Paul Feig on Ghostbusters

Director Paul Feig has reflected on the intense backlash faced by his 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, attributing much of it to the political climate during the 2016 presidential campaign, particularly the influence of Donald Trump and his supporters. Feig noted that many of the negative comments he received on social media came from Trump supporters, who were stirred by the film's all-female cast and Trump's public criticism of it. He stated that the film became a political statement, suggesting that audiences were polarized along gender lines regarding support for the movie. Despite the backlash, the film featured a strong cast of female leads including Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon. The director also explained that the decision to reboot rather than create a sequel was influenced by the original cast's unavailability and his desire not to undermine the legacy of the franchise. The extensive online harassment faced by the cast has been highlighted, with Leslie Jones speaking out about the racist abuse she received.