The Media Action Network of Asian Americans is calling on director Doug Liman to cast an Asian American in a prominent role in his sequel for the 2014 sleeper hit, Edge of Tomorrow.
According to MANAA, Cruise played William Cage who is actually based on a Japanese character, Keiji Kiriya, from the book All You Need is Kill.
“We are disappointed that Asians and Asian Pacific Americans were not represented on-screen in the 2014 version, given that the source material is Japanese,” wrote MANAA in a letter to Liman originally published in We Are Resonate. “However with the sequel in development, you have the opportunity to remedy this, especially since several major characters in the previous film were killed off.”
Tom Cruise will reportedly reprise his role of William Cage in the sequel. Co-star Emily Blunt is also signed on to return, according to the Cheat Sheet. The movie grossed $100 million at the box office domestically and another $270 Million overseas.
While its unlikely Cruise would be cast aside for an Asian American, MANAA hopes Liman will cast an Asian American in another prominent role.
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“We ask that you include substantial and compelling Asian roles in the sequel to appease audiences who are hungry to see on screen representation,” MANAA stated. It pointed to the whitewashing of Ghost in the Shell in which Scarlett Johansson took on the role of a Japanese anime character. That movie flopped in 2017. It also highlighted the success of diverse movies such as Black Panther and Moonlight.
So far there’s been no response from Liman.
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