The new Ghostbusters remake may not be cursed or haunted after all. On July 14 USNews.com reported that the Columbia Pictures tent pole might still be released in the Middle Kingdom, despite earlier outlets reporting that the supernatural comedy would be barred from the world's second largest, and fastest growing, film market.
This development is sure to be a huge relief for everyone involved in the film. That's because misfortune worthy of a black comedy hung over the big budget Hollywood flick for much of the run up to its release. First there were misogynist trolls, filling social media with vitriol about the updated version's all female cast. That was followed by lukewarm reviews ahead of the July 15 release, prompting Metacritic to declare the reboot "not as bad as people feared ... but not as good as the (1984) original."
From there, the news only got worse: on July 13, the Hollywood Reporter ran an article titled "'Ghostbusters' Denied Release in China." The story cited anonymous sources in China's film board, before referencing a PRC censorship guideline that forbids films with strong supernatural or cultish motifs, a policy rooted in the Communist Party's "secular ideology." The article went on to describe another, more straightforward reason for the film's barring: a potential lack of interest among Chinese moviegoers, because many of them were unable to see the 1984 original upon its release.
McCarthy, McKinnon, Wiig and Jones (from left to right) bust ghosts in one of this summer's biggest tentpole flicks
This ruling might have been catastrophic for the new film. After all, the initial bad buzz could have hampered its box office prospects, leaving executives to resort to the go-to plan b that can help salvage even the biggest of Hollywood flops, pushing the film in China. And even if the flick had been a mega-hit at home, being shut out of the Middle Kingdom would have been dismal for business, considering the rapidly growing heft of China's film market.
However, the Hollywood Reporter's take seems to be premature. A day after its article about the ban, USNews.com quoted executives at Sony (Columbia Pictures' parent company) who said they have yet to even formally apply to China's film board for approval to screen the film. That means no decision has been made, and there is still potential for Chinese audiences to see the ghastly CGI ghouls and grin inducing gags that the film is being touted for. The USNews.com article added that Sony has "big expectations for the film in Asia," before noting its scheduled August 19 release in Japan.
That good news is compounded by respectable Stateside box office: Deadline says the movie should clear the USD 45 million mark once returns are tallied early this week. Some analysts say that total is still lackluster, but it's by no means disastrous, and could lead to blockbuster levels if the film has good word of mouth, and continues to draw crowds, in the coming weeks.
Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd (left to right) starred in the hugely succesful 1984 original Ghostbusters
The Ghostbusters reboot stars rising comediennes Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig (who previously worked together in the 2011 breakout hit Bridesmaids), along with Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones as a troop of scientists who combat and catch undead creatures, to hilarious effect. It is a remake of the 1984 blockbuster of the same name, which starred then white hot comic actors Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The original is considered a classic, and when news broke last year that the remake would feature an all female starring cast, numerous narrow minded film buffs lashed out online, to the point that the reboot's trailer became the most disliked film preview in YouTube's history. However, the movie's strong box office, and potential release in China, proves McCarthy and co. not only have the power to bust ghosts but also internet trolls.