Bob McLeod, the artist who co-created The New Mutants with Chris Claremont in the early ‘80’s, isn’t happy with the film at all. He’s not happy with the film’s horror-like storyline, but he’s mostly unhappy with how many of the characters look. Accusing the director, Josh Boone, of “Hollywood white-washing ” dark-skinned and short ‘Roberto’. By casting a tall, and lighter-skinned Hollywood-hunk.
I must admit I had the same ‘What-The-Heck” thought when I saw the film’s characters together for the first time. I still remember reading that 1st issue of the comic book, and enjoying the fact the characters were visibly diverse, and didn’t look like your typical superhero-types. But the film obviously went a different way. Here’s what the Co-Creator had to say about the film…
“I was very excited when I heard they were making a New Mutants movie,” wrote Bob McLeod on FACEBOOK. “I thought making it into a horror movie was perhaps an interesting idea, but not at all how the characters should be introduced to the public at large. But, hey, my characters in a movie! I never would have thought that would actually happen.”
“But then, I was disappointed when they didn’t give Dani braids, although I like Blu Hunt,” continued McLeod. “I was disappointed when Rahne wasn’t a redhead with spiky hair, although I adore Maisie Williams. I was disappointed that Sam isn’t tall and gawky, although I do like Charlie Heaton. But mainly I was very disappointed that Roberto isn’t short and dark-skinned. Yet another example of Hollywood white-washing. There’s just no excuse.”
“So basically, Josh Boone erased everything I contributed to the way the characters look,” noted McLeod. “And now, the movie has come out at last, and apparently they’ve credited someone named Bob Macleod as co-creator. They couldn’t even be bothered to check the spelling of my name sometime in the last three years. And that can’t be fixed. That will be on the movie forever. I think I’m done with this movie.”
DANG! They changed up his creation, then didn’t even bother to get the Co-Creator’s name right. That is ice cold y’all!
