So, I guess the Avatar live-action movie is going to be cast with a bunch of photogenic pretty white kids.

Apparently (I've not been looking myself) this has caused a decent bit of drama because the presence of Asian-looking characters in the cartoon should automatically equal a cast of Asian characters in the movie.

What.

Now, I will be the first to roll up and say that the series was excellent throughout, best thing to come out of an American studio in a long time, etc etc. But that it was very, very good does not make it any less of an exercise in profiteering than any other series. And its key demographic remains the 8-13 bracket (plus geekish adults like myself, but we tend not to buy as much merchandise and hence are not as important).

So. You have the option of hiring a cast of unknown Asian actors who may well look and act the part beautifully, or a bunch of photogenic pretty white kids - who will not look the part and might not be great actors, but will be recognisable and non-threatening to your key demo. WHATCHA GONNA DO.

Yes, it sucks that people are this cynical. And yes, the movie will look a bit aesthetically bizarre unless they do some pretty hardcore reimagining. But I don't think that a kids' movie based on a cartoon - which I sincerely doubt is being produced as anything other than a cash cow, even if Mr. Shyamalan tries to inject some Serious Business into it - is the right battleground for a debate on racism in film casting. And I do not know why anyone is surprised.