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'It Was Disappointing': Original Ghostbusters Star Ernie Hudson Shares His Thoughts On 2016 All-Female Reboot
The 2016 all-female Ghostbusters reboot disappointed original Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson, according to his interview with The Independent.
Although he acknowledged that Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones—the members of the 2016 cast—were all "brilliantly funny on their own," he didn't think the final result connected with viewers. It was frustrating, according to Hudson, because fans were so invested in the plot and the characters. "The movie was enjoyable to me. However, I doubt that's what the supporters had in mind.”
Ernie Hudson wasn't a fan of Ghostbusters reboot
In the movie, Hudson makes a fleeting appearance as an unconnected character. But he claimed that the film's primary flaw was that it was a reboot of an already-existing property. "I have nothing bad to say about (2016 director) Paul Feig because I'm a fan of him," he remarked. "Other than that, you know, I'm not really sure why you do a reboot. Simply produce a new film."
Ernie discussed the beloved Ghostbusters franchise, its female-led revival, and the unfair treatment he endured while filming the original Ghostbusters films in the 1980s. In the movie Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Hudson from the original "Ghostbusters" are back in their original parts.
Hudson has starred in five Ghostbusters films: Ghostbusters: The Original (1984), Ghostbusters: The Sequel (1989), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (which opens in theatres this Friday). The actor also made an appearance in the 2016 female-led Ghostbusters reboot; however, he played a different role.
Hudson discusses racism and pay disparity
Eddie Murphy was the first to be given the role of Winston Zeddemore before Hudson joined the cast. According to reports, the role was drastically cut before production started (Winston doesn't even appear until almost halfway through the movie). The theatrical poster did not include the character either. But according to Hudson, the situation is more nuanced than just attributing it to racism.
In an interview with the British newspaper The Independent, he stated, "You know, being a person of African descent anywhere in the world, we're all just learning how to live together and get along together and realize that we're all connected. Additionally, it might be quite tempting to attribute racism to everything in your life that is unsuccessful. However, several factors come into play. It's not really that easy."
"Although Murphy's better profile would have probably meant that he would have made more had he accepted the job," Hudson claims he was paid less than his co-stars. "We can argue that it's a racial issue, but I believe Eddie Murphy would have received a high salary if he had taken on the part I did," Hudson remarked. "I believe that studios pay what they deem necessary because they are in the business of making money."
Apart from Hudson, the original cast members Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray returned for the film Frozen Empire (Harold Ramis, the fourth original Ghostbuster, passed away in 2014). According to Hudson, Murray fought hard for a more significant part for his co-star during the Ghostbusters II discussions. He declared that he wouldn't do another one unless I were involved. In this industry, that doesn't happen very often, according to Hudson.
The four actors in the movie, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, are "brilliantly funny on their own," he said. Still, he also stated, "I think it was disappointing because fans were invested in the story and the characters. Though it fell short of fans' expectations, I still enjoyed the movie."
ALSO READ: 'They're Really Heavy': Bill Murray Reveals How Wearing The Ghostbusters Pack 'Is Like Torture'
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