Jonathan Lowell Spencer "Johnny" Storm AKA The Human Torch; is he black or white? Dateline investigates.

Jonathan Lowell Spencer "Johnny" Storm AKA The Human Torch; is he black or white? Dateline investigates.

no teaser needed, just jump right on in!

Editorial Opinion
By LinkoChumofsky - May 02, 2013 02:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Fantastic Four

MICHAEL B. JORDAN AS THE HUMAN TORCH?



Around 10:00 AM this morning yet another Fantastic Four casting rumor hit the web and has consequently infected our collective psyche, this time playing on the only thing we have to base this project on, Josh Trank's directorial debut the found-footage superhero film Chronicle. One of the stars of this feature Michael B. Jordan (who in it played the popular socialite Steve Montgomery) is now rumored to be just one of "numerous individuals" in the mix to portray Marvel's fictional superhero (the similarly characterized) Human Torch. The chances of him landing the role won't depend on "does he fit the physical description of the character created in 1961 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby" but instead depends on the chemistry Michael has with his co-stars... who will be? (According to the rumors: David Tennant, Allison Williams, and Bruce Willis, the latter of whom died this morning by self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head, allegedly to avoid being cast as The Thing)



Now there are those who support this casting (idiots) and others who are fine with it (morons) and worst of all those who are indifferent either way (who still bother to leave a comment) but the select few who fight against this rumor's legitimacy instead of being labeled "true F4 fans" or "people who actually care about comics" are just as easily labeled racists and bigots by those same idiots and morons distracted by the issue of race, in an argument that is more about how far filmmakers are allowed to skew the source material they should be honoring.

But here on ComicBookMovie.com these aptly titled "flamer wars" are so harmless and entertaining that it's easy to shrug off there even being an issue here at all. Many CBM users like to begin their comment with HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE: (oh, I didn't realize your opinion was the bottom line, do go on) and then go on about how changing the race of this character (that they clearly don't know or care about) isn't an integral part of the franchise (that they clearly are not fans of) But Jordan's attachment to the role now seems counter-intuitive to statements made by creative consultants on the film, saying the reboot draws all of its influence (and stays true to) the source material on which the entire story is based, comic books written in the 1960's, during a time without any black superheroes...

But hold on.. is race really the issue here?



No, of course not, it's meant to distract you from two contradicting elements that no one seems to notice, revealing that this whole thing is a clever joke. You see on one hand, it's very believable that Josh Trank would hold on to some of the actors that made his first film such a success. But on the other hand, use your common sense. You see what I mean? You used your common sense and that completely contradicts the first thing, doesn't it.

It is clearly an elaborate joke meant to expose the true bigotry and racism in people on the internet in the same way Sacha Baron Cohen pretends to be gay and calls himself Bruno to expose homophobia on the streets. The joke is always on us, no matter what! But strangely and inadvertently, the ruse has exposed something different, something worse than racism. The fact that most CBMers aren't true fans of the Fantastic Four, made clear by comments that say "what difference does it make?" the one sentence that has destroyed the artistic integrity of so many comic book movies.

"But space-clouds are easier to animate, what difference does it make if we totally misrepresent Galactus?" or "The actor who's playing Jim Gordon is fat and unattractive, what difference does it make if we make Batgirl into Alfred's niece?" and who could forget "Doctor Doom's origin is too complex to explain in one movie, what difference does it make if we give him the exact same revenge story as Norman Osborn had in Spider-Man 1?"

THE BOTTOM LINE IS:
Who SHOULD they cast as Jon Storm?
and better yet, REALISTICALLY who WILL Josh Trank most likely choose?



Callan McAuliffe is an 18 year old Australian actor who made history last year as the youngest winner (internationally) of a "GQ Men of the Year Award" for his work in the performing arts in 2012. He was announced GQ Magazine's Australian "Breakthrough of the Year" Award Winner for 2012.
His best known roles are in I Am Number Four, Flipped, the upcoming adaptation of The Great Gatsby as Leo DiCaprio's younger counterpart, the upcoming anime live-action adaptation of Kite, and the canceled Alex Proya's adaptation of the epic poem Paradise Lost.
So what do you think about his possible casting? Do you think its being realistic or just playing it safe?














Now leave a comment below or else Michael B. Jordan will munch on your booty.

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oghalfrican232
oghalfrican232 - 5/2/2013, 2:24 PM
I'm not a moron...
Invictor
Invictor - 5/2/2013, 2:28 PM
I wouldn't mind this human being as the Human Torch, it's just that I think they should get an actual actor that can flame on and catch on fire.

Would make the film a lot more realistic..
oghalfrican232
oghalfrican232 - 5/2/2013, 2:31 PM
Announced myself?

As in liking Michael for the role?
unknownfacts
unknownfacts - 5/2/2013, 3:59 PM
If Sue Storm is casted as a black woman then there shouldn't be a problem.The only way this would be wrong if Sue was white while Johnny's black.I say that because I'm pretty sure smart white sibling dumb black sibling wouldn't go over well with the general audience.
oghalfrican232
oghalfrican232 - 5/2/2013, 4:08 PM
@Batmaniac

Thumbs up!
oghalfrican232
oghalfrican232 - 5/2/2013, 4:08 PM
@MrSteiners

Too bad she's Gamora now. Would be a pretty awesome Sue!
OdinsBeard
OdinsBeard - 5/2/2013, 4:33 PM
the ignorance of this article is astounding.
Ocelot
Ocelot - 5/2/2013, 7:16 PM
@Batmaniac LOL

getting tired of hearing Saldana's name popping up in every damn article I read lately.
CaptainAmerica31
CaptainAmerica31 - 5/2/2013, 8:43 PM
I'm honestly growing on jordan playing HT but if I were trank I would cast The other gentlemen from chronicle, Dehaans cousin in the film, the central character. He seemed to be playing the HT in that role a lot more than Jordan
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 5/3/2013, 4:07 AM
I thought about it, I really did.

I'm blessed to have a good relationship with my sister, something of a rarity I hear. It's why I'd be so apt to defend the announcement of the Maximoff twins in the Avengers, because THAT dynamic is most important above all things.

Anyway, over in this department, Johnny and Sue would have to have been adopted, either one, or both of them. That doesn't bother me, so long as it doesn't lessen their relationship. But the majority of us here don't trust Hollywood (or Fox for that matter) to let it sit that way. Changing his race is going to likely lead to adding more things that aren't there, and it cheapens the character.
AmazingFantasy
AmazingFantasy - 5/3/2013, 4:08 AM
Michael owns
dekexz19
dekexz19 - 5/3/2013, 4:19 PM
Wait. So you're trying to tell me that for an American role, you want an Australian actor. Johnny Storm's nationality is American. That's so stupid! Wah, Wah, Wah!
But seriously, your choice makes no sense. Michael B. Jordan is a great actor and is great at playing young, popular, playful teens. Race can easily be explained. They can be mixed or even their parents could be white, but gave birth to a black baby. I mean, it happens in real life.
FirstAvenger
FirstAvenger - 5/4/2013, 8:23 PM
As long as they're the same race.
Tymminator
Tymminator - 5/14/2013, 6:44 PM
I don't want him for athe Human Torch although I like him as an actor, but people need a Biology class. In a mixed race marriage, you can have it where the siblings look different. my sister (who was black) married a white man. My niece looks more like my sister, my nephew looks like his dad.

Hell, I have seen (admittingly, this is very rare) TWINS where one was black and the other was white.

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