Even before its release, the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot – now subtitled Answer the Call to distinguish it from the original film – got a bad wrap. It wasn’t necessarily a bad movie, but it wasn’t great, either, quickly dying out at the box office and snuffing any chance of a direct follow-up. However, according to director Paul Feig, there’s a chance that fan support could bring the dormant quasi-sequel/spinoff/reboot series back to life.
After participating in a panel discussion at Ghostbusters Fan Fest this weekend, Feig took to Twitter to address those still hoping to see Kristen Wiig and friends bust something strange, saying:
“Thank you so much, thank you for keeping the torch alive for Answer the Call. We’re hoping there’s a second call, and if we do get it, it’s all because of you.”
The reboot, which starred Wiig alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones is now mostly remembered for the large Internet backlash that preceded its release. Shortly after its debut, Sony quietly shelved its planned sequel and is now looking to Juno director Jason Reitman to breathe fresh air into the franchise.
Reitman, the son of the 1984 Ghostbusters helmer, is bringing back most of that movie’s cast for his own sequel, which will serve as a direct continuation of the original series as well a jumping off point for future films. Since its announcement, Feig has expressed his displeasure that the new movie meant Sony would be abandoning his rebooted iteration for good, and Leslie Jones also took heat for her vocal disapproval in the studio.
But who knows? Maybe Reitman’s sequel will be the type of hit that will have Sony looking into expanding the franchise in any way possible, including brushing the dust off of Answer The Call. After all, the cast has been very vocal about donning the proton packs once again.
In any case, we’ll likely know more about the future of the franchise after Ghostbusters 3 hits theaters on July 10th, 2020.