The idea of a Ghostbusters reboot hasn’t been a very easy one to swallow for many. Right from the beginning, before any announcement had been made regarding who the cast would be, or which characters from the original 1984 Ivan Reitman film would be returning (or, rather, won't be returning, since this is a "hard reboot"), there was staunch opposition.
Many people simply could not and will not stomach the idea of rebooting a film that is widely seen as a classic. Things didn’t get much better once the primary cast were announced as being all-women, either – both co-writer/director Paul Feig and the new ghostbusters were hammered with misogynist online abuse, much to their collective frustration.
The truth is, aside from its new veneer, Ghostbusters looks to maintains many elements of the original – just with new twists. We know that a number of stars from the original Ghostbusters will be appearing in cameos (however brief) - and costar Michael K. Williams (Boardwalk Empire, RoboCop) also teased the return of a certain famous specter, after her revealed the following details on his character in the film (via EW):
“I play the FBI agent who works for the mayor. Our whole thing is, we’re going to tell the people it was a flash in the sky and ‘Run along little women with your ghosts, we got this.’ That was a dream job. They’re at the top of their game, man. I had the pleasure of working with Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon on a show on IFC called Spoils Before Dying. So, I had a relationship with them already. Leslie Jones, you meet her once, you feel you’ve known her your whole life. She penetrates any walls or any barriers you may have, she goes right through that, right to your heart chakra. And Melissa [McCarthy], she’s just a gem. I have so much respect for these ladies.”
Williams then reiterated his joy at getting to work with the Ghostbusters reboot cast, before he revealed that he shares a scene with none other than the famous gooey green ghost himself, Slimer:
“I’m not going to lie, working with Melissa, and Kristen, and Kate, was really dope. But I got to work with Slimer, dude. Like Slimer!!! I’m in a scene with Slimer! I’m a huge Ghostbusters fan and it was a dream come true.”
Williams wasn’t giving too much away of exactly why or how his encounter with Slimer goes down, but he did establish that he plays an FBI agent who works for the mayor (Andy Garcia) and is tasked with keeping a handle on things – without the help of the Ghostbusters. What happens next is anyone’s guess, but judging by the fact that Williams encounters Slimer, it’s safe to say that his efforts at keeping things at bay without the Ghostbusters aren’t exactly a success.
That being said, the news that Williams will be sharing a scene with Slimer likely won’t help ease the animosity that staunch critics of this reboot feel. After all, Slimer’s introduction in the original took place with Bill Murray - a scene that is practically as iconic as the film itself - so his return in the reboot is something that many a Ghostbusters fan will have a strong opinion on.
Then again, neither Williams, nor any of the cast of this reboot are trying to be anything other than themselves. A Ghostbusters film with this much talent is simply a different take on the tale of a band of misfit supernatural experts who get in over their heads. It’s entertainment that, fingers crossed, could offer a fun new spin on the beloved horror/comedy franchise.
NEXT: Ghostbusters Trailer Preview & Poster
Ghostbusters will open in U.S. theaters on July 15th, 2016.
Source: EW