Sony Pictures released the first trailer for their Ghostbusters reboot recently, giving viewers their first look at director Paul Feig’s take on the classic horror/comedy property. Though the film features a talented cast of comedians headlined by Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon, the response to the preview was largely negative. Fans have been against the idea of a Ghostbusters relaunch since the project was first announced, and used the trailer premiere as a means of taking out their frustrations.
Some criticisms, like the misleading notion this is a continuation of the original films (“30 years ago…”), are more valid than others, but the fact is that the trailer did not win too many people over. Though the 2016 Ghostbusters is struggling to generate buzz and excitement, one thing the preview is doing well is securing views. So far, more than 60 million people have seen it on social media.
The figures come courtesy of Deadline, who reveal that the trailer is topping several other blockbusters in regards to total social engagement, which includes aspects like retweets and comments. Ghostbusters posted a 2.6 million figure, which is 158 percent more than the first trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and 181 percent higher than the Star Trek Beyond teaser. In addition, the 60 million views amassed far eclipses the 12.4 million of the Jason Bourne Super Bowl 50 television spot.
Ghostbusters is also performing well when it comes to reposts, typically an indicator for how successful a film could be in its opening weekend at the box office. Its ratio is 19-to-1, which is well above the industry average of 10-to-1. Though Ghostbusters couldn’t content with behemoths like Star Wars: The Force Awakens (31-to-1) and Jurassic World (45-to-1), it has interestingly enough surpassed Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’s 15-to-1 ratio. So, if nothing else, the first look at the new Ghostbusters has gone viral and raised awareness about the film’s arrival this summer.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean good things are in the movie’s future. As of this writing, the official trailer video on Sony’s YouTube channel has 185,279 “thumbs up” to 425,094 “thumbs down.” It’s true that people are watching it, but few are actually enthused by what they’ve seen. That more than anything could have a negative impact on Ghostbusters’ commercial prospects. If the word-of-mouth isn’t there, it’s going to be hard for the reboot to draw in crowds, regardless of how one feels about the property. In this day and age with so many “event” style tentpoles opening in the summer, it’s vital to stand out and get moviegoers hyped for what’s in store. Ghostbusters hasn’t done that so far.
That said, all hope is not lost for the film yet. Feig has proven to be a master of female-driven comedy, with hits like Bridesmaids and Spy under his belt. He has a track record that’s hard to bet against, so it’s worth giving him the benefit of the doubt for now and waiting to see how the final film pans out. It’s important to keep in mind that other Feig projects have sported trailers that failed to leave an impression, and the movies turned out fine. Hopefully, that will be the case with the new Ghostbusters and another franchise can return to the spotlight.
Ghostbusters hits theaters on July 15, 2016.
Source: Deadline
