Here’s what we’ve learned about the new film: it’s essentially Stranger Things: The Movie, and that fans of the original are feeling very old
‘Eagerly awaited” is how the pre-publicity invariably describes the forthcoming Ghostbusters film – which will be number four in strict total, after the original two and Paul Feig’s 2016 effort. But actually it will be number three from the Reitman family firm, since Ivan directed the first two and now his son, Jason, perhaps inevitably, has taken up duties on the latest one. And given that Feig’s all-female Ghostbusters was unquestionably well-intended but a solid three stars at best, I reckon we can all agree to just put it back in the ghost trap and focus on the Reitman contributions. So here we are, with the first
trailer from Reitman fils. What do we learn?
Well, the first thing is that we are all very, very, very old. Not the kids in the trailer, of course – they’re so young their skin is like fresh dew. So young, they aren’t even supposed to be the children of one of the Ghostbusters but the GRANDCHILDREN. And, of course, that’s as it should be: after all, we’re so far from the the original Ghostbusters movies that one of the original trio, lovely Harold Ramis, is, heartbreakingly, dead, and the surviving ones are actual grandfathers in real life. But jeez: way to go making those of us who saw the first Ghostbusters on its release feel about as old as the screaming ghost librarian in its peerless opening scene.