The recent Ghostbusters reboot was one of the most controversial movies in recent memory. Sequels were certainly planned, but is that still an option at this point? While there no longer seems to be any specific plans to make more Ghostbusters movies based on the reboot led by Kristen Wiig, director Paul Feig says that if the studio ever decides they want more of them, he's certainly up for it, and it sounds like the main cast is too. According to Feig...
We would love [to make another movie]; it's really up to the studio. We had so much fun making that movie. The movie's just really built an audience in the two years since it's been out. I get contacted every day by people who are such fans of it, and so many women who are inspired by seeing women in science. I will go to my grave so proud of that movie, and so proud of what that cast did in that film.
2016's Ghostbusters finished its theatrical run just short of $230 million, which, while not a blockbuster number, is nothing to sneeze at. However, with a reported production budget of $144 million and marketing costs on top of that, it's likely the movie ended up as a money loser overall. Having said that, as Paul Feig pointed out during CInemaCon last week (via Yahoo) the movie has built up an audience over the years, which would seem to indicate the movie has done well on DVD and Digital. Depending on how well, it's possible the movie has ultimately ended up in the black, and depending on how large that audience has become, maybe the idea of going back and making a sequel isn't that crazy an idea.
Of course, if a sequel were made, it would likely have to contend with the same issues that the first movie did. Paul Feig has previously stated that he believes a large part of the reason the movie wasn't a success to begin with was that the film became a cause for so many. Many vocal critics took issue with the mere idea of making a new Ghostbusters reboot with a female cast. It is possible that the fact that the movie became something of a political lightning rod kept some away from the theater, leaving them to discover the movie later at home.
This is probably one of those movies that will require a grassroots fan movement to get the studio to consider a sequel, having said that, such movements have worked before, so if the fans really want a sequel, maybe it could happen. In the meantime, the Ghostbusters brand is certainly moving forward with other projects, perhaps they will have better luck.
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