Ghostbusters Director Jason Reitman Walks Back “Hand the Movie Back to the Fans” Comments

John F. Trent |

Feb 21, 2019

Ghostbusters director Jason Reitman, and the son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, found himself in some hot water after he appeared on Bill Burr’s podcast and declared his upcoming sequel will “go back to original technique and hand the movie back to the fans.”

Reitman would elaborate as reported by The Daily Wire, “We went back and found the original physical vinyl letters that they used to create the Ghostbusters poster in 1984, [and] re-scanned them, then our titles guys reprinted them and we filmed the titles.” He would add, “We shot physical titles with a light-and-smoke effect ’cause that’s how they would have done it back in the day.”

Reitmann added, “I’m not making the ‘Juno’ of ‘Ghostbusters’ movies.” He then revealed he wants his upcoming Ghostbusters film to be a “love letter to Ghostbusters…I want to make a movie for my fellow ‘Ghostbusters’ fans.”

The comments would come under fire from a number of fans including science fiction author John Scalzi who interpreted Reitman’s comments as creating a movie for the Ghostbuster fans who did not like the the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot. Scalzi and others decided to attack these people labeling them all kinds of names from “chucklef***” to “sexist, racist assholes.”

Are these the “fans” who basically shit themselves in public because the previous Ghostbusters movie because it had women in it? Because I’m not gonna lie, I don’t want to see the movie that caters to that sort of dimwitted chucklefuck. https://t.co/s4E9pGdacn

— John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 20, 2019

My own take on the previous Ghostbusters, incidentally, was that it was good but not great — I liked the new cast but was not fond of the villian, who was not very interesting. Decently funny, and Kate McKinnon’s Holtzmann is probably the Best Ghostbuster Ever.

— John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 20, 2019

This quote really makes it sound like the “real” fans are the sexist, racist assholes that attacked Leslie Jones and made the entire launch of the last Ghostbusters a nightmare for the women involved and for fans who looked forward to their work. https://t.co/znmVCT7UU8

— Soraya “Friend of the Devil” Chemaly (@schemaly) February 20, 2019

The Mary Sue would even state, “Giving Ghostbusters “Back to the Fans” Makes It Seem like Women Can’t Be Ghostbusters Fans.”

Hi @JasonReitman! Can we have a chat about this little comment you made? Because let me tell you, hoo golly, does it not only completely disregard female fans of #Ghostbusters, it actively supports the behaviors of the festering open wounds known as Men Online. pic.twitter.com/TEViOIBLey

— Alicia Lutes (@alicialutes) February 20, 2019

Forbes writer Scott Mendelson even declared Reitman’s statements as problematic.

And, yes, the notion of “giving the movie back to the fans” is, intentional or not, a deeply loaded statement considering how the “fans” made life hell (online) for women anticipating (and eventually participating in) the 2016 GHOSTBUSTERS movie.

— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) February 20, 2019

All of this plays into how a Jason Reitman GHOSTBUSTERS movie plays into the worst fan impulses (“Egad, those remakes are scary… bathe us in the comfots of nostalgia!”). But it’s also a successful formula where kids don’t care and adults want recycled IP.

— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) February 20, 2019

Fair or not, #JasonReitman‘s comments, when considering the current culture as it is, read like a confirmation of everything we feared about this #Ghostbusters when it was first announced. Even if that’s not the movie, if they sell it like such that will be a moral failure.

— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) February 20, 2019

A number of other Ghostbusters fans would take issue with the idea that people who didn’t like the 2016 Ghostbusters film are somehow misogynists.

So the director of the new film says he will give it ‘back to the fans’.

I presume he means the fans like me who do not hate women, but hated reboots and wanted a ghostbusters that was true to the original and set in the original world staring the original cast.

Not misogonysts

— Boogie2988 (@Boogie2988) February 20, 2019

No one ever said women couldn’t be ghostbusters. The fact you dismiss kylie to make the fans look sexist proves you were never fans in the first place pic.twitter.com/4ejTcQQryH

— ComicsZombieDood (@marvelzombiek) February 21, 2019

Remember when Janine became a Ghostbuster in the cartoon and comics and the fans loved it? When Kylie joined the team in the cartoon and comics and fans loved it? When Melanie Ortiz was introduced in the comics and fans loved it? #Ghostbusters fans hate bad movies, not women. pic.twitter.com/JqQK5O7O62

— PelleCreepy (@PelleCreepy) February 21, 2019

Reitman would walk back his comments on Twitter.

Wo, that came out wrong! I have nothing but admiration for Paul and Leslie and Kate and Melissa and Kristen and the bravery with which they made Ghostbusters 2016. They expanded the universe and made an amazing movie!

— Jason Reitman (@JasonReitman) February 21, 2019

Paul Feig, who directed the Ghostbusters 2016 reboot, weighed in on Reitman’s comments describing him as a “true gentlamen” and “a supporter of Ghostbusters: Answer the Call.”

Jason was a supporter of mine at a time when I couldn’t get movies made. He has always been a true gentleman to me and a supporter of Ghostbusters: Answer the Call. I can’t wait to see his take on the Ghostbusters universe. Big love and respect to you, Jason. Your fan, Paul https://t.co/2I9sqmrgTl

— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) February 21, 2019

Reitman revealed the Ghostbusters sequel in January and even released a teaser for it. The film ha sbeen controversial ever since the teaser and announcement. Leslie Jones, who starred in the 2016 reboot, described this new sequel as “insulting.” She would also add, “It’s like something trump would do.”