When a Ghostbusters reboot opened in cinemas back in 2016, the audience went absolutely berserk at the unwelcome change in the ensemble cast which was led by female stars. And so, the vehement backlash set the paranormal comedy up for inevitable failure. But as someone who served as the leading woman in an all-female reboot herself, Sandra Bullock was infuriated at the way the supernatural film was dragged through the mud for something wholly innocuous and purely sexist.
Sandra Bullock on the Ghostbusters Debacle
During her premiere of Ocean’s 8, the spinoff of George Clooney‘s popular heist films, Sandra Bullock addressed the scalding fire that 2016’s Ghostbusters came under owing to its female star cast, and it’s safe to say that Oscar winner was enraged.
“That was unfair on a level that I can’t even not be mad about talking about,” she told Variety on the red carpet. “They literally walked into a firing squad.”
When Paul Feig’s reboot of the Bill Murray classic was released, naysayers criticized it fervently, slamming the female Ghostbusters squad that seemed to both disappoint and incense the audience immensely. The film’s box office reception wasn’t in much of a good shape either after it accumulated just shy of $230 million globally against a rather hefty budget of $144 million. Needless to say, it tanked horribly at the box office.
In light of the same, Bullock, 58, addressed just how unjust it was for fans to react so venomously toward a film that was led by “the most gifted comedian actresses on the planet.” “And it doesn’t just take five people to make a movie. It takes about 300, so, you know what? Let’s back off the meanness,” the Speed star added.
Ocean’s 8 Didn’t Fare Well Either
Worried about meeting the same rotten fate as Ghostbusters, Bullock’s Ocean’s 8 co-star, Awkwafina then urged fans to watch their movie before passing any harsh judgments about it. “My advice for those people is just watch the movie [‘Ocean’s 8’] first and then go on Reddit,” she remarked. “It’s as simple as that. Watch it first.”
But alas, their venture too was doomed to a wretched destiny.
Despite consisting of some of Hollywood’s finest including the likes of Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway besides Bullock, the Gary Ross-helmed film bore the brunt of critical disappointment and the wrath of audiences. While what was gauged to be a mediocre storyline played a part in the movie’s failure, much like Ghostbusters, Ocean’s 8 too was bashed for its all-female ensemble cast. Though the latter wasn’t a box office flop by any means, it turned out to be the least favorite Ocean’s film among fans.
Ocean’s 8 can be streamed on Netflix and Ghostbusters can be rented/purchased on Amazon Instant Video.
Source: Variety
