Ever since it was announced that Ghostbusters was to undergo the remake treatment with an all-female cast, the film has been the recipient of the a grand scale internet backlash. Paul Feig’s take on the supernatural comedy classic has incurred more of a venomous wrath than any other remake so far, with the trailer receiving more dislikes than any other video in the history of Youtube, along with the endless wave of negative comments polluting the internet – which include misogynistic slurs and death threats.
Earlier this week, Paul Feig was quoted in a New York Daily News article responding to the outpouring of negativity. According to their article, he said, ““Geek culture is home to some of the biggest assholes I’ve ever met in my life.” However, it has since been revealed that the comments were made prior to the recent headlines, and Feig took to Twitter to clear up any misunderstandings.
Feig’s response seems targeted towards a disgusting vocal minority, rather than geek culture as a whole. It only takes a glance at the comments section of any website reporting on the movie to understand his motivations for saying these comments. The negativity surrounding this particular film has crossed the lines of disapproval into disgusting, hateful territory – and it’s understandable why the director doesn’t have warm feelings towards those that can’t voice their concerns with logic. That being said, this controversy has shone a light on the problem that is cyber bullying, and Feig’s message highlights a problem that sours online topical conversation on a daily basis.
Ghostbusters is set for release on July 15th and sees Paul Feig (Spy) directing a cast that also includes Kristin Wiig (Bridesmaids), Melissa McCarthy (Spy), Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live), Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live), Chris Hemsworth (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Andy Garcia (The Godfather: Part III), Michael K. Williams (Boardwalk Empire), Matt Walsh (Veep), Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live), Neil Casey (Saturday Night Live) and Charles Dance (Game of Thrones). Meanwhile, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts are all confirmed to cameo.
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https://youtu.be/b7Ozs5mj5ao?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng
Originally published May 9, 2016. Updated April 13, 2018.
