A new Ghostbusters trailer is here, and – as well as featuring about 7000% more Chris Hemsworth than the last one – it looks like it’s seeking to address some of the controversy that surrounded the last one.
When the first trailer dropped, it abated many of the fears that this was an unnecessary remake of a classic by paying homage to the originals, yet it brought up a far more serious issue: race. Of the four all-female Ghostbusters, three are brilliant scientists (white), and one is a sassy subway worker (guess).
Leslie Jones‘s character Patty Tolan has been the subject of more think-pieces and hot-takes that the other three characters (played by the v. v. funny Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Kate McKinnon) combined, with some of that casting criticism finding a target in Jones herself. (WTF, people?)
She’s flat-out rejected cries of ‘racist’, and has turned the damn tables around to call those crying racist as racist.
I’m playing a hardworking woman.The regular one that rep the people. You guys are the racists by labeling her a lowly MTA worker.Not me
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) March 7, 2016
Doesn’t make her char dumb or not needed.Every movie has that element cause it’s A MOVIE!Next movie I’ll B a teacher or soldier or scientist
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) March 7, 2016
But this role I’m a MTA worker.people I’m an actor I play everyone.Y’all are the ones making this bad.So next time I’ll be a Minion.Ok?!
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) March 7, 2016
She also retweeted this fan statement: “Of course everybody is entitled to their own opinions so I understand it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. However, when you start bringing issues like race, woman’s (sic) menstrual cycles, weight, woman being in the lead roles and other cruel personal insults about the cast and director you clearly have bigger problems in life than a trailer for a movie. At the end of the day, this is a movie; it’s something to give people joy and to forget about this insane world we live in for two hours.”
But, from the look of things, Paul Feig is going to address both the race- and gender-based criticisms.
In one clip from the new international trailer, Patty Tolan attempts to crowd-surf and lands smack bang on the floor, due to the crowd immediately parting ways.
Looking up, she says: “I don’t know if that’s a race thing or a lady thing, but I’m mad as hell.” THE MESSAGE. IT’S LOUD AND CLEAR, PAUL.
Chris Hemsworth as the eye candy receptionist also gets a look in, first being hired on his babe-status alone, and then designing a logo that could basically be renamed Boob-busters. Ghost-boobers. Something along those lines, anyway.
Watch the trailer below:
Photo: Supplied.
