Director Jason Reitman revealed on Tuesday that he was called to direct and co-write an upcoming new Ghostbusters movie that follows the original 1984 film directed by his own father, Ivan Reitman, Entertainment Weekly reports. “Finally got the keys to the car,” Jason tweeted.
But before you can say “who ya gonna call?” the backlash percolated online.
Finally got the keys to the car. #GB20 https://t.co/T1Np2lRQl1
— Jason Reitman (@JasonReitman) January 16, 2019
In a few months, Sony Pictures plans to begin shooting the film slated for a summer 2020 release, with the older Reitman as producer this time.
“This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the ‘80s happened in the ‘80s, and this is set in the present day,” Jason told EW. “We have a lot of wonderful surprises and new characters for the audience to meet,” he continued.
It’s too early to tell who’s part of the cast, who will be the new characters, and what the plot will be about. However, it’s also highly unlikely the original actors like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson will star.
Meanwhile, Jason has reportedly “begun testing teenagers for four mystery roles,” according to sources, says Variety. Sources cited by the Hollywood Reporter even went so far as to say he’s looking to cast two boys and two girls. The project was supposedly so covert, the studio even used fake title “Rust City” to “keep the news under wraps until plans were ready to be unveiled,” Variety adds.
One thing’s for sure, according to EW: It won’t be related to Sony Pictures’ 2016 all-female Ghostbusters reboot directed by Paul Feig, and which starred Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy.
Even with very little information about the new installment in the famous franchise, already, Tuesday’s announcement of a Ghostbusters “sequel” did not sit well with users on Twitter for different reasons.
For starters, a lot of people are disappointed the all-female reboot is not slated for a sequel.
As good a time as any to admit I really liked the GHOSTBUSTERS reboot, and am sad we’ll never get a sequel. pic.twitter.com/uZvOHDSZJs
— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) January 16, 2019
I don't care about a new Ghostbusters film if it doesn't have Holtzmann in it. pic.twitter.com/jMLtQCJBww
— Mike Hat (@Ian_E_Smith) January 16, 2019
There is only one ghostbusters sequel that I will ever want.#SafteyLightsAreForDudes pic.twitter.com/M4IJ9un0ce
— Ally Ally Oxenfree (@AllyMalinenko) January 16, 2019
What upsets some is how it appears that Ghostbusters’ producers are pandering to people (read: sexist males and other haters) who didn’t want the all-female reboot in the first place, and who will then consider this “winning”:
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
wow I can’t believe they’re rebooting the ghostbusters movie with an all-male cast, what kind of pandering shit is this https://t.co/pHRkX9DkiM
— adri (@AdriOfTheDead) January 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/mystifiedkitten/status/1085479362701520896
https://twitter.com/hollyfuckngshit/status/1085479010988113921
https://twitter.com/ohnikkers/status/1085477259878821888
https://twitter.com/TheBrutalyzer/status/1085476265946238976
As to be expected, a lot are calling this reboot unnecessary, and even self-proclaimed fans of the entire Ghostbusters franchise are among them. As @gracerandolph tweets, “So what if it’s in the same ‘universe’?! If new #Ghostbusters doesn’t star #BillMurray #DanAkroyd #ErnieHudson #SigourneyWeaver … nobody cares.”
I say this as someone who grew up loving Ghostbusters, watching the cartoon, seeing the movie over and over and over again to a degree which is probably unhealthy but whatever: stop trying to make Ghostbusters happen.
— Zack Handlen (@zhandlen) January 16, 2019
So what if it’s in the same “universe”?! If new #Ghostbusters doesn’t star #BillMurray #DanAkroyd #ErnieHudson #SigourneyWeaver, (bonus points if u convince #RickMoranis) nobody cares. “Sony is testing teenagers for mystery roles”? I don’t want sons or daughters, dammit! Only OG! pic.twitter.com/mR0Z8NHQWK
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) January 16, 2019
Boy, I can't wait for all the "I'm not sexist, I just hate unnecessary reboots!" people to get frothing-at-the-mouth angry at THIS unnecessary Ghostbusters reboot too.
— Bust A Mecond April Second (@tonygoldmark) January 16, 2019
Any second now.
Hello? https://t.co/TBQhuFfbYO
Ghostbusters was lightening in a bottle. I said it last time they tried this, I'll say it again – I don't see how they can make that magic happen again.
— Liz Finnegan (@TheGingerarchy) January 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/BJMendelson/status/1085365314777427968
Some users seem to be experiencing a relapse of “Ghostbusters remake fatigue”:
I'm furious we have to talk about ghostbusters again
— Katie Walsh (@katiewalshstx) January 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/hughster/status/1085477771965534211
https://twitter.com/RidgeRooms/status/1085475167525130240
https://twitter.com/Fatoch4/status/1085475367614328832
Amid the disgruntled tweets, some users are suggesting who should be in the new Ghostbusters instead (either in jest or sarcasm):
I’m also making a Ghostbusters movie set in a third universe between the first one and the reboot one and it’s the elderly stars from the original playing the main characters from the reboot and they’re in the worst drag you’ve ever seen in your life
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) January 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/scottEweinberg/status/1085362546545184769
If you’re not doing an all-dog Ghostbusters don’t even talk to me, dogs are the original ghostbusters and we owe them some fucking respect for their labor
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) January 16, 2019
Speaking of sarcasm, these users’ tweets are dripping with it:
https://twitter.com/badmachinery/status/1085447519662944256
A Ghostbusters movie with men?!?! Ugh. SJWs are ruining everything. https://t.co/TGLgACPOl7
— Greg 👻 (@waltisfrozen) January 16, 2019
"HA!!! Finally, the SJW Horde has been soundly defeated on the prospect of at least one Male Ghostbuster at some point in the next 3-4 years! Now, to celebrate by shaving the GHOSTBUSTERS logo into my chest hair with my trusty Gille- …NOOOOOOOOOO!"
— Bob Chipman 😁 bobchipman.bsky.social (@the_moviebob) January 16, 2019
The only apparent good news this time around: At least the backlash to the latest installment isn’t as sexist.
As a Ghostbusters fan since childhood, I’ll leave this here: “The Ghostbusters universe is big enough to hold a lot of different stories,” Reitman told EW. I daresay truly devoted fans will watch any iteration of this classic.