Whitewashing and comic book sources

You’ve heard this one as well – especially when Tilda Swinton was cast as an old Tibetan guy in Doctor Strange. The Ancient One is now a Celtic woman, who is about 600 years old. Problem solved, right?

Well, it wasn’t for some. And those people shouted that Marvel also fell into the same whitewashing trend of the recent years. And those same people were probably the same ones who felt disappointed (to say the least) when Idris Elba was announced as Heimdall. Or when it was announced that Ben Kingsley would portray the Mandarin.

But guess what – sometimes these changes are needed. Especially when they can be seen as offensive as, for example, the Mandarin (a Chinese cliché, similar to the Russian villain from Hollywood during the Cold War).

Basically, some people complain that the comic book sources are not respected. But that is impossible from the start, given the numerous cameos in any story out there. Plus, some of them are outdated and need to be changed.

Just as it happens with any adaptation.

Whitewashing and no diversity? Not at all. Just take a look at the cast of Spider-Man: Homecoming.