‘New Mutants’ Criticized by Creator Bob McLeod for Whitewashing and Name Misspelling

Co-creator of the New Mutants comic series Bob McLeod has spoken up this week about the film adaptation of his story. And from his statements, he isn’t too pleased with the way the film has turned out.

In a Facebook post, McLeod revealed how he was unhappy with the casting of the characters, saying he “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.” He adds that director of the film, Josh Boone, “erased everything [he] contributed to the way the characters look.”

And to make matters worse, McLeod’s name was spelled wrong in the credits, a seemingly easy to fix error that had many years to be fixed since the film’s first cut back in 2017. He said on the misspelling, “that can’t be fixed. That will be on the movie forever. I think I’m done with this movie.”

The film has been through the wringer on the way to theatrical release, and now is finally in theaters. The original release date was first scheduled in 2018, before it went through vigorous recuts and was scheduled for early 2020, before getting pushed back again.

Our review for the film can be found here.

Leilani Reyes: Leilani Reyes is a visual artist, writer, and filmmaker who enjoys keeping up with all things film and TV related. As an LA native, the film industry has been woven into her life personally and professionally. She is currently an undergraduate student studying film production at Loyola Marymount University who paints and writes on the side. Her interests lie especially in sci-fi, horror, and queer cinema. With experience in playwriting, screenwriting, directing, and production design, she is passionate about all creative endeavors in the world of entertainment.
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