Dan Aykroyd defends Ghostbusters 2016 all-female reboot despite initial criticism

Dan Aykroyd, an original Ghostbuster, recently defended the 2016 all-female reboot of the franchise, which faced sexist and racist backlash upon its release. In an interview with People, Aykroyd expressed his admiration for the film and its “spectacular” cast, including Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones.   

While acknowledging the film’s high production cost, a point he wishes he had addressed as a producer, Aykroyd affirmed his support for the reboot and its place within the Ghostbusters universe. He praised the villain and the performances of the leading women, stating that “you’re never going to do better than that.”   
The 2016 cast has previously spoken out against the hateful comments they received online, with Leslie Jones detailing the “online abuse” in her memoir. The controversy surrounding the reboot even extended to a disagreement with Jason Reitman, director of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, who later clarified his comments about the film.

Despite the initial negativity, Aykroyd’s defense of the 2016 reboot highlights the importance of representation and diversity in film and challenges the toxic online environment that often surrounds such projects.