Got high hopes for director Paul Feig's new Ghostbusters movie? You're not the only one. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, series godfather Dan Aykroyd, who of course co-wrote the original script and played hapless Ray Stanz, believes the new entry could be funnier than the 1984 classic. High praise indeed.
"Paul’s kind of the George Cukor of Hollywood," says Aykroyd, referring to the legendary filmmaker behind classic 'women's pictures' like Gone with the Wind. "He has a great touch directing female actors and he really knows how to hit the female psyche and sensibility. In a way, his movie might be a little better than the first two because they can do more — CGI might be a little better. But also, you know, there might be more jokes in it. I’m really happy with what I’m seeing."
Feig's latest movie continues his familiar brand of women-led comedy. Having steered both Bridesmaids and this year's Spy to enormous success, he now re-teams with muse Melissa McCarthy to bring the Ghostbusters to a new generation.
Also starring: Bridesmaids actress Kristen Wiig and Saturday Night Live regulars Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. Just to further reinforce the gender reversal, strapping Thor star Chris Hemsworth has been relegated to the role of on-screen receptionist.
Nevertheless, the new film is set to throw back to iconic Ghostbusters heritage by featuring much-publicised cameos from Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver and Ernie Hudson.
"None of us lobbied to be in the third movie," Aykroyd says. "We all felt that this Paul Feig concept was so strong that we didn’t have to be in it. But he called me. And of course, I said, 'I want to help in any way I can.'"
Director of the 1984 classic, Ivan Reitman believes however that Feig and McCarthy's take is strong enough to stand on its own.
"For much the same reason that the original Ghostbusters couldn’t really be the stars of this movie, including Harold who passed away, it was time to get fresh blood in there," Reitman explains. "I think Paul’s idea of the gender shift was a very smart and fresh way to get everybody to re-look at this in a new way."
We'll find out if there's life in the old ectoplasm yet when Ghostbusters is unleashed on 15th July 2016.
