In the summer of 2016 there was social upheaval when an all-female cast of “Ghostbusters” was released into theaters. It became a cultural civil war where one side claimed you were supposed to approve of the change, and the other side stated it bastardized the original concept.
In the end the movie was a disappointment in all manner; it was an unfunny comedy, it did nothing to add to the Ghostbusters canon, and it was a financial failure. Hardcore fans were dismayed, but now there is a reason for them to be filled with hope.
Everybody can relax, I found the car. #GB20 pic.twitter.com/WIxZRehbeY
— Jason Reitman (@JasonReitman) January 16, 2019
We’re getting strong readings on this one @jasonreitman #GB20 https://t.co/7rsiIL0bMe https://t.co/J4nVPJU9tO
— Ghostbusters (@Ghostbusters) January 16, 2019
This is bigger than a hundred-foot marshmallow man #GB20 https://t.co/KG7l9RdtQi https://t.co/uTO3mk5Oy0
— Ernie Hudson (@Ernie_Hudson) January 16, 2019
This teaser indicates there will be a brand new entry in the “Ghostbusters” universe, and it will be directed by Jason Reitman, who has made “Juno”, and this year’s “Tully”. He also has a bit of a pedigree with the franchise.
This trailer release confirmed what has been a swirling rumor for some months. Dan Aykroyd alluded to this project in an interview from November.
Dan Aykroyd spoiled super secret #Ghostbusters announcement months ago: “They are making an effort to bring back all the emotion and spirit of the first two movies" https://t.co/hVueKPoNd5 pic.twitter.com/5EBXrHGyaZ
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 17, 2019
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The telling line in that interview was Aykroyd stating, “They are making an effort to bring back all the emotion and spirit of the first two movies.” The studio has described the new film as “The next chapter in the original story.” This means that 2016 misfire will be held up as a standalone release, disconnected from the storyline.
Reitman is the son of director Ivan Reitman, who was behind the first two entries. This is another telling component in just how badly the last effort ended up. Jason, a director with a lengthy resume, has long said he would not make a “Ghostbusters” film. For him to undertake this, and have his father on as a producer of the film, could show things have become desperate at the studio.
So weird that the "My dad says you guys are full of crap." kid from the second movie is now heading the third one as director and co-writer. #Ghostbusters pic.twitter.com/mWWqGDjMEb
— Christian Mutig (@Ductos) January 17, 2019
There is something poetically funny about this reality.
It seems clear what is at stake here.
Smart to get in on the series when it’s in a creative ditch and fans are clamoring for someone to save the series. https://t.co/HC5sxygeok
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) January 16, 2019
The studio behind this is Sony, and it is eager to get reliable properties churning, in an era when most of the majors have a few franchises they can count on for revenue. Sony is leaning on “Jumanji”, and is revisiting its “Men In Black” this summer, so a viable extension of “Ghostbusters” is vital.
That 2016 was not viable. Yet there are a number of entertainment journalists who looked at this new announcement as strictly bad news.
Hiring #JasonReitman to direct #Ghostbusters3 is a deeply cynical play that is probably going to be a big hit… via @forbes by @ScottMendelson https://t.co/km8TRaE58C pic.twitter.com/9ehdhtnxm3
— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) January 16, 2019
The decision three years ago to make a social statement with an all-female cast to appeal to millinials was not cynical? Scott in his piece can only see the social negatives.
On one hand, you’re rewarding a white male director whose last five movies bombed (and of those, only the two starring Charlize Theron and penned by Diablo Cody received positive reviews) the keys to a hugely valuable franchise mostly because he’s the son of the guy who directed those first two Ghostbusters movies. And yes, unintentional or not, you’re essentially rewarding the specific demographics who reacted in the very worst way to the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot with the thing they claimed to want instead of the… horrors… all-female sci-fi comedy.
Fans saying “We don’t want to see a ‘Woke-busters’ movie” is reacting in the worst way, mind you.
But Scott is not alone in his desire to see more failed attempts at SJW versions of a previously successful movie venture.
The Challenges Facing 'Ghostbusters 3' https://t.co/GHVLekUET0
— Heat Vision (@HeatVisionBlog) January 16, 2019
Said Graeme McMillan at Heat Vision: “The revival of Ghostbusters in this form feels cynical and insincere in its pursuit of a demographic unsatisfied by the last attempt, which is surely the opposite of everyone involved…It’s something weird and it don’t look good. Who are we supposed to call about this kind of exorcism, though?
Now everyone’s childhood can be ruined. https://t.co/YZxVhWa05y
— Slate (@Slate) January 17, 2019
I hope the story is about a phantom that possesses the internet and turns men into toxic insecure shitbabies who yell at random women
— Matt Fowler (@TheMattFowler) January 16, 2019
I’m totally fine with there being a new Ghostbusters movie set in the original universe – I just hate that the worst people will take credit for “winning” because they were so against the idea of female Ghostbusters. Sigh.
— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) January 16, 2019
While wishing there could be the SJW version of a cinematic property is fine, what these blue-checks fail to acknowlege is the signaling with the 2016 “Ghostbusters” was a pure bust. Fans turned away from it, and Sony suffered for it. The studio fell into the “Get Woke, Go Broke” beartrap, as it lost $70 million on that attempt.
It can be said that revisiting the original storyline, and dispatching that unfunny lecturing remake, is not a result of bowing to the “worst elements” on the internet — it is just sound business.
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