StormX
Banned
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” fans are menaced by the Chinese poster for the upcoming sci-fi epic.
The poster has sparked controversy online over stylistic changes, one of which resulted in the diminished presence of John Boyega’s lightsaber-wielding character.
Here are some tweets about the poster:
Left: UK version. Right: China version. Spot the main massive difference #StarWars #StarWarsForceAwakens pic.twitter.com/9AFfiSAa6L
— Guy Lambert (@SohoGuy) December 3, 2015
— Guy Lambert (@SohoGuy) December 3, 2015
Aside from giving BB-8 more prominence, the biggest discrepancy between the two posters is the shrinking of Boyega’s Finn and the positioning of his body. Boyega, who plays a lead role, is lowered down from the original poster — where he’s the third largest character after Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren and Daisy Ridley’s Rey — and tucked under Harrison Ford’s gun-toting Han Solo and Carrie Fisher’s Leia, and behind a much lager BB-8.
Meanwhile, other non-white characters, including Oscar Isaac, who plays rebel pilot Poe Dameron, Lupita Nyong’o, who plays alien pirate Maz Kanata, and Chewbacca have been cut out altogether. They’re replaced by X-wings, TIE fighters and rows of Stormtroopers.
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[TD="align: center"]The “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Chinese poster.
Courtesy of Lucas Film[/TD]
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The poster was released earlier this week along with the announcement of the film’s release date in the country. “Star Wars” hits theaters in China on Jan. 9 — about a month after its worldwide release on Dec. 18. Some of the movie’s stars are expected to attend the gala premiere in China.
The casting of a black actor, Boyega, in the role of a Stormtrooper, was initially met with backlash. “To whom it may concern … Get used to it,” Boyega said late last year about the issue.
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/star-wars-china-poster-controversy-john-boyega-1201653494/
