[/caption]The Spiderman movie franchise has literally made billions; it is a franchise that has a huge following here and abroad and is now without the bankable Toby McGuire, who has played the web-slinger and who has decided to leave the franchise. Kirsten Dunst who has played Mary Jane, the love interest of Peter Parker, will also not be back. Donald Glover, a former writer for the show 30 Rock, fans are furiously petitioning for him to don the Spiderman costume, but it will be to no avail. No matter if Mr. Glover knocks the Spiderman audition out of the proverbial park, he will not get the role because he is black. And even if Mr. Glover gets the role, you are not going to see Mr. Glover playing Peter Parker kissing his love interest, Mary Jane, who is white.
Mr. Glover will be a casualty of what is reflective of the American movie audience. What is ironic about not having a Blackman kissing a white actress - is that those who are empowered to give their assent… are denizens of so called Liberal Hollywood… where supposedly anything goes, but not interracial love scenes. Be honest, you remembered the movie Monster’s Ball, the role that garnered an Oscar for Halle Berry? Could you imagine Denzel Washington doing to Julia Roberts what Billy Bob Thorton did to Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball? Even if Shakespeare were resurrected and wrote an interracial play, Hollywood would not put it on; moreover, no major actress would want the role because America at large still frown on these relationships. In law school, my roommates conveyed to me that there were white female porn stars who had clauses written in their contracts not to interact with black male porn stars - if this is so in the world of pornography... then you can see the enormous hurdle that Mr. Glover must straddle and overcome to play Spiderman. I am sincerely hoping that Hollywood will make a liar out of me; and if they do, and I will gladly opine about it here and elsewhere.
We have a black president in Barack Obama and many of my white brothers and sisters voted for him because only 15% of America’s population is Black. But do not measure our attitude towards race by that epochal step in voting in a Blackman for president… the true barometer in measuring race relations in America is when you see interracial relationships in our movies. Case in point, they just started the new show, the Bachelorette, who happens to be white… do you see any blacks among her dozen or so suitors? And if there is one, he will not be allowed to kiss her, as is the wont on that show. The irony is that these frown upon interracial relationships are rampant on the college campuses… of course, much of it on the down low.
Even if Shakespeare were resurrected and wrote an interracial play, Hollywood would not put it on
ردحذفUm. It's called "Othello."
Well if they were to (and they won't) cast Glover as Spider-Man, Sony would resolve the race issue by making Mary Jane black or Hispanic or Asian or whatever to get around the "uncomfortable interracial element" (because lord knows, if you're not white, you're something "other", and something other is "all the same"). Also, you're article is factually incorrect. Raimi, Maguire and Dunst were going to return, but Sony cancelled a 4th Spider-Man film for an unrelated reboot. What Batman Begins was for the Batman franchise, that's what the next Spider-Man film will be.
ردحذفLet's be fair though, this taboo is breaking down. Just off the top of my head, two TV shows have done it in just the last year, House with Omar Epps and Olivia Wilde, and Private Practice with Taye Diggs and Kate Walsh.
ردحذفAnd I don't really think the Monster's Ball comparison is relevant. Even if by some stroke of luck Glover is cast as Peter Parker, it's not like we'll see Spider-Man aggressively thrusting in and out of Mary Jane.
I get what you're saying though, and I certainly don't doubt that it's most likely the very unfortunate reality, but ya never know.
I don't doubt that racism is still a problem, and thats sad. I don't know if that will be the reason that Donald doesn't get the role though. They are starting over on spider man which makes me think they will go for a teenager not a 26 year old, who doesn't look 15.
ردحذفAlso I know this is in some way racial but the truth is that in the comic he is a little white guy with brown hair. It just depends how different they want to make the movie. Personally I would go see it the first day out if Donald was Spider Man but I have a feeling the creators will feel its too risky to upset the hardcore Marvel fans. To them (I know a lot of them) it would be like making Blade a white guy.
- Now thats the real problem there, thats what really shows racial problems, there are almost 0 black comic book hero's.
Stupid argument and stupid column. PETER PARKER IS WHITE! There's absolutely zero reason to make him black. In case blacks haven't bothered to notice, they're a minority. They're vastly over-represented in film and TV already. If anyone has a gripe, it's the Hispanics.
ردحذفCasting Sam Jackson as Nick Fury was acceptable because the comics had already made Nick Fury black (which was a moronic move in my view for many reasons, but whatever).
And this is from a guy that thinks Marvel really missed the boat by not replacing Steve Rogers with Sam Wilson instead of Bucky.
How about a Power Man, Black Panther or War Machine movie instead? There's no lack of interesting black characters with which to make a "black" comic book movie.
It'd be great if Hollywood was colorblind to everybody. I hardly see any Asian or Spanish American male leads if at all. I'm really tired of Hollywood being a black and white place. The leading arena of racism in Ho town is towards Asian males and not black males. Asian Americans have been in this country fro over 150 years and they're still doing stereotypes of us.
ردحذفIt's like putting Sean Hayes from Will & Grace into the role of Spider Man you just can't do it
ردحذفIt is sad there are still racial issues in this world. However, this movie is being based on source material. Peter Parker is a wirey little white kid. If I was making an X-Men movie, Storm would be black (and when they made an X-Men movie, SHE WAS!). Why? Becuase that's her character. Now if I was making a completely original Superhero movie, the characters race and origins could be developed however I pleased, since there is no character template I'm basing my character on.
ردحذفLet's face it, Peter Parker is white and Peter Parker is Spiderman...a reason Twitter mobs don't matter
ردحذفPETER PARKER IS CAUCASIAN (WHITE) OK. Im not racist, but this is going to ruin fans view of spider man. He suppose to be a teenager,DONALD IS TOO OLD. Donald should go for ant man.. My friend who is black thinks donald is too old too. I MEAN THIS IS SPIDER MAN=WHITE GUY. Im mexican and i wouldnt like spider man to be mexican. SPIDER MAN NEEDS TO STAY CAUCASIAN (WHITE) WHO CARES BOUT TWITTER MOBS. most of them will probably sneak into the movie and not pay. THERE ARE MORE SPIDEY FANS OUT THERE then ppl who think spidey should be donald glover.
ردحذفWe must never forget Michael J. Spread love, like he did.. The greatest person ever..
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