Ghostbusters (2016 film)

Ghostbusters (2016 film)

Company type	Film
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	2016 (2016)
Founder	Paul Feig, Katie Dippold
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Products	Supernatural comedy film
Parent	Sony Pictures Releasing

Ghostbusters (also promoted as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call) is a 2016 American supernatural comedy directed by Paul Feig, who co-wrote the screenplay with Katie Dippold. Featuring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth, this film serves as a reboot of the original 1984 Ghostbusters and represents the third entry in the franchise. The narrative follows four women who establish a ghost-hunting enterprise in New York City after encountering paranormal phenomena.

Following multiple unsuccessful attempts to develop a third installment after Ghostbusters II (1989), Sony Pictures decided to reboot the series due to Bill Murray declining involvement and the passing of Harold Ramis in 2014. Several original cast members and their relatives make cameo appearances, with Ramis commemorated in the end credits. The announcement of an all-female lead cast in 2015 sparked divided public opinion and online criticism, which contributed to low anticipation scores on platforms like IMDb and YouTube prior to release.

The film debuted at Los Angeles' TCL Chinese Theatre on July 9, 2016, before its U.S. theatrical release on July 15 via Sony Pictures Releasing. With a production budget of $144 million, it earned $229 million globally but suffered losses exceeding $70 million, categorizing it as a commercial failure. As a result, Sony abandoned plans for a sequel and opted to continue the original storyline with the 2021 release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Plot

Abby Yates and Erin Gilbert, both particle physicists and former colleagues, co-authored Ghosts from Our Past, a book chronicling their paranormal research. Erin later distanced herself from the publication, while Abby maintained her investigations at New York City's Kenneth P. Higgins Institute of Science alongside engineering physicist Jillian "Holtz" Holtzmann. Erin, now seeking tenure as a Columbia University professor, convinces Abby to prevent republishing their book by assisting her in probing the supposedly haunted Aldridge Mansion. They confront the hostile spirit of Gertrude Aldridge, which restores Erin’s faith in supernatural occurrences and renews their friendship. Following a viral video that costs Erin her tenure, both lose their academic positions. They establish a provisional headquarters above Zhu's Authentic Hong Kong Food restaurant, adopting the name "Conductors of the Metaphysical Examination" and recruiting MTA employee Kevin Beckman as receptionist.

Patty Tolan, an MTA worker, contacts them after witnessing a ghost in a subway terminal built beneath an old Auburn prison. The team tests Holtz’s prototype proton pack but initially fails to capture the entity. Adopting the moniker "Ghostbusters," Patty joins to contribute her knowledge of New York City and provides a refurbished hearse named "Ecto-1" inherited from her mortician uncle.

Rowan North, an eccentric scientist and occultist, initiates supernatural disturbances throughout Manhattan by deploying ionizers connected to Ghostbusters technology that generate a dimensional rift fueled by PSI energy. When Rowan plants one device at a concert venue, the Ghostbusters capture a gargoyle-like apparition, gaining widespread attention but provoking his ire. Skeptical debunker Dr. Martin Heiss confronts them; Erin releases a ghost to validate their claims, resulting in Heiss being thrown out of a window.

Mayor Bradley and deputy Jennifer Lynch publicly discredit the team but secretly acknowledge their efforts in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security. The Ghostbusters discover Rowan’s devices are aligned along ley lines converging at Times Square’s Mercado Hotel, where his vortex threatens catastrophic destruction. Confronting Rowan in his laboratory, Abby warns him of arrest; instead, he electrocutes himself to transform into a ghost.

Now manifesting as a godlike spirit, Rowan possesses Abby and later Kevin to open the portal and unleash hostile specters. The Ghostbusters engage his spectral army; after Kevin is trapped behind enemy lines, Rowan asks what form he should assume next. Patty suggests the ghost depicted in their logo; Rowan enlarges into a kaiju-sized entity causing widespread havoc. The team uses Ecto-1’s reactor as an improvised bomb, triggering a nuclear explosion within the vortex that reverses its effects and forces Rowan’s retreat. Erin rescues Abby from being pulled into the portal.

Despite public condemnation, Mayor Bradley secretly funds the Ghostbusters’ operations as they relocate to an abandoned firehouse equipped with enhanced resources and new technology including an ecto-containment system. While investigating electronic voice phenomena (EVP), Patty hears the word "Zuul."

Cast

• Melissa McCarthy portrays Dr. Abigail L. "Abby" Yates
• Kristen Wiig plays Dr. Erin Gilbert
• Leslie Jones appears as Patricia "Patty" Tolan
• Kate McKinnon takes on the role of Dr. Jillian "Holtz" Holtzmann
• Chris Hemsworth acts as Kevin Beckman
• Neil Casey is cast as Dr. Rowan North
• Andy García embodies Mayor Marth Bradley
• Cecily Strong features as Jennifer Lynch
• Michael K. Williams plays Agent Cody Hawkins
• Matt Walsh appears as Agent Henry Rourke
• Charles Dance portrays Dr. Harold Filmore
• Ed Begley Jr. acts as Ed Mulgrave Jr.

Members of the original Ghostbusters cast make appearances in the movie:

• Bill Murray returns as Dr. Martin Heiss, a skeptic of the paranormal
• Dan Aykroyd plays a taxi driver with parapsychological knowledge and also serves as an executive producer
• Ernie Hudson appears as Bill Jenkins, Patty's uncle and a mortician
• Sigourney Weaver portrays Dr. Rebecca Gorin, Holtzmann’s former mentor
• Annie Potts reprises her role as hotel receptionist Vanessa

Ivan Reitman, co-producer and director of the first two installments, has a cameo role, while Daniel Ramis, son of Harold Ramis, makes a brief appearance. A bust featuring Ramis’ likeness is displayed outside Gilbert’s office.

Supporting characters are portrayed by Karan Soni, Bess Rous, Eugene Cordero, and Milana Vayntrub, all known from Paul Feig’s series Other Space. The extended version includes cameo appearances from Brian Baumgartner, Justin Kirk, and Elizabeth Perkins.

Voices for additional ghosts are provided by Dave Allen, Steve Bannos, Robin Shelby (as Lady Slimer), and Adam Ray (as Slimer). Other cameos include Steve Higgins, John Higgins, Michael McDonald, Zach Woods, Nate Corddry, Toby Huss, Katie Dippold, Sam Richardson, Jessica Chaffin, Jamie Denbo, along with public figures such as Ozzy Osbourne, Al Roker, Pat Kiernan, Greg Kelly, Rosanna Scotto, and Chris Gethard.

Development

After the release of Ghostbusters II in 1989, efforts to develop a third installment occurred sporadically. Bill Murray was initially hesitant to return due to dissatisfaction with Ghostbusters II and the scripts presented; his reluctance was influenced more by his relationship with Columbia Pictures and Sony than by his co-stars.

Dan Aykroyd observed that the studio understood Murray’s essential role in any sequel and contemplated introducing a new generation of Ghostbusters.

One early script penned by Aykroyd in 1999 titled Ghostbusters 3: Hellbent depicted Venkman departing from the team while others confronted souls from an alternate Manhattan dubbed Manhelltan. This concept later evolved into Ghostbusters in Hell, which included plans to replace Murray with Ben Stiller and focused on an alternate dimension magnifying the darker aspects of urban life.

Other ideas explored included turning Venkman into a ghost.

While development stalled for some time, Terminal Reality released Ghostbusters: The Video Game in 2009 featuring voices from the original cast; Aykroyd considered this game "essentially the third movie." The positive reception encouraged Columbia Pictures to continue developing the franchise.

Harold Ramis revealed intentions for a new film combining original Ghostbusters with new characters based on a script by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky aimed for production in 2010 and release in 2011.

By 2010, Columbia aimed to appeal to younger demographics and considered replacing original director Ivan Reitman with a younger filmmaker despite existing contracts granting original creators veto rights.

Murray criticized Eisenberg and Stupnitsky’s script but felt pressured to participate; Aykroyd defended it as providing Murray with a leading comedic role. By 2012, development stalled due to Murray’s reluctance; Aykroyd declined to recast Venkman to maintain franchise authenticity. New writers were brought on after discarding the previous script.

Due to Murray’s hesitation, the decision was made to reboot the franchise. In 2012 Reitman suggested remaking the original film to introduce fresh talent; he collaborated on a reboot script with Etan Cohen and Aykroyd targeting filming in 2013.

Following Ramis’s passing in February 2014, Reitman resigned as director but stayed on as producer to assist Columbia and Sony in securing new directorial leadership. At that point, scripts featured original Ghostbusters only in minor capacities.

Pre-production

In August 2014, Paul Feig was appointed to helm the reboot featuring a cast composed entirely of women.

On set, stand-ins such as actresses suspended on wires, drones simulating flying ghosts, a Slimer puppet, and large balloons representing the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man parade balloon assisted actors and effects crews. These proxies were outfitted with light-emitting diodes to provide lighting cues for glowing ghost visuals.

The Times Square finale recreated the area as a historic blend of storefronts, buildings, and advertisements from previous decades. This included defunct retailers like Bond Clothing Store, neon signage for airlines such as Braniff International Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation, alongside vintage movie posters like Taxi Driver (1976). The sequence incorporated neon logos from companies like Sony, Canadian Club, and Coca-Cola representing different time periods, as well as marquees from now-closed theaters.

Following tests by stereoscopic supervisor Ed Marsh, director Feig modified the 3D effects allowing certain ghost figures to extend beyond the letterboxed black bars seen in theaters, creating a unique visual effect.

Music

The Ghostbusters: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was made available by RCA Records on July 15, 2016. It includes four distinct renditions of the track "Ghostbusters," performed by Walk the Moon, Pentatonix, Fall Out Boy featuring Missy Elliott, alongside the original version by Ray Parker Jr.. The movie’s score, composed by Theodore Shapiro, was released digitally on July 8 and subsequently on CD through Sony Classical Records on July 15.

Controversy

Ghostbusters encountered substantial backlash on social media following director Paul Feig's attachment and the casting of an all-female lead ensemble, with some critics dismissing it as a mere "gimmick." The initial trailer became highly divisive, accumulating over one million dislikes on YouTube by May 2016, ranking it as the most disliked movie trailer and the ninth most disliked video on the platform overall. This response was characterized as a coordinated effort by certain online communities determined to oppose the reboot.

Melissa McCarthy attributed the negative reaction to a small but vocal misogynistic faction. Other explanations cited included audience nostalgia for the original film, resistance toward reboots in general, and perceptions that the trailer lacked humor. Prior to release, the film’s IMDb page also suffered from organized downvoting campaigns. Some media outlets dubbed the project "The Female Ghostbusters."

Todd Martens of the Los Angeles Times observed that fans appeared to feel entitled to a version that maintained their personal vision of the original. Ivan Reitman pointed out that much of the criticism was rooted more in nostalgia than outright sexism. Nevertheless, Leslie Jones’ character faced accusations of perpetuating racial stereotypes, which she countered by questioning why a "regular person" couldn’t be a Ghostbuster. Certain commentators linked online vote manipulation against the movie to racism directed at Jones.

Writers from The Washington Post and The Atlantic identified a significant portion of the criticism as misogynistic or anti-feminist in nature. Kristen Wiig expressed frustration that much of the controversy centered around gender issues. Feig acknowledged that some fans had problems with women in the cast but also empathized with concerns regarding the franchise itself. To address online negativity, additional scenes were filmed showing characters responding to hostile YouTube comments.

Filmmaker James Rolfe opted not to view the film, criticizing its lack of continuity with earlier installments—a position some critics interpreted as fan entitlement. Rolfe faced personal attacks online; debates arose over whether his stance was motivated by misogyny despite no explicit gender-based remarks. Richard Roeper’s negative review also sparked discussions about potential male bias; Roeper defended his assessment as impartial and respectful.

The backlash was seen as part of wider cultural conflicts and gender divides prevalent on social media, drawing comparisons to incidents like Gamergate. Following release, Leslie Jones endured racist and sexist harassment on Twitter, prompting support from Feig and others while criticizing Twitter’s handling of the situation. Twitter subsequently suspended controversial figure Milo Yiannopoulos after his attacks on Jones.

On the other hand, Jones and her character were accused by some of reinforcing harmful black stereotypes. In 2017, Feig expressed regret that social issues overshadowed the film’s reception and box office results but maintained confidence in its entertainment merit.

While promoting Ocean's 8 in 2018, Sandra Bullock condemned the intense backlash against Ghostbusters, emphasizing the talent involved and advocating for greater kindness and inclusivity in Hollywood alongside male colleagues.

Release

Ghostbusters made its debut at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on July 9, 2016, followed by theatrical releases on July 11 in the United Kingdom and July 15 in the United States. The film did not receive a release in China, as the China Film Group Corporation determined it would not appeal to local viewers due to limited recognition of the franchise.

Marketing

The initial trailer for Ghostbusters was released on March 3, 2016, and quickly amassed 24 million views within its first 24 hours on Facebook and YouTube, ultimately surpassing 60 million views across various social media platforms during its opening week.

Original cast members Murray, Aykroyd, Hudson, and Potts joined the new ensemble on the June 8 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which was dedicated to promoting the movie.

Sony partnered with Snapchat to enhance audience interaction by introducing interactive "busting" and "sliming" filters featuring the Ghostbusters emblem. These filters enabled users to virtually target the character Slimer using proton packs. Furthermore, brief 10-second teaser advertisements were displayed within Snapchat's Discover section. To expand the film’s presence into literature, Tor Books released a novelization authored by Nancy Holder.

Title

The closing credits feature the title Ghostbusters: Answer the Call. Director Paul Feig explained that this subtitle was added by the studio to distinguish it from the original Ghostbusters film. He opposed titles such as Ghostbusters 2016, believing they would date the movie. The studio selected Answer the Call, and Feig requested that this subtitle appear only during the end credits rather than on the film’s front title card.

Home media

On October 11, 2016, Ghostbusters became available on DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and Ultra HD Blu-ray. This home release features an extended edition with over 17 minutes of deleted footage, including:

• A scene where Erin is mocked as a "ghost girl," leading to a confrontation.
• Additional moments emphasizing Erin's ambition for scientific recognition.
• Expanded insight into Rowan’s motivations and commentary on most ghosts being male.
• A climactic battle sequence involving "crossing the streams," referencing the original movie.
• Multiple dance scenes, including one near the film’s conclusion.

In December 2021, Paul Feig’s installment was notably left out of the announced eight-disc Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection box set, which contained all other franchise films up to that year. Feig described this exclusion as "a mistake" and suggested it was likely an oversight by those responsible for distribution.

Box office

Ghostbusters earned $128.3 million domestically in North America and $100.8 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $229 million against a production budget of $144 million. Considering substantial marketing expenditures, the studio estimated a break-even point close to $300 million. Director Paul Feig had expected the film to reach approximately $500 million worldwide.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, losses were estimated above $70 million; however, Sony contested this figure by highlighting multiple revenue sources. Variety reported an overall loss near $75 million, with Sony's share around $50 million due to co-financing arrangements with Village Roadshow. Bloomberg estimated financial losses at $58.6 million. By August 2016, media outlets including Forbes and The Wall Street Journal classified the movie as a box-office failure, contributing to Sony’s $1 billion writedown announced in January 2017.

In North America, Ghostbusters opened on July 15 across 3,963 theaters with expectations between $40–50 million for its opening weekend. It generated $17.2 million on its first day—$3.4 million of which came from Thursday previews—and totaled $46 million over its opening weekend, placing second behind The Secret Life of Pets. This represented director Feig’s and star Melissa McCarthy’s largest opening weekend and was the biggest live-action comedy debut since Pitch Perfect 2. The second weekend saw a decline of 54%, earning $21 million and dropping to fifth place.

Internationally, Ghostbusters launched with $19.1 million from 3,900 screens worldwide, including $1 million from IMAX theaters. It debuted at number one in markets such as the UK and Ireland ($6.1 million) and Australia ($3.7 million), while ranking third in Brazil ($2.2 million). Following its home video release in North America, it led DVD and Blu-ray sales charts.

In June 2017, Dan Aykroyd attributed the movie’s disappointing performance partly to director Paul Feig's refusal to film additional scenes unless test screenings justified them—resulting in reportedly increased reshoot expenses between $30–40 million (though Sony stated reshoots cost only $3–4 million). Aykroyd later acknowledged Feig’s strong cast and resources but expressed regret over excluding original creators from involvement, suggesting this affected future franchise participation by key actors.

Critical reception

According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Ghostbusters has an approval rating of , derived from critic evaluations, with an average score of . The site's summary reads: "Ghostbusters succeeds as a lively, superbly cast supernatural comedy, although it somewhat falls short compared to the original." On Metacritic, the film earned a score of 60 out of 100 based on 52 reviews, signifying "mixed or average" opinions. Audience feedback collected by CinemaScore assigned it a "B+" grade, while PostTrak indicated that 57% of viewers would "definitely recommend" the movie.

Manohla Dargis from The New York Times described the film as "a rare major studio release—a movie that offers enjoyable, disposable entertainment." Nigel M. Smith of The Guardian gave it four stars out of five, highlighting the film's vitality and the cast’s spirited effort to reshape the blockbuster genre despite initial unfavorable reactions. Mike Ryan from Uproxx praised the characters but criticized the excessive use of CGI. J.R. Kinnard writing for PopMatters commended the strong acting and absence of cynicism but regarded the movie as "safe" and lacking distinctiveness. The Village Voice acknowledged the cast's performances even though the film struggled with its predecessor’s legacy. Mara Reinstein of US Weekly rated it 2.5 out of 4, applauding the ensemble but expressing dissatisfaction with the screenplay and action scenes.

Mark Kermode from Observer awarded it three out of five stars, calling it "generally likable yet inconsistent." Richard Lawson for Vanity Fair argued that the film was overly focused on confronting its heritage, squandering a talented cast and resulting in another disappointing summer release. James Berardinelli labeled it mediocre, describing it as "overlong and insufficiently humorous." Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times rated it one out of four stars, criticizing the performances, script, and visual effects; he later identified it as one of the year's worst films, assigning a D− grade during his radio commentary.

Awards and nominations

Choice Summer Movie Star: Male| Chris Hemsworth| Template:Nom| Best Ensemble| The cast of Ghostbusters| Template:Nom| Best Female Action Hero| The women of Ghostbusters| Template:Won|

Awards and nominations received by Ghostbusters

Award	Ceremony date	Category	Nominee(s)	Outcome	Template:Ref heading
Alliance of Women Film Journalists	December 21, 2016	Actress Most in Need of a New Agent	Melissa McCarthy	Template:Nom
		Remake or Sequel That Shouldn't Have Been Made	Ghostbusters	Template:Nom
Annie Awards	February 4, 2017	Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production	Terry Bannon, Nicholas Tripodi, Daniel Fotheringham, Matt Weaver, and Julien Boudou	Template:Nom
Black Reel Awards	February 16, 2017	Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female	Leslie Jones	Template:Nominated
Critics' Choice Awards	December 11, 2016	Best Actress in a Comedy	Kate McKinnon	Template:Nom
Empire Awards	March 19, 2017	Best Comedy	Ghostbusters	Template:Nom
Hugo Awards	August 11, 2017	Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form	Katie Dippold & Paul Feig	Template:Nom
Kids' Choice Awards	March 11, 2017	Favorite Movie	Ghostbusters	Template:Won
		Favorite Movie Actor	Chris Hemsworth	Template:Won
		Favorite Movie Actress	Melissa McCarthy	Template:Won
			Kristen Wiig	Template:Nominated
		Favorite Squad	Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones	Template:Nom
People's Choice Awards	January 18, 2017	Favorite Comedic Movie	Ghostbusters	Template:Nom
		Favorite Comedic Movie Actress	Melissa McCarthy	Template:Won
			Kristen Wiig	Template:Nom
		Favorite Comedic Movie Actor	Chris Hemsworth	Template:Nom
Saturn Awards	June 28, 2017	Best Fantasy Film	Ghostbusters	Template:Nom
		Best Supporting Actress	(Kate McKinnon)
Seattle Film Critics Society	Best Actress in a Supporting Role| Kate McKinnon| Template:Nom|
Teen Choice Awards	Choice Summer Movie| Ghostbusters| Template:Nom|
	Choice Summer Movie Star: Female| Melissa McCarthy| Template:Nom|
	Kristen Wiig| Template:Nom|
	Women Film Critics Circle	Best Comedic Actress| Kate McKinnon| Template:Won|

Abandoned Sequel

Following the film’s debut weekend, Rory Bruer, Sony’s president of global distribution, suggested that a sequel was probable and anticipated that Ghostbusters would evolve into a significant franchise for Sony. The main actors along with director Paul Feig had initially committed to two follow-up installments.

Nonetheless, certain industry commentators expressed skepticism due to the movie's lackluster box office results. Analyst Jeff Bock highlighted the difficulties in progressing after a lukewarm reception. In October 2016, Feig mentioned that while a sequel was not actively being developed, it remained a possibility contingent on strong home media sales. By November, Feig confirmed that no direct sequel would proceed as a result of the film’s commercial shortcomings.

Prospective Animated Projects

In November 2016, Ivan Reitman disclosed that additional Ghostbusters ventures were underway. Previously, an animated series titled Ghostbusters: Ecto Force had been scheduled for release in early 2018. At San Diego Comic-Con 2017, Reitman shared plans for upcoming animated movies within the franchise, including one told from the ghosts’ viewpoint and another commemorating the original film’s 35th anniversary in 2019.

Comic Book Adaptations

IDW Publishing launched a six-issue limited comic series called Ghostbusters 101, which depicted a crossover between the original Ghostbusters and the 2016 team. The initial issue was released in March 2017. Additionally, a five-issue limited run titled Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, continuing the storyline of the 2016 characters, commenced publication in October.

Literature

• 2016: Nancy Holder: GHOSTBUSTERS novelization, Macmillan USA
• 2016: Stacia Deutsch: Ghostbusters Movie Novelization, Simon Spotlight

See also

• List of ghost films