Summary
- Leslie Jones believes that Ghostbusters: Answer the Call could have been a better film, as it had some great moments that were cut due to budget constraints.
- Jones expresses disappointment that scenes with her and Kate McKinnon, as well as Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, were removed, as they were important in explaining their friendship dynamics.
- According to Jones, the special effects needed for certain scenes were deemed too expensive, which raises questions about the decision to make a Ghostbusters movie if it couldn't afford the necessary effects.
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call could have been a better film according to star Leslie Jones. Acting alongside Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy, Jones played a role in the all-female reboot of 1984’s classic Ghostbusters. Opinions on this entry in the Ghostbusters franchise were divisive, and the film garnered massive online backlash at the time.
In an excerpt from her memoir via Ghostbusters could have been potentially a better film. In her writing, Jones referenced “some great moments” between her and McKinnon–and between Wiig and McCarthy–that got cut from the film. This included a comedic dance sequence, among other scenes, all of which were cut due to budgetary concerns. Check out the full quote from Jones below:
I think that’s why one of the worst things about that movie is that it should have been a great film. That crew deserved for y’all to see the movie we actually made. But a lot of stuff got cut for cost.
What no one realizes to this day is that me and Kate [McKinnon] had some great moments that you didn’t get to see. There were moments with Melissa [McCarthy] and Kristen [Wiig] that got cut, too, that I thought were important in explaining how their friendship came to be in the movie. If they had released the movie as we’d shot it, I swear things would have been different. Paul Feig was awesome during the shooting, and we were doing improv all over the place, and there was even a dance scene that was so dope. Michael Williams, God rest his soul, choreographed a scene where Chris Hemsworth was possessed and took over the whole army. It was like a really funny, weird version of “Thriller” — Chris was standing on top of a movie theater dancing, while Michael Williams was in the front of all the FBI agents and soldiers on the ground, just killing it. It was the best thing. The day of that taping we were so excited because we figured that when people saw this, they were going to lose it.
Nope — it got cut. The reason given was that the special effects needed were too expensive, or some bullsh*t. But if this film can’t afford special effects, then what the f*ck are we doing making a Ghostbusters movie in the first place? Then there was a fight scene I shot that also got cut.
The Controversy Behind 2016’s Ghostbusters
This lamentation is one of many that Jones has been speaking out about as of late. The actress has also discussed the racism inherent in the Ghostbusters’ reactions. Whereas her co-stars experienced milder reactions, Jones suffered what she described as “being bullied over a movie.” From her latest quote, Jones clearly believes that said movie could have been better, which may have changed the public’s reaction to it.
While Jones’ experience following Ghostbusters was particularly severe, the film did not fare well overall. While director Paul Feig attempted to reinvent the film through its updated casting, many viewers did not take kindly to the all-female retelling of Ghostbusters. Some accused the casting of being gimmicky and diluting what made the original film great. A few years later, Jason Reitman, son of the original film’s director Ivan Reitman, attempted to right this wrong by making Ghostbusters: Afterlife, wherein several of the original stars ed a new cast.
Reitman’s film also became a point of contention with Jones, as the director made some comments about 2016’s Ghostbusters that proved to be problematic. This included Reitman’s claimed attempt to “hand the movie back to the fansrelease of the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel.
Source: Rolling Stone
