Huge news broke last week when director Paul Feig tweeted his casting picks for an all-female Ghostbusters reboot slated for a July 2016 release.
Feig wants Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones to star as the titular parapsychologists. Feig has worked previously with Wiig and McCarthy on the hit comedy “Bridesmaids.”
Feig’s announcement was met with the usual outcry from all corners of the Internet. Hollywood is obsessed with sequels, prequels and reboots, and it’s natural to see a fuss whenever a beloved franchise is due
for a reimagining.
After 30 years and a lackluster sequel, fans are right to be nervous about a reboot. At least Feig, with directing credits on “The Office,” “Arrested Development,” “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat,” has proven himself an expert on out-of-the-box comedies.
But some of the anxiety over the new Ghostbusters seems less about the quality of the project and more about Feig’s all-female casting.
Much of the criticism seems to center on the notion that Sony Pictures is using the new cast to pander to feminists, liberals and socialists — you know, the only people who’d watch a movie with women in it.
The suspiciously all-male cast of the first two films — Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson — seems a moot point to these critics. They seem to exist in a world where females are an aberration rather than half of the population. It is unfathomable to these critics that women could exist as anything other than a marketing tool.
By definition, the word “pandering” implies an immoral or distasteful desire. However, contrary to what some conservative bloggers might hold, embracing diversity and comedy in one stroke is neither immoral nor distasteful.
Some of the criticism seems mired in the notion that women just aren’t as funny as men. Sexism aside, there is no doubt that the cast will have their work cut out for them filling the shoes of legends like Murray and Aykroyd.
But these are certainly the people for the job. The new cast is composed of funny actresses — three of whom are SNL cast and alumni — who have proven their comedic chops.
All four are award-nominated. Wiig has both an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations under her belt. McCarthy has an Academy Award nomination as well, though her record is marred by a Razzie nomination for the film “Tammy.”
And as anyone who has seen Bridesmaids can attest (Slimer has nothing on that bathroom scene), the new cast should have no problems with the more graphic aspects of catching ghosts.
Citizens of the Internet might hate the notion of all-female Ghostbusters, but the stars of the original film have expressed
confidence in the new cast.
Leading actor Bill Murray gave his support for the idea of an all-female cast and was among the first to suggest McCarthy and Wiig for the film.
Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd, who co-wrote the original film, said in an interview, “The Aykroyd family is delighted by this inheritance of the Ghostbusters torch by these most magnificent women in comedy.”
“My great grandfather, Dr. Sam Aykroyd, the original Ghostbuster, was a man who empowered women in his day, and this is a beautiful development in the legacy of our family business.”
Let’s judge the new Ghostbusters on its own merits. With a cast this good — male or female — the franchise is in good hands.
Alex Mendoza is a 22-year-old political science and international studies senior from Baton Rouge. You can reach him on Twitter @alexmendoza_TDR.