There are plenty of reasons to explain its middling critical reception and poor box office performance, but it doesn’t change the basic facts – 2016’s Ghostbusters reboot failed to capture the attention of longtime fans and series newcomers, and any hope of a follow-up was quickly dashed when the numbers started trickling in. The Paul Feig-directed action flick had a $144 million production budget, and even though it ultimately brought in close to $230 million, it’s likely that Columbia Pictures took a loss once you factor in advertising costs.
Ever since it was announced, the reboot drew ire and criticism from social media users all over, with some taking aim at the new, female team of ghostbusters. A few of the film’s cast members and other celebs weighed in on the backlash, and now, MCU veteran Chris Hemsworth has shared his own thoughts and opinions on the matter. The star of Thor: Ragnarok didn’t play one of the titular poltergeist poachers, but rather, he portrayed the group’s receptionist, Kevin Beckman.
As reported by ComicBook.com, Hemsworth recently sat down for an interview with Variety and revealed that he’s still mad at the so-called trolls, whom he blames for ruining the film’s chances at succeeding at the box office. In particular, he slammed those who complained about the all-female cast, and the sense of entitlement which is usually associated with passionate fanbases.
“That whole period I was like, ‘What ownership do you guys have over those characters?’” Hemsworth told Variety. “Oh, you watched the film, therefore you should have a say over where it goes? I thought it was very unfortunate and kind of disappointing.”
While he did express an interest in working on a sequel, the reboot’s poor performance has dashed all hopes at a follow-up. Instead, Sony and Columbia Pictures are moving forward with an all-new film – tentatively titled Ghostbusters 3 – which will take place in the same universe as the original two movies. There’s no release date or full cast list in sight, but one thing’s for certain – fans shouldn’t hold their breath for another all-female pic.