funds the make it, and this was not going to be a cheap movie. They needed stars who were ‘bankable’ and indicated a level of serious artistic commitment. Kids at this point that did not sign relative new-comer Christopher Reeve as their lead, they signed Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman. That, coupled with star writer Mario Puzo, brought in the funds to make the movie.
This argument – oh we can’t have a Japanese actress the lead because we won’t get funding – is a dodge, don’t fall for it. They made the call to cast it the way they did, their call not something forced and beyond their power to counter. (There’s also been an excellent argument made elsewhere that Asian actors haven’t been given the chance to build up to star power the way other have been. Look at the long line of credits Scarlett has before she exploded to a top line budget item. That matters too.)
So in short, Doctor Strange I am fine with, less cliches is better, Ghost in the Shell I call shenanigans.
