What the heck?

[The Toyroom]

Well, here's a dumb question...what about the Green Lantern? Isn't there a black version of that hero? That confused me.

That's different....there were originally 3600 members of the Green Lantern Corps....Hal Jordan (white guy) was the GL for Earth...his substitute/back-up was John Stewart (black guy). Since then, they've changed up the membership a few times and John Stewart is a full-fledged member now. John Stewart got play as a member of the Justice League on the recent cartoons instead of Hal Jordan.

If Hal Jordan was suddenly being written as a black guy, then I'm sure you'd see an uproar amongst fans.....

[Timothy2251]

All honesty, but does it really matter that Heimdall's being played by a black actor, or Hogun by a Japanese actor? Thor's the star of this flick, the story revolves around him, and having a bit of diversity amongst what are second/third-tier characters is no big deal - they're just window dressing (they are gods after all, so they can look however they want to look. Hey, some of Kirby's armor designs in the comics weren't exactly authentic Norse styles, and nobody was getting their knickers in a twist over them). Who knows? Heimdall might wind up the breakout character of the flick!

I'm just hoping for a good and involving story, and entertaining, dramatic visuals. I get that, and I'll happily, eagerly buy into a black actor being the guardian of the Rainbow Bridge. I bought into organic web-shooters, I can easily get into this.

ETA: Oh, and I'm always happy to see more John Stewart rockin' the ring, so much so that they could replace Ryan Reynolds with an actor like Colin Salmon as the lead, and I'd still be there opening night.

[Raydeen1]

More of the same old, same old. Bleh. The movie will probably stink.
I have no issue with any race but it bugs the hell out of me when they change things because they feel some need to. The comic book characters are popular for a reason. These movies would make money if they kept things as much like the comics as possible. The characters and mythos already work. No NEED to change things. Should Ron Weasley be a Chinese boy? How about Batgirl being a transvestite? It's just stupid IMO and wholly unnecessary.

[BlackKnight]

All honesty, but does it really matter that Heimdall's being played by a black actor, or Hogun by a Japanese actor? Thor's the star of this flick,...

To Me with this,.. It will not affect me. I don't read Thor, nore do I really care to, so to be honest, I have no Idea Who they are, so until It was just now pointed out to me, I would Have Never Known.

When Billy Dee was Harvey..., I never bought that...,
also When Terry in Spawn was White...
& I hate Berry As Catwoman .

[Werewolf]

All honesty, but does it really matter that Heimdall's being played by a black actor

Because Thor is based on Norse mythology. It's like having white people cast as character's based on African folklore.

[bondtoddbond]

Hollywood can't stand to keep comic characters as they were originally created. They hire screenwriters instead of comic book writers to make a story that they know very little about. Most of the stories you get, are filled with too many characters, too many origin stories, etc. Look how they wrecked the first Batman movies. Plus we need lots of stars in there too. Keaton's first was good, then they added 2 villians plus a mobster, plus hero support in the next 2 movies. It just becomes a free for all. Thor could be great if they kept it simple. Thor and Loki, no other Asgardian's until a sequel if they pull it off that is. The Punisher should have been so simple to pull off and they tanked the first 2, Warzone didn't do that well in theaters, but it was closest to the Punisher character, in my opinion. We just need to wait and see what we get.

[Meule]

Hollywood can't stand to keep comic characters as they were originally created. They hire screenwriters instead of comic book writers to make a story that they know very little about. Most of the stories you get, are filled with too many characters, too many origin stories, etc. Look how they wrecked the first Batman movies. Plus we need lots of stars in there too. Keaton's first was good, then they added 2 villians plus a mobster, plus hero support in the next 2 movies. It just becomes a free for all. Thor could be great if they kept it simple. Thor and Loki, no other Asgardian's until a sequel if they pull it off that is. The Punisher should have been so simple to pull off and they tanked the first 2, Warzone didn't do that well in theaters, but it was closest to the Punisher character, in my opinion. We just need to wait and see what we get.

I thought the Burton/Keaton Batman movies were great, but I agree Schumacher made a real mess of things I can live with 2 villains, any more is asking for trouble, especially when you add Robin and Batgirl

[The Bat]

To Me with this,.. It will not affect me. I don't read Thor, nore do I really care to, so to be honest, I have no Idea Who they are, so until It was just now pointed out to me, I would Have Never Known.

I with Ya on that BK...never been a Thor Fan, but I'll watch it because Kenneth Branagh is directing it.

The race change that has me ticked off the most, is Sam Jackson as Nick Fury. I want the REAL Nick Fury DAMMIT!

[Timothy2251]

Because Thor is based on Norse mythology. It's like having white people cast as character's based on African folklore.

Granted, if this was a straight up re-telling of original Norse mythology, like the The Song of the Nibelungs, you'd be correct. But isn't this flick based more on Marvel's take on Norse mythology? Jack Kirby's costume designs and Asgardian architecture weren't exactly faithful to Viking aesthetics (hey, Thor himself is supposed to have red hair and a beard and not that bright). Plus, the comic Asgardians were multi-cultural to an extent (wasn't Psyche from the New Mutants, a Native American, a valkyrie? Hogun's been rocking Mongolian style threads for awhile now, too. And I'm sure I've seen black Asgardians in a few background shots here and there in the comics).

Again, just an opinion and you do raise a very valid point. It's just with this flick being based on a comic book, I'm not worrying too much that it's not 100% lockstep with the source material. I'm just hoping whoever they cast in the roles knocks their performances out of the park.

[Brazoo]

I'm very skeptical about Thor being even remotely half decent regardless. Kenneth Branagh directed a few good movies earlier in his career, but not lately, and nothing with effects or action scenes, which means the reigns get handed off to another person on set or - shudder - the CGI production company. I would also bet that Thor has been retooled quite a bit, because on paper I think it's a lot less accessible to non-comic fans than Iron Man. For example Chris Hemsworth is playing Thor, but is he also playing Donald Blake? In the original comics the two are obviously completely different people - but I imagine people might be confused by that.

I'm more shocked by things like the "urbanized" stereotypical robots in Transformers than I am bothered by Samuel L. Jackson playing Nick Fury, for example. For one thing Nick Fury would be in his 80s if they never retooled the original character to some degree.

Morgan Freeman's invented character in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" seemed like an obvious attempt to make the story of Robin Hood marketable to a more diverse and contemporary audience, and I personally found his presence distracting when I saw that movie, but everything else in that movie was so terrible it didn't really matter. On the other hand Freeman's character in Nolan's Batman movies breaks from the original comic mythology, but it didn't bother me a bit.

[saildog]

I know race can be a touchy subject, but I think with some comics there is move for lateral movement.

It didn't bother me one bit that Sam Jackson was cast as Nick Fury. I realize that there are Nick Fury fans that might picture him one way and he was portrayed as another, but when I think of Nick Fury, I think smart and tough...and Sam Jackson pulls that off well.

It doesn't phase me at all if White is switched for Black or Asian or Hispanic or whatever, if the story can remain intact. Keep it smart is all I ask.

There are cases where it is unnecessary and would play stupid to the audience and I trust that Hollywood would recognize the distinction.

Change it up if you want to, if it can be done and if that's what you want to do to get the best actor or best story. Make Green Lantern another Green Lantern assigned to the same sector. That's fine. Just be smart and creative and don't make him Hal Jordan.

Don't do it just to be different because that is every bit as offensive as casting a White actor to play Luke Cage or Black Panther only for the sake of shaking it up (because it us unnecessary and plays counter to the story).

If you want to make Superman Black or Falcon White.....create a damn compelling story. I'm not saying it can't be done, it just better be necessary to a compelling-*** story in either case.

[toys2cool]

I with Ya on that BK...never been a Thor Fan, but I'll watch it because Kenneth Branagh is directing it.

The race change that has me ticked off the most, is Sam Jackson as Nick Fury. I want the REAL Nick Fury DAMMIT!

i agree

[saildog]

I'm curious why Nick Fury has to be white (or black or asian or hispanic or purple).....?

Not trying to be a dick, but I don't get why Nick Fury's race should be a trump to his characteristics. Seriously, it's Nick Fury....why is HE untouchable?

[Brazoo]

It didn't bother me one bit that Sam Jackson was cast as Nick Fury. I realize that there are Nick Fury fans that might picture him one way and he was portrayed as another, but when I think of Nick Fury, I think smart and tough...and Sam Jackson pulls that off well.

Totally. I'm a HUGE Kirby and Steranko fan, so I can understand some of the disappointment that Jackson doesn't look the same as the classic version of the character - but consider the fact that he was only in one scene in "Iron Man". All us comic guys needed to see was the eye-patch and we would know who he was right away, but the filmmakers needed to convey who Nick Fury was to the general public and they only had a few lines to work with.

So he needed the "smart and tough" reputation from previous rolls for people to understand the character, AND he had to be a huge star to show he was an important character, AND they needed a huge star who would accept a very small roll. That's probably a pretty short list of people to choose from - so I actually thought that Jackson was a great choice.

[BlackKnight]

I'm curious why Nick Fury has to be white (or black or asian or hispanic or purple).....?

Not trying to be a dick, but I don't get why Nick Fury's race should be a trump to his characteristics. Seriously, it's Nick Fury....why is HE untouchable?

To comicbook Fans who follow the character..., How it was explained to me , is it is quite Simple...

Back in the Day, & I guess REAL BACK in the Day.. Nick Fury Had is Own Comicbook. It was Called Sgt Fury and His Howling Commando's . This Book Took Place During WW2 . Now Knowing American History, A Black Man would have Not been incharge of an American Platoon of Ground Soldier's in 1945 or whatever.

As for Me...
I read too many Ultimate Books from the Past, and scene to many pics, where Fury was indeed Black, and actually Drawn to have Sam Jackson's Likeness, so It doesn't personally bother me at all. I also Believe that Fury isn't enough of a Main character , that a race change would bother me so, because I have already scene it , and it's an Idea that has been going on for the better half of a decade now. Jackson is Also 1 of them actors that has me at full attention when he opens His mouth. I love the way he reads his lines, and like damn near every single part he has ever done. .... Now if Luke Cage was ever White,... or Captain America Was Black,.. I might have some issues.