The new poster made for the Chinese audience does not feature the British Black actress Sharon Duncan Brewster at all. Sharon plays a major role in the sci-fi film ‘Dune’.
Sharon plays an ecologist-turned-diplomat, Dr. Liet Kynes. The new film is an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. The director of the film is Denis Villeneuve. The actress is prominent on the film’s UK and US posters. Meanwhile, the reports suggest that she is not in the film’s promotion in China.
The China Africa Project, a US-based organization that strives to investigate “all elements of China’s connection with Africa,” emphasized Sharon’s removal from the poster. The tweet claims Sharon Duncan-Brewster is clearly not in the poster.
In 2015, Boyega playing the character of Finn in the new Star Wars film – featured much less prominently in the Chinese poster. The move prompted accusations of racism. Other characters such as Chewbacca and Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron were also absent. While the droid BB-8 was significantly larger in the Chinese version.
Last Friday, the film ‘Dune’ was released in China. The picture did well in the United States and was Warner Bros’ highest opener this year. The studio has announced a sequel. It will premiere in 2023.