Wonderful news for Middle Eastern actors. Recently Disney released casting calls for Middle Eastern actors for the live-action Aladdin and the same will happen for the titular character of Sinbad. Sinbad is getting the live-action treatment, however, it seems the producers of Sinbad are making a few mistakes. The Hollywood Reporters reports that producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are in the process of finding a Middle Eastern actor to play Sinbad, and an English companion. Sinbad will be the lead but he will share the screen with two other characters, the Englishman will probably be white, and the other will most certainly be the female lead/love interest.

Sinbad in Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas via Dreamworks Animation

“Sinbad first appeared in stories from the Middle East that Western readers were introduced to in The Arabian Nights, which followed the fortunes of the sailor who found himself stranded on islands and going on adventure after adventure until he returned to his home in Baghdad with riches.”

Sinbad will be directed by Miguel Sapochnik, and is written by Kyle Killen. Studio 8 is behind the film. With Aladdin fast approaching Sinbad may be produced faster to counter the Disney film. Hollywood does have a tendency to put similar films up against each other. Which is a good news for fans of Arabian Nights and those who grew up with the stories and have long awaited Middle Eastern representation in live action films, that does not have anything to do with terrorism.

However, the inclusion of an Englishman may be the film’s downfall. It shows both lack of faith in Middle Eastern leads and shows Hollywood’s unwillingness to have white-less blockbuster films.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter.

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