Let’s get one thing out of the way. There ARE sexist GB fans. We’ve all probably seen at least one. But they do not represent anything more than a small minority of fans. I’m doing this on mobile so I won’t link to any of the articles, but in light of the recent GB3 announcement there have been more than a few popping up that have seething opinions about us as a fandom. One was by Scott Mendelson of Forbes.com, Article titled something like “We are Getting a Ghostbusters 3 and Its all YOUR fault”(no joke) other have been Tweets by respected critics like Matt Zoller Seitz. They all call Gb fans “toxic” and “GhostBros”. They do not write about a difference between those who had valid critiques of GB16 and those who loathed it out of sexist ideals. It’s not right.
Some fans on here have experienced the sexism first hand, others have not. But it’s not representative of this fandom. All fandoms have racist, sexist and all sorts of vile non sense, but with Ghostbusters, it’s somehow different. Some of us(not me) do great work. Dressing up for Charities, visiting sick kids in the hospital, making fan films just for the fun of it. That’s the true spirit of this fandom, not the small portion that yelled the loudest in 2016. And yet we are all forever tainted by those few. It’s not right.
As a male who did not at all enjoy GB16(and I do not want this thread to be about that. There are other places to hash that out), I feel a sense of guilt everytime this “GhostBros” term is thrown about. I had my own reasons for not enjoying the film, none of them were sexist, and yet I feel a bit guilty as a GB fan. Everytime I’ve said something against the reboot, I think the automatic reaction by anybody reading is to assume I’m a sexist pig, so I have to go out if my way to say that “No that’s not what I’m about”. It’s not right.
A 3rd Ghostbusters film is finally getting made. That’s cause to rejoice! Go to google and type in “Ghostbusters 3” and you’ll see that the media isn’t rejoicing. They are blaming the sexist pigs. Once again Ghostbusters makes the news, once again any non fan reading those articles assumes the worst in all of us. That’s what we are to these people. They look past the charity, the love and the kindness in our fandom and see what they want to see. The ugly and vile. It’s not right.
I wonder if Sony and the Reitman’s are reading these articles online and doing some behind the scenes course correcting to appease these film bloggers(most of whom I respect and read regularly). I mean, if this film is anything less than great it is just going to get crucified by these same bloggers. It would only be natural. Let’s face it, they’d be going in to the movie with their knives sharpened. Jason Reitman himself is getting criticized for doing this movie & that’s not right.
The problem is stuff like this , no offence to you. But it’s “we need to rally together as we are been attacked” but when the women were attacked by fans and even websites ect . Fans pass it off as just trolls and not the fandom.
When everyone turns a blind eye and lets the hate grow towards others because a film is more important than human rights ect. Then yeah the fandom is toxic and deserves this imo. As it still hasn’t learned from it sadly.
That’s it, though. Those few did yell so very, very loud. And they yelled directly at the cast and crew where everyone could see it. And they made us look awful. And then rather than yelling back, others started shouting about Sony conspiracies being to blame, which kind of looks like it forgives those who were being awful, albeit indirectly.
Sadly, those more level minded among us (both for and against any aspect of the franchise) are tainted. All we can do is be positive where we can be and be examples of a positive fandom. Which is hokey and ■■■ ba yah ish, but what else can we do? You can’t shout someone into liking something, and you can’t shout the genuine sexists out of being sexist, and you certainly can’t shout the trolls out of being trolls.
We can champion Jason Reitman’s movie without slagging something else off. That’d be a start. We can understand why Leslie Jones is upset without going “haha your movie was awful and you’re an idiot”. Just do the kind of things things decent humans would do, y’know?
Don’t let the b*stards grind you down and be the example you want to be. Maybe we can eclipse the genuinely toxic back and reclaim this massive flawed thing that we all dig so much? cut to us all looking meaningfully at the Statue of Liberty on Ecto’s registration plate
If the movie had been good there would have been shouting back. The problem is the trailer was awful, the movie tone was more in line with a Judd Apatow movie than a Ghostbusters movie, and the adlibs wrecked it. Plus, the studio blamed all fans from the start and attacked “nerds” in there own movie. So, the mysonginists and trolls got mixed up with the people that legitimately didnt like the movie.
The more the studio blamed the entire fanbase the more people turned against them. They used the sexism angle as a scapegoat if (when) the movie failed. The media hyped it up as well. Now the media is trying to ride that train again. Leslie Jones was interviewed and said making GB3 is something Trump would do, calling the move sexist. We dont even know anything about the movie other than it taking place in the original continuity, yet she knows its sexist?
The announcement couldnt have been more clear. Reitman said he respected what Fiege made and hoped to see stories with those characters, but this movie is about the next chapter of the original universe. No mention about hating the reboot. Nothing about the reboot not having happened. He was respectful. But Leslie Jones took it as earasing her version from history, saying that her and the other actresses count. No matter what is said, Ghostbusters now has the stench of sexism attached to it and it will never wash off.
In this new world groups are judged by their worst people, not who they are as a whole.
Until the next GB3 update happens. Frankly, Leslie Jones saying what she said was classless. The studio did nothing but say good things about her movie, even when it failed. Its low class to run down a movie that isnt even made yet.
Except that’s more excuses. The hate and venom started BEFORE the film came out so if it was good or if it was not wasn’t a factor. Plus it could be the absolute worst movie ever and you should still speak up. Quality of a movie is not a factor in been a decent human being.
The studio blamed fans as they sat back allowed it and alot of people claiming it was just for the reboot factor also we’re excited for the Channing Tatum all male one that was announced.
Like star wars had sexists go after main character and actress. Even people like me who don’t like the stuff defended her , pushed when Rey was not in monopoly and more so they realised it was t everyone.
Going “well sure they are been sexist and racist and some homophobic it’s ok as it’s a bad movie” is disgusting. That’s why Ghostbusters has the backlash as it’s fans deserve it. They put preconceived ideas of what isn’t and isn’t a good movie (75% on rotten tomatoes , it’s better than 2 by 20% the same persentage the original is better than ATC so yeah quality is subjective) over actually trying to fight the hate away. In fact they encouraged as when ever the movie company spoke out as a response to the hate , Ghostbusters fans make out they are the victim and Sony invented the hate. Just like so many online say it’s bad a movie buy yet it lost money from people not seeing it meaning alot of that is just spreading the lies by those who wanted to hurt it … Because they hated the idea of all women.
So no , no sympathy. The fandom made its best it can sleep it. I’ve never seen a fandom this toxic and quick to blame the victims as this one. Posts like this make regret coming back into it as I hoped it’d be better but it’s not. If you listen to the ghosbuststers fans then :
Any complaints about the movie = valid and real
Any praise = sjws or political
The racists and sexists that descended upon it = only like 2 people sony faked it!
The ghosbuststers fans who encouraged it and joined in? = Heroic victims
It’s heart breaking. When I was a kid we all felt like anyone could be a Ghostbuster. Now we know no that’s not true you have to be a male only or the fandom looks at you with hate.
It’s ironic too as Lego Dimensions had old and new together with love to both. LEGO were better ghostbusters community than the actual ghostbusters community.
It’s unfortunate that Jones’s comment has brought controversy to this new Ghostbusters venture already–I am upset about that. I want this movie to be judged on its own merits. ATC deserved that, but did not receive that humble courtesy. I’m not sure if it is just internet culture, or society in general, but it disheartening how geared we are to controversial stories. It’s not healthy.
Nobody was more supportive of Leslie and the reboot than I was. We, YHS, made an entire video for her full of fan support from around the world. After all was said and done, the movie was mediocre at best and didn’t make money. It’s a movie business; the key word is business. She cane off really dumb and illogical in her statements, and it just feeds into the Twitter tolls anyways.
Yup, google “Ghostbusters” news and you’re treated to an entire page of articles about Jones’ tweet, most of which paint the general fandom in a negative light.
Sure, most reasonable people can see through the narrative spin, but your average facebook-using normie is highly suggestible and will see this stuff on their feed, forming an opinion on the matter without reading much past the headline.
I can only hope that Reitman isn’t swayed by any of this, and doesn’t make changes to the movie to appease these zealots.
[quote=savintheday post_id=4912636 time=1548117474 user_id=46408]I can only hope that Reitman isn’t swayed by any of this, and doesn’t make changes to the movie to appease these zealots.
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Agreed. He makes great movies. I just want him to make his movie where people shoot lazers at ghosts. Then maybe another, etc.
I really don’t think that’s fair. At all. You think this fandom deserves this? there are a lot of Ghostbusters organizations that raise money for good causes. Visit sick kids, like I said. That stuff doesn’t get reported on by the media. But because a few idiots spout non sense then it becomes “this is what the fandom is like”. And it was a few, relative to the rest of us. Nothing is more important than human rights. You are generalizing. Every fandom has its ugly opinions. Everyone. But to say the bad outweighs the good simply because it gets reported on more than the other? What does that say?
People are trying to re-ignite the battle of the sexes. It’s not going to do the cast of ATC any good if they go this route and get involved again. It’s not going to go well for the fandom of ATC either. I’m looking at this from a studios point of view.
There will be a plethora of new merchandise coming out.
If the cast of ATC conduct themselves in a professional manner I would be more then willing to take another look at ATC even after the fact it didn’t make it’s money back. It’s not a guarantee but I would imagine that DVD sales for ATC will gain a large pick up before the film’s release due to people wishing to watch the movies all at once.
Paul might not be invited back to whatever is in store for the future of ATC. If the media try’s a GB20 boycott campaign and the ATC cast or director get involved that’s it for any new ATC stuff I think.
No reason to walk on egg shells - most people have fond memories of the original films and as long as GB3 is at least a watchable movie, your honor will be restored. Here’s hoping that Sony can gag-order the ATC crew into silence. The active fans and chapters should do what Feig did not, and end any questions with a polite “no comment.”
My prediction is that the people who did not like ATC will not like GB3
I see so much excitement for GB3. At the same time I am seeing what people want from GB3. Not everyone is going get what they want so as soon as some information starts to come out for GB3 I can see people start to complain.
“It should take place at Ray’s parents barn, it should be in NYC like the first 2 movies, it should not be in NYC to be different, it should be a world wide franchise, the new Ghostbusters are teens, there should be no teens, one of the teens is a girl, there should be no girls ghostbusters etc etc.”
Why not toss some hate at ATC at the same time
“The 30 second trailer has more excitement in it than all of ATC”
I see statements like “We should not judge GB3 until it comes out” But that was what happened to ATC. People refused to go see it or if they went to see it they went in already hating it.
I agree. Considering the reactions to Ghostbusters II, the reactions to GBIII could be interesting… I’m trying not to speculate, and just look forward to seeing it when it’s released!
I think most people are willing to give GB3 the benefit of the doubt just based on the people involved with it so far (also that it’s a true sequel). It’s only right that they’re finally getting a chance to do this after almost 30 years. There’s no guarantee it will be amazing, but I’m optimistic and my ass will be in that seat.
ATC drew criticism before production for a similar reason…the people involved (also that it was a reboot). As soon as the director and cast were announced, we knew exactly what kind of movie we were getting, and unfortunately we were right.
There is. But the people involved with ATC also raise money for good causes. My point is the fandom made excuses and trivialised what happened to ATC because the film wasn’t was they wanted. Which allowed the sexist hate to spread as it did. The fandom turned their back on people been attacked in their name. If course they look bad for that