Melissa McCarthy Says The 'Ghostbusters' Trailer Was 'Confusing'
The actress appeared on a radio show and griped about the trailer's insinuation that the new movie is a sequel.
Things have been tough for the new Ghostbusters reboot, ever since the film’s first trailer was released in early March. Recently, news broke that the two-and-a-half-minute clip was named the most disliked movie trailer on YouTube, which seemed to be more the result of internet trolls protesting the all-female cast, instead of the movie’s merits. It was a perfectly normal, semi-unfunny teaser for a big summer blockbuster. But now, one of the film’s lead actresses has spoken out against the confusing nature of the trailer.
Melissa McCarthy, who plays Abby Yates, a paranormal investigator and author, was on the Johnjay and Rich Show, a syndicated morning radio program that airs on KRQ, a radio station based in Tuscon, Arizona. The hosts asked her about the misleading information in the trailer, contained in the video’s early taglines.
Before it breaks out into the ghostbusting action, the trailer explains, “30 years ago, four scientists saved New York. This summer, a new team will answer the call.”
Besides being wrong about the number of scientists in the original (Winston was just a normal dude who got the lucky chance to get caught up in all the ectoplasmic action), the trailer insinuates that the 2016 Ghostbusters movie is a sequel, not a reboot. McCarthy agreed; she found the whole thing perplexing.
“It’s a reboot. I know it’s weird that they said ‘30 years ago’ because in [our] movie the first one didn’t happen,” said McCarthy during her appearance. “It’s that great story, but told totally differently. But it’s the same thing of four unlikely heroes in New York City; ghosts are taking over. It’s not a 30-years-later.”
She continued by saying, “The trailer says ‘30 years later,’ which I didn’t quite get myself, but its not dependent on the first one.” Then comes the kicker. When the hosts pushed a bit further, McCarthy answered: “The question was asked, I was like, ‘I think that’s very confusing,’ but everyone said, ‘We don’t care what you think.’”
Besides Kristen Wiig, McCarthy is arguably the most important actress involved in the film, so you’d think her input would be valuable in breaking through the din of the internet troll complaints. But it’s obvious Sony wants the brand recognition from the original, above anything else. It’s probably why the posters plastered everywhere only show the famous “No Ghost” logo, and not the ridiculously awesome cast. So it might just be the film’s marketing that has an identity problem, instead of the movie itself.
There’s undeniable talent involved in the movie — with Wiig, McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones suiting up as the new crew — but something is obviously a bit off. Maybe someone at Sony crossed the streams. Listen to a clip from McCarthy’s appearance on the show below:
Ghostbusters hits theaters on July 15.
