googleplex
Member
You're out of your mind Extreme Ghostbusters was great. Fantastic characters and actual character development, Great animation and importantly great stories.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Ghostbusters reboot cast announced - McCarthy, Wiig, Jones, McKinnon
- Thread starter alr1ght
- Start date
- Status
You're out of your mind Extreme Ghostbusters was great. Fantastic characters and actual character development, Great animation and importantly great stories.
Jason's Ultimatum
Member
So the proton packs and ecto-1 won't be in the movie? I mean, for christ sake. I really don't mind an all female cast. It would still be cool to see the women don the packs and drive the ecto. 
Beerman462
Member
No, not really. It is the primary reason they are calling this Ghostbusters instead of Apparition Erasers however.
So the proton packs and ecto-1 won't be in the movie? I mean, for christ sake. I really don't mind an all female cast. It would still be cool to see the women don the packs and drive the ecto.
What are they using, if not proton packs?
tattooed_dwarf
Member
It just where do you draw the line? People don't like white washing, like rumoured Akira movie. When is adapting good and when is it bad? Who determines it?
You don't believe films making money is a primary factor their existence? Yikes.
Yes. Ghostbusters is a more notable name in the cinematic universe than "Apparition Erasers".
DragonSworne
Banned
I'm confused why people think this is a cash grab.
Who is the target audience for a classic comedy remade with an all female cast? This seems like a hard sell to me. It would be way easier just to cast males or have a mixed gender cast if they just wanted easy money.
It seems like they are more interested in putting a twist to the remake and make it unique from the source material. They want to do something different.
Who is the target audience for a classic comedy remade with an all female cast? This seems like a hard sell to me. It would be way easier just to cast males or have a mixed gender cast if they just wanted easy money.
It seems like they are more interested in putting a twist to the remake and make it unique from the source material. They want to do something different.
Cheeseman Battitude
Member
I thought only the end of GB2 was bad. But the bar was set quite high by the original.
Beerman462
Member
Do you not know the difference between making something for profit and a cash grab? Yikes.
Some people make films because they feel strongly about their message. They have a story to tell and film is the medium they choose to do it.
The first Ghostbusters was very much the product of Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Dan Akroyd especially is way into the supernatural and the occult. He wanted to make the movie for reasons other than money.
This film is a rehash of that original concept. If Dan Aykroyd was writing the story or screenplay I would feel differently, but it seems he's not. Instead we have a film called Ghostbusters from the director of Brides Maids and The Heat, who is co-writing the screenplay with the writer from The Heat. I'm just not seeing a labor of love here if I'm honest.
Of course the distributers and backers only fund movies to make money, but many people make films, because they believe in them. I'm not getting that vibe here
Good points, but if they wanted to truly make something unique it wouldn't be called Ghostbusters, but maybe that's the only way this movie gets made. I guess after years of trying to get a sequel going with the original cast and it going nowhere, they decided to do the most extreme reboot.
Freedom = $1.05
Banned
say what you will about GB2 but i'll be damned if Vigo the Carpathian isn't one of the best villains ever.
Professor Beef
Banned
Excuse you, but I think you mean "Vigo the Cruel." I'd also accept "Vigo the Unholy."
Beerman462
Member
nkarafo
Member
I don't see a point doing such a drastic change. Or maybe i do... They seem they change the gender of the main roles of an ESTABLISHED and CLASSIC franchise only for the sake of change or, more likely, for the sake of being controversial.
A Ghostbusters reboot is a bad idea in general because the best thing about the original was the characters and the chemistry between the actors. Not the story or the effects. There is no way you can have the classic main actors though so they should give it a rest. It would be a bad idea even if the new actors were male. But changing the gender of the main roles (it doesn't matter if the originals were male, even if they were female it would be the same thing) isn't just a bad idea, its a controversial one too. It rises eyebrows. That's a good way to make the movie a hot topic. Its free advertising.
A Ghostbusters reboot is a bad idea in general because the best thing about the original was the characters and the chemistry between the actors. Not the story or the effects. There is no way you can have the classic main actors though so they should give it a rest. It would be a bad idea even if the new actors were male. But changing the gender of the main roles (it doesn't matter if the originals were male, even if they were female it would be the same thing) isn't just a bad idea, its a controversial one too. It rises eyebrows. That's a good way to make the movie a hot topic. Its free advertising.
Wasn't he also Vigo the Butch?
I haven't read anything on this yet but I hope it is not a straight reboot of the franchise. Just make it about another team of Ghostbusters who happened to be female. I am never a big fan of gender/race swapping of popular characters. It cheapens the characters unless there is a canon reason for it happening.
Wait - was that confirmed? I haven't read through all the pages here, but if so that's a really huge departure... both are ingrained into the GB universe.
I'm well aware, but in the overall grand scheme of things there is little difference. Aykroyd and Ramis didn't make the film on their dime. It's sole existence was to make money.
People would be bitching if there was a Ghostbusters 3 as well. Ramis dying put the nail in that coffin.
Not every film needs to be a labor of love from all involved parties. In this case, I fail to see the oversight that the film is created in a similar manner with SNL alum.
Professor Beef
Banned
In some circles, yes.
I'm a woman and I saw and enjoyed the original Ghostbusters movie. That said, I am much more interested in this reboot because of the all female cast. I really like Wiig and McCarthy. I don't recognize the other two women. Complain all you want but there are people, hell and entire segment of society, who want things like this and will pay to see them.
Yes ... she is PERFECT for slimer =D
You still need to observe the mass shift in demographic, despite your pleasure. I think both sides have some interesting points. Some are more invested. I think a lot of the fans (outside of the original cast) expected some sort of random collaboration of diverse characters and sex instead of one gender teams.
Regardless, I'll be there!
RPGCrazied
Member
Eh. Nah, I'm good. Should have done another video game, or maybe a CG movie with the original cast voice actors.
nkarafo
Member
They should follow the example of the tribute bands. Tribute bands play covers of well known classic bands as a tribute to them. But they don't pose as a replacement or improvement to them. Only as a tribute, honoring them sort of speak. And the fact that they use a different name for their band is much more important than you might think. The members can even be a different gender than the original group and that actually makes it more interesting.
And the great thing about tribute bands is that the fans of the original classic bands they represent are never "offended" by them because, like i said, they don't pose as replacements. They honor their favorite bands. Most fans even like tribute bands. At worst, they just don't care about them but they rarely "hate" them.
They should do the same thing here. By naming the movie "Ghostbusters" and doing all these drastic changes it feels like they want to replace the classic characters with something that barely reminds them. This feels bad for the nostalgic fans and i can see why. But if the movie had a different (but similar) name and posed as a"rip-off" rather than a "reboot" "sequel" or "remake", it had a different (but similar) story but with many Ghostbusters references to honor the original movie, even those who oppose this movie right now would most likely go to see it. And it would still use the classic brand to cash in because of the references. Old fans would pay to see the movie just for those alone..
And the great thing about tribute bands is that the fans of the original classic bands they represent are never "offended" by them because, like i said, they don't pose as replacements. They honor their favorite bands. Most fans even like tribute bands. At worst, they just don't care about them but they rarely "hate" them.
They should do the same thing here. By naming the movie "Ghostbusters" and doing all these drastic changes it feels like they want to replace the classic characters with something that barely reminds them. This feels bad for the nostalgic fans and i can see why. But if the movie had a different (but similar) name and posed as a"rip-off" rather than a "reboot" "sequel" or "remake", it had a different (but similar) story but with many Ghostbusters references to honor the original movie, even those who oppose this movie right now would most likely go to see it. And it would still use the classic brand to cash in because of the references. Old fans would pay to see the movie just for those alone..
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Lotta people up in here arguing about how sad the death of originality is while suggesting alternatives that are actually LESS imaginative/original than the film in question.
Delta Assault
Member
So the proton packs and ecto-1 won't be in the movie? I mean, for christ sake. I really don't mind an all female cast. It would still be cool to see the women don the packs and drive the ecto.
I could see the Ecto-1 being a new type of car. Because let's face it, where the hell would they find an old station wagon like that these days? It wouldn't really make sense.
But no proton packs? WTF? This seems like a bridge too far.
Muskieratboi
Member
I ain't afraid of no Rule 63.
I'm In.
I'm In.
Beerman462
Member
I disagree. There is definitely a difference between a film that is made with a vision and then seeks funding by selling that vision to backers and distributors to get that movie made and a movie like The Amazing Spiderman, where Sony has to shit out another movie so they can make monies.
This incarnation of Ghostbusters feels like the later to me.
If the new Ecto-1 is a product tie in like the Acura's in Thor or this shit
barf.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Can someone link to the article in which they read there's not going to be any proton packs? People have been saying this multiple times and I haven't seen it anywhere aside from this thread.
In fact, the only source of what appears in the early drafts of the screenplay seems to be HitFix (in an article they've since edited down after Sony contacted them - although the pertinent details have been quoted multiple times in the thread) and that article makes no specific reference to proton packs/firehouse/ecto 1 going missing. The article expresses worry that those elements are going to be OVEREXPLAINED, actually. Not that they're missing, but that he feels they might take too much time setting that stuff up.
In fact, the only source of what appears in the early drafts of the screenplay seems to be HitFix (in an article they've since edited down after Sony contacted them - although the pertinent details have been quoted multiple times in the thread) and that article makes no specific reference to proton packs/firehouse/ecto 1 going missing. The article expresses worry that those elements are going to be OVEREXPLAINED, actually. Not that they're missing, but that he feels they might take too much time setting that stuff up.
Not sure about that. The entire cast is SNL Alumni and McCarthy had the same upbringing as many others including Wiig. Being able to headline a Ghostbusters film is likely a dream come true for them.
WordAssassin
Member
Ok, let's ignore EVERYTHING not done by Ramis/Aykroyd. That leaves the two movies and the game.
Staples of the franchise: Team of people who live in a rundown firehouse, they drive a car called the Ecto 1, use garage kit weapons to fight ghosts like Slimer.
If I was going to the theater to see a Ramis/Aykroyd Ghostbusters sequel or even a Ghostbusters reboot with their involvement, these are the things I would expect: A group of people who live in a rundown firehouse and drive some version of Ecto 1 while fighting ghosts with homemade proton packs.
If it was a sequel, I would probably expect another addition to the team, as Louis was "added" in GB2. I would also expect at least one of the following to be upgraded: their car or their gear, also as seen in GB2 with the new Slime Throwers and the range of crazy tweaks they go through in the game.
But if I went into Ghostbusters 3 and NONE of those things were there, I would be just as confused and angry. Why even call it Ghostbusters at that point? Why does a ghost hunting movie HAVE to be Ghostbusters or none at all? It's like how we ONLY get dinosaur movies if they're Jurassic Park films.
As I've said and others have expanded on, a BIG part of Ghostbusters are these specific characters and how they tie into the people that play them and wrote the story. If you're going to make a Ghostbusters thing, people and fans are going to expect it to be about the specific characters of Ray Peter Egon and Winston. You can add to that group but to erase them completely from the franchise as well as removing all the other franchise staples is to raise the question of why are you even making a Ghostbusters movie in the first place and not a new/original sci-fi horror comedy movie?
Agree 100%, I know it would be reusing 75% of the Bridesmaids cast but I'd much prefer her to be in it. She had good chemistry with Wiig and the chemistry between characters is a very important part of why people like the movies so much.
I don't know how to explain it any further. I don't know what's so hard to grasp about "they're retreading a worn out story" as well as "they've removed the specific things that are key parts to the franchise".
Two women run a paranormal investigations "company" and one of them knows someone about to get tenure at a college. Peter Dinklage is a mass murderer who is given a death sentence. When he is electrocuted, a blot of lighting strikes and he becomes a ghost with the power to summon other killers from history. An MTA worker discovers him and contacts/joins the other three. Meanwhile a well-known skeptic sees videos of the team on YouTube, thinks they're full of shit, and sets out to disprove their ghost busting. They make some kind of sleek futuretech ghost equipment to take down the bad guy.
They might still technically be "proton packs" but they're going to apparently be very sleek and cool looking now instead of things assembled in a garage. It's not been revealed if they throw protons to wrangle ghosts or what but part of the charm for a lot of people, again, is the feeling that this is just shit slapped together by this group of people, not any kind of fancy government tech.
Beerman462
Member
They aren't writing the story, or the screen play. The only input they have is how they portray the character as written. I am glad that Aykroyd is writing the character, I wish/hope he is being consulted for the plot, that's the only thing that gives me hope.
I can see it now...The sleek iProton packs just aren't powerful enough for some new more powerful ghosts...Brainy Ghostbuster says "I've been working on a prototype that's more powerful"...busts out proton pack from original movies.
Yep. I'm very happy with an all-female cast, but ideal world, Brooklyn 99's casting and writing style would be the norm, and we wouldn't have to raise a cynical eyebrow at a totally new universe that retains nothing but the Ghostbusters name and the three white, one black buster ratio. Diversity combined with multidimensional character writing, and acting talent that transcends ethnic/sexual/gender identity can be done so successfully. The talent pool is there.
We can play the anecdote/list game all day. The truth of the matter is that for every bad new entry/reboot there's an absolutely solid one. For every Steve Martin Pink Panther there's an Al Pacino Scarface (you know that's a remake too, right?); for every 90s Twilight Zone a Syfy Battlestar Galactica.
The negative reaction to the new movie is absurd, mostly because a lot of it DOES center around the audacity of an all-female team. Judging it on that alone is stupid. No: it's childish. If one franchise has proven its ability to constantly mine itself for story after story, it's Ghostbusters. Making another live-action movie should be easy. Whether or not that story is GOOD has nothing to do with who's wearing the proton packs.
I don't think it matters if they have hands on/off involvement. That is likely up to creative.
I haven't heard of Aykroyd being involved, only a statement of him enthusiastic of the casting. Don't see the need for him much on this project though, but who knows.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
I don't know if I agree with this. In 1984 wearing a nuclear accelerator on your back was pretty fuckin' out there. The fact that these guys got that technology to look like that wasn't supposed to be considered super low-budget or whatever. Especially when you consider what technology back then looked like (big, bulky, boxy, flashing lights & shit)
People are seriously playing up the "everyman" aspect of the first movie, and I agree, a lot of the comedy came from the fact this profession of theirs could be shown to be JUST as mundane as any other profession, even when it's something as ludicrous as firing proton blasts at spectral apparitions.
But these are also tenured scientists. Yeah, they mortgaged the shit out of Ray's house to pay for the firehouse, but what they ended up making WAS fancy government tech. Especially by 1984 standards. They just went pretty close to broke while doing it.
If things are going to be "sleeker/cooler" now, it's because technology itself is sleeker/cooler now. Updating/redesigning production assets isn't (nor should it be) out of bounds in a reinterpretation, much like changing instrumentation isn't out of bounds when it comes to a cover song.
The trick is whether they can balance the sense of the fantastical (this ridiculous tech) with the mundane (the fact they're housing this tech in a barn while driving around in a shitbox) like the original did.
Beerman462
Member
Ghostbusters IMDB
Writers: Dan Aykroyd (characters), Katie Dippold (screenplay),
It was in my first post. I like that he's involved, because he gives a shit about this stuff.
Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis characters. That isn't an uncommon practice when you are dealing with properties based on existing material, even if the exact characters are not involved. It's also possible that they have no credit and IMDB is not properly updated.
WordAssassin
Member
You make good points. My concern is stemming from Feig saying specifically that they're going to have sexy looking gear. I'm trying to find the quote now (I just read it last night) but he says it's gonna be all sleek and shit. I dunno. That's a personal thing and a small thing to some but it bothers me. Even thought they're tenured scientists, the proton packs are still garage kit illegally assembled tools they built themselves. Even in the game when they're government funded and have a bunch of upgrades and new tech added to them the proton packs never looked sleek. But again that's just my own bias and concern over how they're going about this reboot. I don't think I want a proton pack that looks like the Portal gun.
Beerman462
Member
Oh, ok so they are just giving credit for creating Ghostbuster characters? Damn no hope
tattooed_dwarf
Member
That leaked synopsis sounds very dull compared what we got in 80's. Over the topness was one of the coolest things of originals. Giant marshmallow dude, walking statue if liberty, Babylonian god creating portal on top of skyscraper, that kind of stuff. Some of that leaked stuff sound like that Renny Harlin prison horror movie from 80's.
To my knowledge, yeah. I think any of his remaining involvement with the property died in development hell.
Beerman462
Member
Exclusive new photos of Ghostbuster's uniform
I goggled sexy Ghostbusters so of course there is a Halloween costume.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked