There aren’t enough movies with all-male leads. Or at least, that’s what Sony is telling us, based on news that it plans to release another Ghostbusters remake, this time starring all guys. (To, I guess, cancel out Paul Feig’s 2016 remake starring all-women.)
Meant to technically be a counterpart to the female-driven comedy, Deadline reports Guy-Busters will fall under Ghostcorps, a new production company helmed by Ghostbusters veterans Dan Akroyd and Ivan Reitman. The film will also be directed by Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s Joe and Anthony Russo, written by Drew Pierce (Iron Man 3), and produced by Channing Tatum (who will probably also star) alongside partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan. It’s also more action-centric than Feig’s movie, which begins filming in June.
Which brings us to our next point: what the hell?
I mean, congratulations to everyone involved for being successful enough to justify this, but an all-male Ghostbusters is offensively unnecessary. Not only does it undermine the scarily-talented ensemble Paul Feig has brought together, it undermines the idea that women can lead a major franchise. Especially since, in the wake of announcing an all-female Ghostbusters, the idea was met with vitriol. (As if sexism was still rampant in our culture or something.)
Ultimately, to release a “counterpart” to a movie that seems like it already has so much to prove, Sony, Ghostcorps, and everybody involved are sending the message that Feig’s Ghostbusters isn’t good enough; that to appease the “masses” (see: men), we need something “bigger and better.” We need boy toys and girl toys. We need chick flicks and action films.
And of course, that idea is garbage. Despite Akroyd and Reitman having okayed this venture, lest we forget that the original Ghostbusters was a movie about underdogs prevailing. It was smart, and funny, and fair. It wasn’t another cog in the myth-of-male-masculinity/action-adventure machine. It wasn’t made in response to a female-centric film doing basically the exact same thing. Even if it’s not the intention, this latest instalment tells us that if you troll women and challenge the idea that they can achieve anything, you will win. It tells kids that a female-fronted movie is always second best, and it continues to tells adults that their prejudices are relevant and their sexism still has a place.
There is no equality, only Zuul.