"We aren't mythical creatures! We are Roma!"
That was the motto recently used by Romani activists and filmmakers calling on The Walt Disney Company to cast actors with Romani roots in the planned live action remake of their animated 1996 version of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. According to Robert Poupátko, a screenwriter and member of Tuke.TV, which initiated the action, the challenge was born of frustration with the longterm nature of the insufficient, stereotypical portrayals of Romani people in film and the media. The call has been joined by the British director Lisa Smith, screenwriter Damian Le Bas, producer Alica Sigmund Heráková of Tuke.TV and others. “I read an article reporting that Josh Gad, who is also the producer of this live action version, will play Quasimodo. I was not happy to hear that news. In the Disney version of this story, Quasimodo is a Romani man, so a Romani man should play him,” Poupátko told news server Romea.cz.
“I was frustrated by how films and serials constantly depict us. Then [Tomáš Magnusek] made a fourth film in the ‘Bastards’ (Bastardi) series and I lost patience. I knew it was important to put this call out in the public space, no matter what,” said the screenwriter and member of Tuke.TV.
Poupátko explained in an interview for Romea.cz that the main aim of the call is to achieve authentic depictions of Romani characters in feature films. He emphasized the importance of involving Romani people not just on camera, but also in the creative team and as consultants.
He has also been criticizing the fact that the Romani roots of famous characters from the Marvel Universe, such as Dr. Doom and Wanda Maximoff, are being ignored [Marvel Studios is one of the six production companies that make up The Walt Disney Studios]. “Disney ignores us regularly. The most famous [examples of Romani culture being ignored in Marvel] are Wanda Maximoff and Dr. Doom. Their powers come from their Romani origin, from their roots,” Popátko said.
The Walt Disney Company announced in 2019 that it is filming a live action remake of the classic 1996 animated Disney film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, based on the novel by Victor Hugo. At the time the company said it would be a musical and that Alan Menken, who composed the music for the original animated film, would compose music for the live action version together with Stephen Schwartz.
The screenplay is being written by David Henry Hwang. The actor Josh Gad is producing.
In mid-2023, according to the media, work on the film stopped and it is not clear whether it will ever be completed. “The film is in limbo for now. That doesn’t mean it will never be made, though. Josh Gad is still promoting it and says the project isn’t dead. All we can do is wait,” Poupátko told Romea.cz.
Youtube:
