Movies: DC Universe

[Jussi]

Seems like JJ Abrams is stating to show his influence over dc.

I don't think he's involved with that project.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

I don't think he's involved with that project.

Really I thought he is involved with the DCEU going forward. His movies are usually nostalgia focused so having Michael Keaton come back seems like something he would do.

 

[discostu]

Unsure if JJ is involved in it or not,but worth noting that the role of Jack in Lost was initially offered to Michael Keaton ( and was intended for the character to get killed off in the first episode).

 

[beowulf]

Looks like James Gunn could kill off anyone in Suicide Squad he wanted.

James Gunn Says He Can Kill Whoever He Wants in Suicide Squad

 

[beowulf]

So wait, another new Superman movie with Abrams and Ta-Nehiso Coates and Superman would be black? End of Cavill? Multiverse?
Superman Solo Film Is on the Way From Ta-Nehisi Coates and J.J. Abrams

 

[Rabid Ranger]

So wait, another new Superman movie with Abrams and Ta-Nehiso Coates and Superman would be black? End of Cavill? Multiverse?
Superman Solo Film Is on the Way From Ta-Nehisi Coates and J.J. Abrams

No thanks. I'm sure I'll get "cancelled" for this, but I don't want to see an alt-universe Superman (black or otherwise).

 

[beowulf]

No thanks. I'm sure I'll get "cancelled" for this, but I don't want to see an alt-universe Superman (black or otherwise).

It would not be something totally new for the movies as he does exist in the comics, if they are using the same one.



Who Was the FIRST Black Superman?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It would not be something totally new for the movies as he does exist in the comics, if they are using the same one.



Who Was the FIRST Black Superman?

I get it. I just don't want to see it.

 

[ItsAllPartOfThePlan]

No thanks. I'm sure I'll get "cancelled" for this, but I don't want to see an alt-universe Superman (black or otherwise).

Agreed. Cavill is awesome as Superman. So dumb if they recast

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Agreed. Cavill is awesome as Superman. So dumb if they recast

Well, I don't think it would be a black Clark Kent but a different iteration of Superman. That said, it's not a story I want to see.

 

[Jussi]

I hope it's a black Superman, just to trigger the internet. And John Campea.

 

[Jussi]

I hope it's a black Superman, just to trigger the internet. And John Campea.

Well it's now confirmed and Campea is all in favor of it! To no one's surprise, Geeks+Gamers people disliked it in the chat, even that black guy.

DC’s Black Superman Movie Will Reportedly Stick To Classic Comics Origin

 

[Rabid Ranger]

A black Kal-El? I guess a black Clark Kent? Lol.

 

[Drytoast]

I'm not watching that. I wouldn't watch a white black panther either. The identity politics in my entertainment can piss off.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

A black Kal-El? I guess a black Clark Kent? Lol.

Why would it matter what race Clark Kent is portrayed as? The character has never been about his race. He is an alien raised on Earth. White, Black, Yellow, Green, does not matter.

As long as the story is good and the movie entertaining, I do not care what color Clark Kent is.

They changed Nick Fury from White to Black and no one cared.

I'm not watching that. I wouldn't watch a white black panther either. The identity politics in my entertainment can piss off.

I guess you hated Black Panther and Falcon and the Winter Soldier then. In both, identity politics was a huge issue at the center of the story.

I mean, Superman, like Captain America, is a character reeking of identity politics.

So, what you mean is not "the identity politics in my entertainment can piss off" but "the identity politics that does not align with my World view can piss off". I mean, the "well, they cannot have a White Panther" cop out is pretty dumb. Of course they cannot, him being Black is at the core of his identity and always has been. Superman's skin tone was never a topic or a part of his character. Unless you think the perfect American poster boy needs to be White

Acting like real-life issues and entertainment are not intertwined is a weird cop-out.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Why would it matter what race Clark Kent is portrayed as? The character has never been about his race. He is an alien raised on Earth. White, Black, Yellow, Green, does not matter.

As long as the story is good and the movie entertaining, I do not care what color Clark Kent is.

They changed Nick Fury from White to Black and no one cared.



I guess you hated Black Panther and Falcon and the Winter Soldier then. In both, identity politics was a huge issue at the center of the story.

I mean, Superman, like Captain America, is a character reeking of identity politics.

So, what you mean is not "the identity politics in my entertainment can piss off" but "the identity politics that does not align with my World view can piss off". I mean, the "well, they cannot have a White Panther" cop out is pretty dumb. Of course they cannot, him being Black is at the core of his identity and always has been. Superman's skin tone was never a topic or a part of his character. Unless you think the perfect American poster boy needs to be White

Acting like real-life issues and entertainment are not intertwined is a weird cop-out.

I would say Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster would disagree with you. I just don't see the point in a black Kal-El/Clark Kent. If you want to make a black Superman make him a different character. That's all.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

What's next a RUSSIAN Superman????

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I would say Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster would disagree with you. I just don't see the point in a black Kal-El/Clark Kent. If you want to make a black Superman make him a different character. That's all.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster built Superman/Clark Kent to be the all-American poster boy. Yes, he is a Kryptonian and he has special powers, but what truly defines him is how he was raised by the Kent. He was raised by them to do good and uphold American ideals. The whole thing is constructed around American values. American values are not inherently White.

Now, of course, since they created the character in the 30s, it is very unlikely that they would have thought that a Black man could portray these values. I am not going to deny that. All I am saying is that changing Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent's skin tone changes absolutely nothing to the character and what it means. It IS social commentary though and it is part of today's identity politics, yes. Just like it was in the 30s when the character was created. Making him Black is subtext, but it does not change the core of the character.

@KallioWeHardlyKnewYe joked about a Russian Superman and he was referring to the Red Son comic arc. I do not know if you know that arc, but it basically explore who Clark Kent would have been if his spaceship arrived in the USSR. The series showed that it would have shaped him differently. Essentially, that arc confirms my point about Clark Kent being a symbol of American idealism. Making him Black does not change that. It is just more inclusive and, yes, it is social commentary.

Making Superman Black will create much more dialog because he is a stereotype of American values. The principle behind making Sam Wilson Captain America is the same. It works better because the transition is part of the story. Creating a new character from scratch does not achieve the same goal, I think.

I mean, I guess they could add a character to the Superman mythos, they could have a Black Kryptonian replace Kal-El after something happens to him and having to face racism and what not. It could work, but it probably would not be as impactful.

So, to me, at the end of the day, I do not care about Superman's ethnicity. I understand why they do it and I do not think it is inherently a bad idea. I do however acknowledge the business AND "social" risk considering the time we live in.

EDIT: At first, Superman routinely killed the bad guys. It changed because of some regulation (it was before the comic code). So, I guess the creators would not necessarily agree about the "no killing" thing

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

There are innumerable Superman stories in the world and there will be more. I have ZERO problem with creative people taking the basic ingredients and doing something different with it. It doesn't negate anything that came before it and probably isn't going to change anything that comes after. I suspect there's still going to be PLENTY of traditional Superman content in comics and animation and movies. This isn't going to put any strapping, square-jawed white dudes out of work.

 

[Osprey]

The issue that I have is that this isn't what it's meant to be. Racial equality would've been leaving the casting of Superman open to all races and going with the most suitable candidate, regardless of race. It also would've been leaving the director's chair open to all races and going with the most suitable candidate, regardless of race. Instead, Warner Bros. is actually announcing that they're restricting the casting of Superman to only actors of a certain race and the hiring of the director to only directors of a certain race. That's actually racial discrimination, yet we're expected to applaud it. I doubt that many people would be as supportive if their team announced that it would be considering only black players for its 1st round draft pick, instead of selecting the best player available. Like with Byfield becoming the highest-drafted black player ever, if Superman ends up being black, and the director, too, it should be for the right reasons, not because of skin color, IMO.

 

[beowulf]

I would say Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster would disagree with you. I just don't see the point in a black Kal-El/Clark Kent. If you want to make a black Superman make him a different character. That's all.

In the comics he is. Not sure why they have to make him Kal-El for this.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

There are innumerable Superman stories in the world and there will be more. I have ZERO problem with creative people taking the basic ingredients and doing something different with it. It doesn't negate anything that came before it and probably isn't going to change anything that comes after. I suspect there's still going to be PLENTY of traditional Superman content in comics and animation and movies. This isn't going to put any strapping, square-jawed white dudes out of work.

That's fine. Create a different character than an alt. Kal-El/Clark Kent then.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

In the comics he is. Not sure why they have to make him Kal-El for this.

From what I read that is the intent. It will be a black Kal-El. Not sure if his alter ego will be Clark Kent though.

 

[Jussi]

They changed Nick Fury from White to Black and no one cared.

No one's going to disagree with Samuel L. Jackson.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

The issue that I have is that this isn't what it's meant to be. Racial equality would've been leaving the casting of Superman open to all races and going with the most suitable candidate, regardless of race. It also would've been leaving the director's chair open to all races and going with the most suitable candidate, regardless of race. Instead, Warner Bros. is actually announcing that they're restricting the casting of Superman to only actors of a certain race and the hiring of the director to only directors of a certain race. That's actually racial discrimination, yet we're expected to applaud it. I doubt that many people would be as supportive if their team announced that it would be considering only black players for their 1st round draft pick, instead of selecting the best player available. Like with Byfield becoming the highest-drafted black player ever, if Superman ends up being black, and the director, too, it should be for the right reasons, not because of skin color, IMO.

Positive discrimination is unfortunately a necessary step for change.

That being said, not sure THIS particular issue is a good example of positive discrimination.