One of the movies that had the most buzz this summer was the new Ghostbusters. Most of the time, studios loved the buzz, but this time around, the buzz was not good. Most consumers were not happy the movie was being remade. Most movie fans were turned off from the get-go, ever since hearing for the first time that the reboot was being made. This brings up a very important question: Are sequels, remakes or prequels created equal?
The first Ghostbusters was released in 1984 and had gained cult status, broadly recognized as one of the most famous movies from the 1980s. The original movie starred Bill Murry, Dan Aykroid, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. The cast was very popular at the time. While made on a meager budget of $30 million, Ghostbusters went on to gross $295 million. Toss into the mix 2 Academy Award nominations – for visual effects and for best song, the now-famous Ghostbusters theme song. Naturally this spawned a 1989 sequel that grossed over $215 million. Both movies were big hits in the 80’s and are still are very popular today.
Posters for 1984 and 2016 versions of Ghostbusters
27 years ago we saw Ghostbusters on the big screen. And this new Ghostbusters movie had a similar story – centered around scientists fighting ghosts in New York, but billed with entirely fresh talent. While Kristen Wiig and Michelle McCarthy have found success on the big screen before with their other screen projects, Leslie Jones and Kate Mckinnon are best known for their roles on Saturday Night Live. While the new cast comprises talent on the rise, some will argue pales in billing and appeal commanded by the all-star cast of the original.
Paul Feig, who is known for 2011’s Bridesmaids, directed the movie. Made on a budget of $144 million, the movie grossed $228 million. Though it didn’t win any big awards, the latest sequel was praised for being a solid stand-alone movie made stronger by a great cast chemistry.
So the real question here is: How does 2016′s Ghostbusters stack up to the 1984 version of Ghostbusters? Both movies got similar reviews from the critics, and the original version is ranked a bit higher than the 2016 version. Both are critically good movies. So why wasn’t the 2016 version received so well by the masses? I think it can all be summed up by one saying, “You can’t teach a dog new tricks.” Most fans of the Ghostbusters franchise weren’t on board with the remake from the beginning, so nothing would change their minds. Right or wrong, not all sequels would get a fair shot in the eye – or the wallet – of a moviegoer.
Here is the comparison of 1984 and 2016 Ghostbusters:
Which one was your favorite? We would like to hear from you!