Any time a major studio reboots a popular franchise, there will likely be more backlash from haters than there will be praise from fans. Sony’s upcomingGhostbustersis no different, and now thatproductionhas wrapped, directorPaul Feighas started responding to his haters on his officialTwitterpage last night. While you normally don’t see many filmmakers striking back at their detractors, some of these individuals had been harassing the filmmaker and his cast all through the production.
Sony had been developing aGhostbusterssequel for years, with writers like Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg and originalGhostbustersstarDan Aykroydtaking cracks at the script. The project never moved forward into production, though, untilPaul Feigcame on board to pitch a much different take, with an all-female cast. Sony eventually gave the green light to this project, bringingPaul Feigon board to direct and co-write the script withKatie Dippold, who wrote the filmmaker’s 2013 comedyThe Heat.
Kristen Wiig,Melissa McCarthy,Leslie JonesandKate McKinnoncame on board to star as the newGhostbusters, withChris Hemsworth,Andy Garcia,Michael K. Williams,Matt Walsh, Pat Kiernan andNeil Caseyrounding out the cast. The female-lead cast was scorned by many fans on social media throughout pre-production and principal photography. The director revealed last night that one such hater has been “ranting” at himself and the cast for months with “misogyny and insults,” prompting last night’s series of tweets where he defended the movie, his cast and the story they are telling.
The filmmaker also addressed the media, revealing that any cameo announcements were not official and leaked from the set, which was “overrun by paparazzi.” During the course of the production, it was revealed that originalGhostbustersstarsBill Murray,Dan AykroydandErnie Hudsonhad come aboard for cameo appearances. It’s worth noting thatErnie Hudsonsaid in an early interview that he thought an all-femaleGhostbustersteam was a “bad idea,” but a few months later, once the cast was announced, the actor changed his tune, calling the cast “phenomenal.”
Sony Pictures has set a July 15, 2016release dateforGhostbusters, putting it up against Lionsgate’sLa La Landand EuropaCorp’s The Lake. Some filmmakers likeJosh Trankhave gotten into hot water for their statements on social media of late, but there likely won’t be any backlash againstPaul Feigfor defending his movie from a group of hateful individuals. Take a look at the filmmaker’s series of tweets below, and stay tuned for more updates onGhostbusters.
