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White male lead in the spec script Disney bought for the live action remake of Mulan
- Thread starter lightskintwin
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Well we already know that Disney has had two new writers rewriting the spec script since 2015, as per the announcement they made. We also know Disney has been doing pretty well on this front recently, with the casting of Mowgli in The Jungle Book, and the cast of Moana (and that they made a point of mentioning a global search for a Chinese actress to play Mulan in the announcement, signaling that this is the most important role to cast). So it seems shortsighted and premature to indict them and the film outright based on the spec they bought, when it's entirely possible they are already making the right changes themselves. Presumably they are, based on recent history.
makingmusic476
Member
echoshifting
Banned
"This script may be racist and sexist but god damn they nailed the dragon. These jokes are perfect for Kevin Hart! Who cares that's all we will use anyway. Cut the check for the racist, sexist script."
NYCmetsfan
Banned
Keeps people from doing another competing movie. The plot could have other beats they like or characterizations.
If whitta was here he could tell us as I think Book of Eli was a spec.
But I've read stories where genders are reversed, characters origin's changed, motivations radially realtered, setting changed.
I think a lot of attaching people to certain scripts is hollywood politicing
I mean this is the Hollywood Reporters take on it
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disneys-live-action-mulan-gets-934976
This was 6 days ago.
This is exactly what the mob needs to understand. This spec script is not necessarily a foundation. They could have and very likely bought the script to borrow key sequences they liked and combine them with an internal effort.
It's fine to make Disney aware you don't want a white male lead, but to assume they are using one or ever considered using one with the information we have is nothing other than massive ignorance.
HomerSimpson-Man
Member
WTF? Don't even bother doing the movie Disney if this actually proceeds like this.
FinaruDensetsu
Member
Not surprised at all. Look at Dr. Strange and Iron fist as recent examples.
White makes green, brown and yellow don't in their opinion.
White makes green, brown and yellow don't in their opinion.
I'm just shocked that any screenwriter would write a script in that vein in 2016 with a straight face after the very vocal and harsh criticism such approaches have received in recent years.
Disney, you can't be this stupid...
If they greenlight it with these core elements still in place, then they have seriously fucked up.
Disney, you can't be this stupid...
If they greenlight it with these core elements still in place, then they have seriously fucked up.
NYCmetsfan
Banned
the dude's twitter seems to know this is coming but he wants to tell people its not even ok to think about these stories or angles. Which seems flawed because part of why they have re-writes is to fix these things the author might not have realized
they didn't, they've been re-writing it since last year meaning the script is around 2014 at the earliest
VendettaRed07
Member
FUCK Hollywood
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
It's fascinating to me that despite being written by seemingly two women that the film still ended up going for a male lead?
I mean I guess I shouldn't be surprised after having heard about some of the things women go through on Gottfrieds podcast from Amy Heckerling and a number of others but it's still interesting to see situations like this.
Absolutely dreading if Disney tries their hand at a live action Pocahontas
I mean I guess I shouldn't be surprised after having heard about some of the things women go through on Gottfrieds podcast from Amy Heckerling and a number of others but it's still interesting to see situations like this.
Absolutely dreading if Disney tries their hand at a live action Pocahontas
lightskintwin
Banned
It stirs up the crowd and gets him hits, which lead to money. Course there is going to be some details left out.
Yep. But confirmation bias / laziness is a bitch to overcome.
Except Disney has a recent history of being extraordinarily good on this front, from Moana to Star Wars to Agents of SHIELD to Luke Cage. So he has zero actual basis for worrying about this, unless of course, worrying about it will get him publicity. (Also, note the name of the blog, dude's ornery in general and likes to rant, facts be occasionally damned)
Pretty much this. If the standard for being upset about something is that it could "theoretically" go wrong, then we're going to be upset about everything all the time. Which I guess is a pretty good way to make money.
Demoncarnotaur
Member
Is it out there to read?
BronsonLee
Member
No.
Anyways, dude has an obvious agenda which combined with the fact that it's the og spec gives me serious pause about paying this any mind
Jesus, that video was cool as fuck. Dumbfounded was droppin some truth-bombs as well.
NYCmetsfan
Banned
We already had the new world which ironically would face all these criticisms
DIdn't use a north american native (she's of native south american heritage )
white lead
large age difference
pervy undertones (14 year old teenager with 30 year olds)
sixteen-bit
Member
what a shitty idea
lightskintwin
Banned
You mean Asians should give Disney the benefit of the doubt despite Doctor Strange, Daredevil season 2, and Iron Fist?
NHarmonic.
Member
wtf is this.
Disney could have bought the spec script so it's off the market. Most of their classics if not all are not original IP and so they could try to avoid another Jungle Book or Beauty and the Beast situation were another one makes a movie with the same original work.
Or they fuck it up and their is a white saviour at the end after all.
Or they fuck it up and their is a white saviour at the end after all.
D
Deleted member 465307
Unconfirmed Member
This is the script Disney said they bought and are now rewriting with a new pair of writers, right? Or am I thinking of a different Disney film?
If I'm right, it sounds like there's certainly room for a lot of rewriting and for this change to happen. Unless the original Mulan legend had a white merchant playing a valuable role (in the 5th century...), I'm all for this kind of criticism because I want to see this amazing woman save the day like I did back in 1998. If criticism like this is what guarantees the film ends up being what I think most people would hope for, then I absolutely welcome the pressure. Better now than later when it's too late to change.
If I'm right, it sounds like there's certainly room for a lot of rewriting and for this change to happen. Unless the original Mulan legend had a white merchant playing a valuable role (in the 5th century...), I'm all for this kind of criticism because I want to see this amazing woman save the day like I did back in 1998. If criticism like this is what guarantees the film ends up being what I think most people would hope for, then I absolutely welcome the pressure. Better now than later when it's too late to change.
TheGreatDirector
Banned
Get the fuck out with that bullshit.
xDUMPWEEDx
Banned
We are the missing the true choice from that poll:
BronsonLee
Member
We are the missing the true choice from that poll:
Did you watch Last Samurai?
SliceSabre
Banned
"How about we take the story of Mulan, but make it about a white person instead?"
I knew this would be a fucking joke.
I knew this would be a fucking joke.
lightskintwin
Banned
Exactly this at the bolded.
andythinkpad
Member
I would really love to see a costume test of Nick Cage dressed in Chinese armor, maybe with black Nick Cage hair.
FinaruDensetsu
Member
This right here.
Iron Fist goes double too. First Disney claims keeping Danny Rand is staying true to the comics which was a horrible example of cultural appropriation, all the while having Luke Cage toss aside and mock the ridiculous aspects of the blaxplotation in his origins.
Then Colleen can't simply be an Asian actress, they've gotta go with a half white half asian actress.
Rastafarian42
Member
BronsonLee
Member
Now I want Nick Cage in this movie giving Mulan instructions like he did HitGirl in Kick-Ass
Subpar Spatula
Banned
I saw spec script and cringed.
Yeah, it mentions the whole white savior thing but as noted Disney is actively rewriting it. Chances are they saw a gem in that script and kept it / added it to what they want Mulan to be in live action.
We should wait until casting is announced.
Yeah, it mentions the whole white savior thing but as noted Disney is actively rewriting it. Chances are they saw a gem in that script and kept it / added it to what they want Mulan to be in live action.
We should wait until casting is announced.
SigmasonicX
Member
I agree that it was misleading to present this news as though it reflects a version of the script that Disney is actively using, but it still says a lot that this was a script that was considered worthy to put on the market.
Besides, I don't see the harm in reemphasizing the point to Disney that inserting a white male lead in the story would be a horrible idea. If they are even slightly considering keeping that aspect, better to put pressure now than when the cast is announced and it would be too late.
Concerning the point of Asian actors vs. Asian American actors, I can see why there would be animosity. Looking at movies like Great Wall, you see that production companies in China are largely complicit with the inserting of white actors into Asian stories, since they feel it lends prestige. You see a lot of people on NeoGAF saying that it's alright to make Matt Damon the star because actual Chinese people are in favor of it, and thus the Asian Americans complaining about it are just whiners and/or just white people pretending to be Asian Americans. The fact is that Asian Americans do have a hard time getting good acting roles, and both due to what I mentioned and Hollywood often looking outside the US for Asian actors for various reasons. That said, without the proper context, his complaints can look very odd.
Besides, I don't see the harm in reemphasizing the point to Disney that inserting a white male lead in the story would be a horrible idea. If they are even slightly considering keeping that aspect, better to put pressure now than when the cast is announced and it would be too late.
Concerning the point of Asian actors vs. Asian American actors, I can see why there would be animosity. Looking at movies like Great Wall, you see that production companies in China are largely complicit with the inserting of white actors into Asian stories, since they feel it lends prestige. You see a lot of people on NeoGAF saying that it's alright to make Matt Damon the star because actual Chinese people are in favor of it, and thus the Asian Americans complaining about it are just whiners and/or just white people pretending to be Asian Americans. The fact is that Asian Americans do have a hard time getting good acting roles, and both due to what I mentioned and Hollywood often looking outside the US for Asian actors for various reasons. That said, without the proper context, his complaints can look very odd.
Mechanized
Member
This is some bulllllllshiiiiiit
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
GAF actor prediction were right on the money.
He is a little Chinese so that would be a small step-up.
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