Fantastic Four's Michael B. Jordan Has Something To Say To Internet Trolls

A new image of Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle) as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch has been released by 20th Century Fox, via an article Jordan penned for Entertainment Weekly addressing the negative comments regarding his casting.

Jordan is not blind to the criticism some people have voiced about him being cast in the role of Johnny Storm, who has been illustrated in the comics as having blonde hair and blue eyes ever since he was created in 1961. He even got a seal of approval from co-creator Stan Lee, who messaged director Josh Trank with: "You're good. I'm okay with this."

Here's an excerpt:

This is a family movie about four friends—two of whom are myself and Kate Mara as my adopted sister—who are brought together by a series of unfortunate events to create unity and a team. That's the message of the movie, if people can just allow themselves to see it.

Sometimes you have to be the person who stands up and says, "I'll be the one to shoulder all this hate. I'll take the brunt for the next couple of generations." I put that responsibility on myself. People are always going to see each other in terms of race, but maybe in the future we won't talk about it as much. Maybe, if I set an example, Hollywood will start considering more people of color in other prominent roles, and maybe we can reach the people who are stuck in the mindset that "it has to be true to the comic book." Or maybe we have to reach past them.

To the trolls on the Internet, I want to say: Get your head out of the computer. Go outside and walk around. Look at the people walking next to you. Look at your friends' friends and who they're interacting with. And just understand this is the world we live in. It's okay to like it.

The things that define Johnny Storm aren't what color his skin or hair are. Those physical traits have nothing to do with his character. I look Johnny as the fun, hothead, who flies at the seat of his pants. As long as Michael B. Jordan brings that to the table, we'll be more than happy with his performance.

To read it in its entirety click here.

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A contemporary re-imagining of Marvel's original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

Fantastic Four will land in theaters August 7, 2015.