10 Riskiest Upcoming Casting Choices (And Why They Will Work)

The Risk

At best, the controversy surrounding John Boyega's casting as a Stormtrooper in J.J. Abrams' upcoming The Force Awakens is merely an overblown case of traditionalism, with a smattering of Star Wars fans apparently sticklers for the prequel-fed notion that all Stormtroopers are clones of Jango Fett, and not unique characters. At worst, it is indicative of the kind of casual racism sadly running rampant throughout the industry.

Regardless of the true motives behind some fans’ dissatisfaction at the announcement, a young black actor is adopting a lead role in a franchise scarcely inundated with notable black casting. Wherever you fall on the race debate, it is undoubtedly a bold move from the studio. Controversy was always going to rear its ugly head around the corner, whether its simply a case of an unwelcome break from tradition, or just bare bones racist poison.

The Reward

That, of course, is all nonsense. At this stage, nobody should feel any affinity to the continuity offered up by the prequels (will anybody be crying if midicholorians are never mentioned?), and the less focus given to any argument of race the better.

Put simply, the reward here is a fine young actor, with enough youth and passion to absolutely make this role his own. Boyega's stint in Joe Cornish's B-movie alien flick Attack the Block was career-launching, this will be career defining. The humanising of Stormtroopers adds a wonderfully fresh impetus to the series, and Boyega is more than capable of making that a successful endeavour.