Moviefone Editorial

Tag: ghostbusters-cast

  • Leslie Jones ‘Ghostbusters’ Role Originally Written for Melissa McCarthy

    After the awesome new trailer for Paul Feig’s “Ghostbusters” reboot dropped last week, there was a lot of backlash surrounding Leslie Jones’s character, MTA worker Patty Tolan. While some fans lashed out at the fact that Jones, the film’s only black cast member in one of the four main roles, was playing a subway employee while three white women were playing scientists, Jones and Feig have vehemently defended the part. And it turns out that originally, a white actress was supposed to play it.

    That’s the word from Feig himself, who spoke to Empire magazine this week in an interview breaking down all the major moments from the trailer, including the introduction of Patty. As Feig tells it, when he and co-writer Katie Dippold were penning the script, they had initially pegged Jones’s costar, Melissa McCarthy, for the flamboyant part of Patty.

    “… [W]e had written the role with Melissa in mind, but then I thought I’ve seen Melissa play a brash, larger than life character,” Feig told the magazine. “She’s done it in my movies before!”

    Feig is, of course, talking about his many previous collaborations with McCarthy, including her starmaking turn in Feig’s directorial debut, “Bridesmaids,” which nabbed the actress an Oscar nomination and international adoration. After Feig and Dippold reconsidered the casting, the director told Empire that he then thought of Jones, the “Saturday Night Live” cast member who’s been wowing audiences with her take-no-prisoners performance on the sketch show since 2014.

    “She’s one of my favourite people on the planet,” Feig gushed about the comedian. “I don’t normally like comedy that’s big and loud, but she is able to pull that off in a way that feels real and it’s her. And when I make a movie, I want to find the funniest people I know and once I know what’s the funniest thing about them I want that to be the thing that I put on screen and let shine. This is the role that Leslie can shine comedically in. If you’ve ever seen her do stand-up, it’s just who she is. I wanted to unleash Leslie on the public in the same way we unleashed Melissa on the public in ‘Bridesmaids,’ with a very showy role.”

    Here’s hoping “Ghostbusters” can do for Jones what it did for McCarthy — and, as Feig said on Twitter, that the haters can “Grow up and leave [his] cast alone.”

    [via: Empire]

    %Slideshow-361957%

  • Sigourney Weaver Will Also Cameo in ‘Ghostbusters’ (No Word on Zuul)

    American Ballet Theatre's 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Spring GalaPaul Feig‘s upcoming take on “Ghostbusters” is shaping up to be more of a reunion than a reboot, with original star Sigourney Weaver officially joining the cast.

    Weaver, who played Dana Barrett in 1984’s “Ghostbusters” and 1989’s “Ghostbusters II,” is set to make an appearance in the new flick, according to Feig. The director, in an effort to stave off too many spoilers, revealed the news himself on Twitter, calling the actress “awesome.”

    There’s no word on whether or not Weaver will be playing Barrett, though we’re assuming that like her other fellow original “Ghostbusters” stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts, she’ll be making a cameo as a new character. And just look at that list, folks — the fact that Feig was able to wrangle so many members of the original cast (RIP, Harold Ramis) is a miracle in and of itself; whoever they’re all playing, fans should be pleased so see them on the big screen together regardless.

    The only major holdout left is Rick Moranis. Fingers crossed Feig can snag him, too.

    “Ghostbusters” stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. It hits theaters on July 15, 2016.

    [via: Paul Feig]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

    %Slideshow-198428%

  • Here Are the New ‘Ghostbusters’ Character Names

    ghostbusters cast, ghostbusters reboot, ghostbustersWhile there’s still plenty of mystery surrounding Paul Feig‘s upcoming “Ghostbusters” reboot, one additional detail that the director has provided is the four main characters’ names.

    Feig tweeted out that fact over the weekend, in response to a fan query about the titular foursome’s identities. While some initial information had been floating around the interwebs for some time now, Feig has finally offered (some) clarity about who these women are.

    According to the director, the main character’s names are: Erin Gilbert, Jillian Holtzmann, Abby Yates, and Patty Tolan. (Those names are slightly different from those attached to previous character descriptions that have surfaced online, though we’re assuming the details about the characters’ day jobs are still more or less accurate.) Based on that intel (and the picture from the fan tweet that prompted Feig’s response), we’re still assuming that Kristen Wiig is playing Erin, Kate McKinnon is playing Jillian, Melissa McCarthy is playing Abby, and Leslie Jones is playing Patty.


    So now that we can match faces to names, what else can we expect Feig to reveal about his version of the ‘busters? He’s already dropped a bunch of scoops on Twitter, but we’re betting that the director has many more tricks up his sleeve that he’s saving for when the flick hits theaters. We can’t wait.

    “Ghostbusters” is set for release on July 22, 2016.

    [via: Paul Feig]

    Photo credit: Paul Feig

    %Slideshow-198428%

  • Andy Garcia, Michael K. Williams Join ‘Ghostbusters’

    Sophia Loren's 80th Birthday Celebration At The Museo Soumaya In Mexico City, MexicoThe “Ghostbusters” cast is expanding, with several new additions to the already-impressive ensemble recently confirmed.

    The Wire” alum Williams is playing a character named Hawkins.

    Walsh (“Veep”) will play a character named Rourke. And according to TheWrap, local New York City news anchor Pat Kiernan will put those skills to use to play a TV news reporter in the flick.

    That foursome joins previously-announced “Ghostbusters” leads Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon, who play the titular heroines in the reboot of the 1984 comedy classic. Chris Hemsworth is starring as the foursome’s receptionist for their fledgling ghost-fighting business.

    Filming is already underway in Boston (which is standing in for NYC in the flick), and director Paul Feig has already revealed a few looks at the costumes and gadgets that the cast will use. Based on everything Feig has said so far about the film, we’re expecting some scary fun; with the addition of Garcia and Williams, especially, we’re looking forward to some intense dramatic moments, too.

    “Ghostbusters” is due in theaters on July 22, 2016.

    [via: TheWrap]

    Photo credit: Jesse Grant via Getty Images

    %Slideshow-198428%

  • The New ‘Ghostbusters’ Cast Hung Out at ‘SNL 40’ and It Was Awesome (PHOTO)


    Among the many highlights from Sunday’s “SNL 40” special, one of the biggest took place off-camera: The women at the center of the new “Ghostbusters” flick spent some quality time together at the show’s after party.

    Current “Saturday Night Live” cast member Leslie Jones shared some behind-the-scenes snaps from the all-star event, including one of her surrounded by her fellow “Ghostbusters” stars Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Kate McKinnon.


    Jones didn’t offer any additional commentary other than to say that the “SNL 40” special was “epic,” but fans eager to see her and the rest of the new ‘busters in action can no doubt assume that the fearsome foursome had a great time discussing how they’re going to revolutionize the ghost-fighting game.

    The “Ghostbusters” reboot, directed by Paul Feig, is slated to hit theaters on July 22, 2016.

    [via: Leslie Jones, h/t Uproxx]

    %Slideshow-198428%

  • Dan Aykroyd Praises ‘Magnificent’ New ‘Ghostbusters’ Cast


    The cast of the “Ghostbusters” reboot is officially in place — Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon will be suiting up for the flick — and original ‘buster Dan Aykroyd could not be happier with the ensemble.

    In a statement, Aykroyd (who starred in and co-wrote the first two flicks) told The Hollywood Reporter that the fierce foursome had his blessing.

    “The Aykroyd family is delighted by this inheritance of the Ghostbusters torch by these most magnificent women in comedy,” Aykroyd’s statement said. “My great grandfather, Dr. Sam Aykroyd, the original Ghostbuster, was a man who empowered women in his day, and this is a beautiful development in the legacy of our family business.”

    While Aykroyd’s stamp of approval is pretty great, his reference to his great-grandfather is especially worth noting. Some diehard “Ghostbusters” fans may already know, but Aykroyd’s family member was an early follower of parapyschology, and even corresponded with “Sherlock Holmes” writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about his Spiritualism beliefs. Aykroyd’s own later interest in the subject, coupled with his family history, was part of the inspiration behind “Ghostbusters.”

    Suffice it to say, having Aykroyd get on board with the new cast is a coup for the production, and perhaps could even signal a cameo for the original Ghostbuster. We can’t wait to see what director Paul Feig and writer Katie Dippold have up their sleeves.

    “Ghostbusters” is due in theaters on July 22, 2016.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

    %Slideshow-198428%