Hannibal (the general) - Netflix.

[Halie Satanus]

Hannibal.

Denzel Washington has recently signed up to play legendary Carthaginian general 'Hannibal' in an upcoming Netflix film.

''IMDB blurb.

Based on the real warrior Hannibal, considered one of the greatest military commanders in history. The film covers the crucial battles he led against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.

Washington (68), maybe (hopefully) he's not actually going to play the title character himself. It's a stretch at 68 (and not even remotely ethnically close). I love Denzel as an actor, but, no. Someone like 'Tahir Rahim' would be a much better fit.

Netflix are saying 'film.' Not sure even a 3 hour epic would do Hannibal justice. Director is long time Washington collaborator 'Antoine Fuqua' (Training day - Equalizer).

[Kyriakos]

Who is going to play black Athena?

[Flinn]

No

[Pinarius]

I guess the director is desperately trying to make a black hero vs evil white men story out of this.

[alhoon]

Hannibal was Black!? He was Mediterranean. There were certainly black officers in his Army, but I doubt the man was darker than the average Syriac or North Egyptian.
Also, didn't the Carthaginians sacrifice kids to their gods? And didn't they oppressed black people way more than the Romans did... because they DID have Black people in their Empire? The Carthaginians are not much better than Romans. If anything, this should be seen like the struggle of two Imperialistic, large blocks, fighting it out over who would dominate Mediterranean with absolutely no regard for human life.

[Flinn]

Hannibal was Black!? He was Mediterranean. There were certainly black officers in his Army, but I doubt the man was darker than the average Syriac or North Egyptian.
Also, didn't the Carthaginians sacrifice kids to their gods? And didn't they oppressed black people way more than the Romans did... because they DID have Black people in their Empire? The Carthaginians are not much better than Romans. If anything, this should be seen like the struggle of two Imperialistic, large blocks, fighting it out over who would dominate Mediterranean with absolutely no regard for human life.

As far as I know Carthaginians were of Phoenicians origins, so yes one can hardly say that Hannibal was black, especially the kind of black man that the good Denzel can interpret. And yes, both Cartage and Rome were brutal empires, who fought for over a century to determine who would be the ruling force in the Mediterranean Sea, but neither of those facts matter for the modern narrative, I think we have all understood that by now.

[Kyriakos]

Who is going to complain? Tunis or (even worse) Israel?

[Abdülmecid I]

I doubt there were many Blacks in the Carthaginian army. Maybe the odd mercenary or two, but the Carthaginian realm barely reached Sahara and that was only possible through the client Numidian principalities. There were Numidian (Berbers, I suppose) and Punic soldiers in their forces, but the mercenaries were mostly recruited among the peoples of Gaul, Iberia and the western Mediterranean islands (Sicilians, Greeks, Corsicans, Sardinians and Baleareans).

[alhoon]

Weren't Numidians black? And didn't the Carthaginians have Sudanese and Ethiopian (the people that were there at the time I mean) people in their Mercs? Aren't those black? Or well, dark-skinned. By Black I don't mean "sub-Saharan" I mean dark skinned. I don't know why Black has come to mean subsaharrans only.

[conon394]

Weren't Numidians black? And didn't the Carthaginians have Sudanese and Ethiopian (the people that were there at the time I mean) people in their Mercs? Aren't those black? Or well, dark-skinned. By Black I don't mean "sub-Saharan" I mean dark skinned. I don't know why Black has come to mean subsaharrans only.

I doubt they had Sudanese or Ethiopian mercs how they get there and if there was such a population Egypt would have hired them first. Their mercs came from North Africa either to the right or left of Carthage and from Gaul and Spain.

[Cyclops]

I mean some Tuaregs are very dark skinned, so he could play a southern desert ally/merc?

Remi Malek might make a good Hannibal. Noth African with some ultimately Fertile Crescent ancestry. Plenty of phenotypical looking Carthaginian types if you google "male Lebanese actor" or "male Tunisian actor". Mahomed Zouaoui has a slightly weathered charismatic face, green eyes, I could see him playing a Zama era Hannibal.

There was talk of Vin Deisel making a Hannibal film too, not as bad as casting Denzel (who is a handsome devil and a fine actor but not very Lebanese looking). Vin would've made a good bodyguard too, in the Roman historiography there's a character called "the Gladiator" who jestingly suggests Hannibal can feed his army by cannibalism. Hannibal takes the question seriously and says the men wouldn't do it. I can see Vin slapping Hannibal (played by Remi Malek)'s shoulder in that scene "family don't eat family".

Better get some actual Roman/South Italian looking dudes for the Romans. I'm talking Fellini looking fellas. No Chalamets or McGregors thx.

[sumskilz]

Weren't Numidians black? And didn't the Carthaginians have Sudanese and Ethiopian (the people that were there at the time I mean) people in their Mercs? Aren't those black? Or well, dark-skinned. By Black I don't mean "sub-Saharan" I mean dark skinned. I don't know why Black has come to mean subsaharrans only.

The Numidians were probably not at all sub-Saharan. From what little is known about their language, it appears to have been closest to the Northern Berber Languages. Except along the Nile Valley, it was extremely rare for anyone to cross the Sahara prior to the introduction of the camel about 400 years after Hannibal’s lifetime. The sub-Saharan ancestry in modern North Africans is mostly from the slave trade that began after the Muslim conquest.

[Laser101]

Frankly Denzel is probably darker than most Tunisians, let alone Lebanese.

Do Americans simply not understand the difference between MENA people and black Africans?

[Flinn]

Frankly Denzel is probably darker than most Tunisians, let alone Lebanese.

Do Americans simply not understand the difference between MENA people and black Africans?

It's not about understanding, but caring. Typical business man in western (mostly american tbp) cinema/tv industry is only concerned to what characteristics will make the product more likely to be a commercial success, the rest is irrelevant. If this particular choice is going to be a good commercial one or not is still to be seen, but again those businessmen do not base their decisions on logic, but rather on dumb statistics and bold assumptions (see it as pure gambling). Ring of Powers docet I guess.

[Knight of Heaven]

I mean i love Denzel Washington, but Hannibal really? lol Netflix playing well into the meme i see

Alexander Siddig plays a pretty good Hannibal in that documentary film, and he is quite under utilised in game of thrones as Doran Martel, although now probably too old to play the character in the series, but i always liked him. It isnt that difficult to cast someone with similar looks... going for Denzel seems to me very poignant and provocative by design, just like their Black Cleopatra, or the black Viking jarl woman. It seems to me more an effort to format minds of consumers to a particular distorted perception of our historical past, then actually be genuine

Washington (68), maybe (hopefully) he's not actually going to play the title character himself. It's a stretch at 68 (and not even remotely ethnically close). I love Denzel as an actor, but, no. Someone like 'Tahir Rahim' would be a much better fit.

yeah i tend to agree, someone younger would make more sense

[Kyriakos]

My suggestion for actors doesn't change, so Almeida would be my pick for Hannibal too

[Knight of Heaven]

My suggestion for actors doesn't change, so Almeida would be my pick for Hannibal too

hahaha, yeah it would be a good cast, but he is quite old now

[irontaino]

They should have gotten Hannibal Buress to play Hannibal, it sells itself

[Pontifex Maximus]

I don't care who plays Hannibal, so long as the character represents the historical figure. Love me some Denzel, I actually think he is one of most talented actors available. Make him look like Hannibal.

Sadly, we know the braindead wokist mind virus will simply use Denzel to put black face on Carthaginian history because muh diversity or some equally flaccid reason. The producers/writers don't give a **** about the story, only ""the message""

[Halie Satanus]

I'm not sure it's anything to do with 'woke' politics but more about putting as big a name as possible on the poster. I don't think Denzel has done anything for Netflix before, so quite a coup for them to get one of Hollywood's top 10 A Listers in a production. Bit surprised Denzel was up for it though, he's always come across as having a solid sense of integrity, inserting himself in a role he has no business being in, seems odd. Maybe he's a narrator with younger actors on screen. That could work...