Excitement is building for the upcoming Star Trek: Beyond and it has been revealed that USS Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu will be portrayed as homosexual, with original actor George Takei expressing his regret over the decision.
George Takei, famously known as the original Sulu, has surprisingly expressed disappointment over the issue.
The new film will present a scene where Sulu is shown with a husband and daughter.
John Cho, who will be reprising the role of Sulu in Beyond, has openly stated that he liked the approach.
Ironically this new development of Sulu’s character was part of a tribute to Takei decided by the director Justin Lin and writer Simon Pegg.
Takei came out as gay in 2005 and has since then been an advocate for LGBTQ equality. However his disappointment is rooted from the vision Star Trek creator Gene Rodenberry had when he first created Sulu.
The 79 year old actor is not against the notion of a gay character in the star trek universe; however his repeated requests that Sulu not be homosexual went unheeded. Instead the actor advocated the introduction of a brand new character.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Takei states that this will make Sulu appear to have been closeted since his inception.
The issue has caused a divide among the Beyond team and fans alike, advocates believing it to be an inspired decision whilst others disagreeing due to strains on continuity in the Star Trek canon.
Star Trek: Beyond was initially released in Sydney cinemas on July the 7th but is not due for release in the US until the 22nd.
There are a lot of powerful arguments for both sides of the debate. An openly gay Sulu may just have the potential to introduce a whole new era for LGBT portrayal in cinema.
What is your take on the dispute?