Is the Marketing for the New GHOSTBUSTERS Movie Trying to Piss Fans Off?
When the first trailer for Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters movie was released I was optimistic. I thought there was a chance that it would be a fun and entertaining movie. Now with every clip and TV spot I see with new footage from the movie, my optimism drops. The movie looks like it could be pretty terrible. It’s not just me, though! My wife and girls were excited about the movie, but the more they see from the film the less excited they get. My kids don’t even want to see it now. I raised my kids on the original Ghostbusters movie, and now even they are saying the movie “looks dumb,” and my kids like some pretty crappy stuff.
The studio already knows that a lot of the fans of the original movie are upset. Their voices are heard loud and clear on the internet. But then the marketing team releases something else that just dumps fuel on the fire of hate. Like yesterday, a few new TV spots were released that you can watch below. One of them features a girl version of Slimer, and all I could do is ask myself, “Why are they doing this?” It's just awful. It’s almost like they are going out of their way to piss off fans of the original film, and it confuses me. Why do they want to release stuff that they know will get the fans fuming?
Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group Chairman Tom Rothman previously had this to say about all the haters, “It’s the greatest thing that ever happened. Are you kidding me? We’re in the national debate, thank you. Can we please get some more haters to say stupid things?”
Have they implemented this strategy in their marketing plans? I know a lot of people are saying it’s because the lead cast consists of all females, and that all the haters are sexist. I don’t think that’s it at all, though. The group in that category seems like a very small percentage. I think it’s the nostalgia fans have for the original film — that style of comedy, humor, and storytelling. The marketing for new Ghostbusters movie has made a point to let us know that there are going to be a lot of elements from the original film in it, but the tone and comedy that fans loved so much about the original isn’t there. I think that's what fans are pissed off about most. I’m just seeing a lot of pointless and silly slapstick comedy that doesn’t represent the essence or spirit of what I know Ghostbusters to be. This movie simply doesn’t look funny to me. Even if it were a team of new male actors in these roles doing the same kind of comedy as these women, it would look stupid to me. This almost looks like a parody of the original Ghostbusters movie.
I obviously haven’t seen the film yet, but what I’m seeing right now is disappointing. I’m still holding on to a glimmer of optimism and hope that this movie will end up being good and surprise all the naysayers. I would love nothing more than to see the movie and be surprised by how great it is. That happened with me when I saw Paul Feig’s Spy. I didn't like what I saw in the trailer, and I didn't think I would like the movie, but it actually ended up being pretty damn entertaining.
All I’m saying here is that the marketing for the film doesn’t seem to be doing the movie any favors. What do you all think? Am I crazy? Do you think the marketing is good and is it selling you on seeing the movie?
Ghostbusters hits theaters on July 15th.
Hand-to-specter combat ready. #Ghostbustershttps://t.co/edpF69iddq
— Ghostbusters (@Ghostbusters) June 30, 2016