A biopic of 13th-century Persian poet Jalal al-Din Rumi and the upcoming Spider-Man reboot are both in the middle of a new whitewashing row.
Gladiator screenwriter David Franzoni is working on a film that he hopes will challenge Muslim stereotypes in the US and hopes to cast Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role, with Robert Downey Jr alongside.
The news arrives at the same time as a potentially controversial casting announcement for superhero reboot Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The 14-year-old actor Michael Barbieri has joined the cast in an unspecified role as one of “Peter Parker’s friends”.