"Ghostbusters": 11 Things the Sequel Needs to Do to Succeed

[CBR News]

With Sony reportedly moving forward with a "Ghostbusters" sequel, CBR looks at ways to make the next "Ghostbusters 2" better than the last.


Full article here.

[brettc1]

Ghostbusters 2

"Ghostbusters 2" was garbage. Dare we say "dumpster fire" in the parlance of the cool children on the internet? We dare. That means that regardless of anything that happens in the "Ghostbusters" sequel, it will already be a significant upgrade over the original film's sequel. (Seriously. It could just be a six-second Vine of Slimer eating hot dogs that continuously plays for over two hours and that would be an improvement over "Ghostbusters 2.")


What the hell is people's problem with the Ghostbusters 2? I've even heard Kevin Smith dissing it and yet seen heaps of comments on his Fatman youtube clip saying that the movie was great.

Let's put this in perspective. This movie that people are saying is a let down made a ton of money for a start. More than this latest attempt is likely to pull in terms of US box office. The only thing the 2016 version has in its favor there is a bigger domestic market than 25 years ago.

But more importantly, the movie is just fine in its own right. Yes, the basic plot is the same, but the jokes are all new and actually funny. There is nothing essentially wrong with the plot. You go into the cinemas to see Peter, Ray, Egon and Winston do their thing and that is exactly what you get.

What is this, some attempt to make the latest version look better by saying it is an improvement over the 2nd installment? If so then do I dare, in the parlance of the cool children on the internet, say "epic fail"? I dare. I'd watch Ghostbusters 2 a dozen times before I even sat down once with the 21st century refit.

Oh, and by the way, a perfect movie would be Marvel's Avengers, Die Hard, and the original Ghostbusters.

[trooper_thorn]

What the hell is people's problem with the Ghostbusters 2? I've even heard Kevin Smith dissing it and yet seen heaps of comments on his Fatman youtube clip saying that the movie was great.

It's a basic attempt to make the current movie look better by denigrating the films it'll be compared to, it's the same reason you're seeing a lot of the boosters of this film suddenly deciding that the original wasn't that good. If the original two movies are garbage then it's not that big of a deal that the current one might not be well liked.

What I find most interesting about this article is that it's a tacit admission that the current one is failing.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Well in 5-6 years instead of a sequel , this needs a complete reboot. Honestly , do a legacy type film even if you can only get Dan and Ernie involved. That is it...don't try and recreate the wheel. They failed at that aspect.

[Hypestyle]

Have a crossover with Men in Black. Bring back Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as well as a female MIB agent. The conflict can involve an alliance of malevolent ghosts and aliens. Allow lots of improve with the actors.

[Jedibanner]

Maybe the first thing they should consider for the sequel is for a comedic movie to actually BE FUNNY!!! My friend and I went to see it and, as soon as it ended, our first reaction was ''meh, this wasn't funny that much''. The story had plenty of plotholes, the characters weren't that funny, the overall tone of the movie was just not good. I don't care if it's an all girl, all boy, men, women team...I care if it's funny or not and it was not.

Both the original movies were funny, this reboot isn't...work on that, then it might get more successful and shut up the morons who judged it before it came out.

[ERON]

What the hell is people's problem with the Ghostbusters 2? I've even heard Kevin Smith dissing it and yet seen heaps of comments on his Fatman youtube clip saying that the movie was great.

What is this, some attempt to make the latest version look better by saying it is an improvement over the 2nd installment?

Yeah, I've heard or read several reviews now that say of the new Ghostbusters "At least it wasn't as bad as Ghostbusters 2." They completely lose me at that point. Ghostbusters 2 was great.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Well in 5-6 years instead of a sequel , this needs a complete reboot. Honestly , do a legacy type film even if you can only get Dan and Ernie involved. That is it...don't try and recreate the wheel. They failed at that aspect.

If that happens it'll probably be more like another 20 years. We can watch it in the nursing home!

Honestly though, at this point they CANNOT go back and make a male focused or gender-balanced movie any time soon. Because that would be interpreted by the media as anti-woman, as giving up on female-focused films, of admitting failure and as all of these things that are much more damaging to Sony than simply quietly putting the property on the shelf. The only scenario where that happens is a spinoff in "addition" to Feig's team of female Ghostbusters.

[meatwadf]

Yeah, I've heard or read several reviews now that say of the new Ghostbusters "At least it wasn't as bad as Ghostbusters 2." They completely lose me at that point. Ghostbusters 2 was great.

I've also read more than a few blog reviews and posts around places like Facebook actually claiming the original one really isn't that good either. It was a paycheck for everyone involved, the humor doesn't work, etc... Dear lord. Look, it's fine if someone liked the movie (I did not), but to try and do these insane mental gymnastics in order to build it up is just ridiculous.

[simbob4000]

Yeah, I've heard or read several reviews now that say of the new Ghostbusters "At least it wasn't as bad as Ghostbusters 2." They completely lose me at that point. Ghostbusters 2 was great.

The funny thing is the new Ghostbusters makes Ghostbusters 2 look like a masterpiece of filmmaking and comedy.

[Colossus1980]

Most important one: Don't do a sequel to a movie that did not attract an audience.

The standards for a franchise are pretty low now. Hollywood has run out of ideas and are forcing franchises that haven't made a profit. Crazy.

[KingsLeadHat]

It's been awhile since I've seen Ghostbusters 2, but I don't remember it being that bad at all. About the only thing I can remember is Bill Murray's hilarious line "You'll never get a green-card with that attitude, pal!" and the terrible Bobby Brown song.

Ideally, they'd stop making mediocre remakes, but that's apparently too much to ask. Hollywood is currently off limits to new scripts and new ideas.

[Redvector]

The financials of this just don't make any sense. The movie is not going to turn a profit. The director himself has said it needs to make at least 500 million to warrant a sequel and it's clearly not going to get there. Entertainment websites are sweeping how badly it's doing under the rug by not reporting it. If they go forward with a sequel Sony pictures deserves to fold up it's tent and go away.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

If that happens it'll probably be more like another 20 years. We can watch it in the nursing home!

Honestly though, at this point they CANNOT go back and make a male focused or gender-balanced movie any time soon. Because that would be interpreted by the media as anti-woman, as giving up on female-focused films, of admitting failure and as all of these things that are much more damaging to Sony than simply quietly putting the property on the shelf. The only scenario where that happens is a spinoff in "addition" to Feig's team of female Ghostbusters.

They are already deeming it a failure here. I mean , the best case deal is wait 5-7 years , approach more than 3 directors and one you get a hard on for getting and let them do a very nice script and go from there. I do remember one actually proposed they make Ghostbusters a more horror themed film and that was rejected. (I'm sure that producer will emerge and reveal his idea eventually)

You can emerge and do a very solid film with men and women. It happens. They can do a film where you have a new cast and some older ones sprinkled in to pass the torch and move the property on. People are already saying Ghostbusters is failing here , so its best to just wait a few years , approach the franchise in a new fun way and let loose with new ideas. If it means turning the concept into a more horror themed deal , do it. You can make women and men both look strong without falling to cliche laden crap. It can be done.

[Cmbmool]

While I understand the need for girl power and I do believe in equality among genders. I think one of the film's problems is how it treats its male audience and supporting cast.

I mean NOT EVERY MALE is a dumb jerk who thinks they know best. There should be equality among all genders in the sequel so that both sides can have a few laughs together.

Also I agree with the sequel should not response to the haters of the film as I think that was one of the setbacks of the movie. When it comes to films, and even remakes of films, the director and the cast and crew should be ABOVE the taunts of naysayers. They should make the movie the way they know how and how the studios would like it to be. If the public doesn't like it then that's their problem.