Paul Feig on Ghostbusters controversy: ‘It’s the problem with the internet, everyone prejudges stuff’

You think we’d have moved beyond controversy surrounding gender by now, but it still seems to plague the upcoming Ghostbusters movie. During IGN‘s set visit, director Paul Feig addressed the way that internet-fuelled pop culture reacts to things like the exchanged roles of sex in his new movie.

‘I think there’s a weird set of expectations especially among some of the… less enlightened crowd who I think really think I’m making it into a romantic comedy or something. Like there’s going to be sequences of trying on hats. It’s very weird. It’s the problem with the internet, everyone prejudges stuff. I look forward to surprising everybody. People bring such baggage – men and women – to anything that’s all females, that I think it just shows what’s endemic to how we’re so programmed to not accept it in the right way and how it’s a big deal.’

Fair words, Mr. Feig, fair words. Lead star Kristen Wiig also had this to say about the notion of Ghostbusters being a remake of the original (short answer: it isn’t). ‘It’s not a remake… Different characters, different story, but a similar spirit. And we are wearing tan jumpsuits and busting ghosts.’

Ghostbusters is released July 15. Image credit: Empire.