Michael B. Jordan To Play Johnny Storm/Human Torch In Upcoming Fantastic Four Reboot [POLL]

The internet has been a buzz the last few weeks with the rumored news that Michael B. Jordan will play Johnny Storm/Human Torch in the upcoming 2015 Fantastic Four reboot. You may remember Jordan from such movies as the super-hero film Chronicle and the new comedy That Awkward Moment, which also stars Zac Effron.

There has been a lot of both positive and negative feedback. Jordan is an exceptional actor and no one is arguing that fact. The issue is changing the racial background of the character.

For all practical purposes, the racial change has already be done before in the last two Fantastic Four movies (2005 and 2007) where Sue Storm/Invisible Woman was played by Mexican-American actress Jessica Alba. It's been done in other comic book movies as well. Remember the 2003 Marvel movie Daredevil? The main antagonist, Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin was played by the late Michael Clarke Duncan, even though the comic book version is always portrayed as caucasian. Even the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man 2 has Jamie Foxx portraying the villain Electro who also has always been white in the comics.

Although I'd love to see Jordan in the role and I'm anxious to see how this will impact the movie's backstory, there are a few problems I see already. It appears the actress the studio is looking to playing Sue Storm/Invisible Woman will be Kate Mara. The beautiful Mara has starred in the first season of American Horror Story and had a small role in Iron Man 2, but she's white. I'm not sure how they can make the two radically and obviously different raced characters become siblings.

Jordan himself has said:

Things change and time goes on, it’s 2013 right now. The characteristics of the Human Torch are his name is Johnny Storm, he’s charismatic, and he’s a playboy. That’s it. You know what I’m saying? That’s all there is.”

Only time will tell.