Jason Reitman is walking back statements he made regarding his new Ghostbusters film handing the franchise “back to the fans.”
Ever since Jason Reitman’s new Ghostbusters film was announced it has come under fire. Reitman’s film will be set in the universe of the original franchise, and unlike the 2016 Paul Feig Ghostbusters film, Reitman’s will feature male Ghostbusters.
While Reitman has said that the only reason his movie will follow the originals is that Feig wanted his movie to exist in its own universe, Reitman’s choices still caused some to raise eyebrows. After all, the 2016 film came under immense fire from the darkest corners of the internet for “ruining” the childhood of several male Ghostbusters fans, and this return to the ways of the original franchise felt like pandering to that toxic base. And a new comment from Reitman himself didn’t help that perception.
In an interview with The Playlist, Reitman said that his film would “hand the movie back to the fans.” It was a comment that, understandably, drew a lot of criticism, as it implied once again that the 2016 movie’s choice to cast women in the iconic ghost-bustin’ roles was somehow bad for the franchise and took something from Ghostbusters fans. It reinforced the bonkers notion that Feig’s film was able to “ruin” the childhood of these male fans.
Reitman responded to the backlash when he took to Twitter last night to clarify his statement, saying it “came out wrong,” and that he had nothing but admiration for the 2016 film.
Wo, that came out wrong! I have nothing but admiration for Paul and Leslie and Kate and Melissa and Kristen and the bravery with which they made Ghostbusters 2016. They expanded the universe and made an amazing movie!
— Jason Reitman (@JasonReitman) February 21, 2019
Paul Feig came to Reitman’s defense, saying that Reitman has been nothing but a friend to him.
Jason was a supporter of mine at a time when I couldn’t get movies made. He has always been a true gentleman to me and a supporter of Ghostbusters: Answer the Call. I can’t wait to see his take on the Ghostbusters universe. Big love and respect to you, Jason. Your fan, Paul https://t.co/2I9sqmrgTl
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) February 21, 2019
While it’s great to see Reitman offer praise the 2016 Ghostbusters and for Paul Feig to respond, it is still frustrating to see this movie portrayed in comments made by those involved in Reitman’s film–intentionally or not–as the antidote for Feig’s version.
Reitman’s movie doesn’t need to hand anything back to fans because nothing was taken from them, and it is exhausting that this narrative is still being peddled. Hopefully, if Reitman is indeed not trying to “undo” the 2016 film and pander to a very dangerous, toxic base, the narrative around this movie shifts.