Why Ghostbusters (2016) Marks The End of the Reboot

                A lot has been made out about the Ghostbusters remake/reboot since the first trailer had surfaced in February. A few might even go so far as to say since the casting was announced in 2015. A contingent of fans, having seen a very poorly produced trailer made their feelings quite clear on the internet. Some of it was aimed at what was felt to be a forced transition from male protagonists to an all-female squad, but most of the ire came from the first impression that the film was yet another in a line of made-to-order rehashes of an earlier title solely meant to cash in on nostalgia and to generate a sequel-making machine that in most instances usually fail.

To the fans of these properties, this tarnishes the respectability of the title and many of those get the impression that the material is substandard due to plethora of studio sins, not the least being the “too many cooks” effect that comes with many of these. Fans, who would usually be the first audience to appease to get the good word of mouth out, are sidelined as these properties are broadened to house the largest demographic not just the local film going community, but also now internationally, where what might be considered brilliant here might just be confusing to a global market.

Sony Pictures is especially in a dubious position here as their reboot/remakes have been for the most part spectacular flops (such as RoboCop and Total Recall), their one giant success ironically being the Jump Street films which are a commentary on the clichés and tropes of reboot/remakes. When they announced that the long gestating sequel to the 30-year-old franchise would be a reboot, fans were livid. The biggest concerns tended to be that this film wouldn’t feel like part of the world they were hoping to get with the franchise. When the initial trailer came out, their worst fears appeared to be justified.

The first trailer was the worst of all worlds; it played on the nostalgia of the fans by trying to get audiences to remember the franchise with the theme song, the logo and the car, then showed comedy that didn’t feel in place with the original film. Not only did it fail to set itself apart as a new story, but it left mixed messages as to the tone and feel of the film, putting unfunny jokes and uninspired visual effects on display. The worst part was that this trailer got several things wrong about the franchise it was trying to create nostalgia with; the fact that not all four of the Ghostbusters were scientists (at the time) or the fact that they were never in the job to be heroes (though that would be the case in the animated show). One of the film’s strengths is that the original film undermines the good they were doing by leaving ambiguous how much damage, destruction and ecological harm they’ve done.

Many of the critics of the fan backlash tend to make the valid point that other reboots coming out before and around the same time didn’t have the same vitriol garnered to this film, many of which placing blame on sociological reasons. These same critics then took it upon themselves to go after the fans on a personal level, followed by the studio and the cast and crew. This was their biggest mistake and the one that will go down as the final nail in the reboot coffin. By attacking those that could be persuaded to purchase a ticket eventually if and when good word of mouth comes along, they not only made sure that those individuals took it personally, but that they might hold everyone involved responsible and might not purchase anything from those individuals again. This goes especially for Paul Feig, who has gone on to say some very derogatory things about potential customers. Not only does this almost assuredly remove Feig from possibly returning for Ghostbuster sequels, but Sony might consider throwing away parts of his vision moving forward (which according to the Sony leaks, might not be a very bad thing. Ghost aliens, really?). This could also cripple Kate McKinnon’s and Leslie Jones’ possible film careers simply out of association.

All of this matters because reboots require a unique and different vision of the material, something new so to say, but it also needs to garner goodwill for those who will be the most vocal advocates for the film. Take the reboot to the Planet of the Apes franchise in 2011 for example. With a horrendous advertising campaign that left no one looking forward to this movie, yet the fans were able to get the word of mouth out once it was clear that the film was actually quite good. The same also went for Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins.

Sony’s mishandling of their properties and their advertising is the reason they are on the verge of collapse, so desperate as to throw anything together (Jump Street/Men In Black anyone?). Perhaps they should whither and become obscure if not completely demolished. But one thing is for sure, they have hastened the demise of the reboot. And the saddest part is they did so out of unwarranted fear if the critics are to be believed.