Congratulations, internet, you did it! Following the months-long outrage campaign against this summer’s projected smash hit, the female-fronted Ghostbusters reboot, box office reports are in, and they aren’t great. With the film projected to fall over $70 million under budget, the sequel that seemed inevitable is no longer a likely option for the Ghostbusters 2.0 cast – helmed by Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon – and director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Freaks and Geeks).
A remake of the 1984 hit that originally starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, and Ernie Hudson, the new Ghostbusters has been setting social media on fire all year, igniting heated arguments between fans excited to see film get a new life, and fans who seemed to find the female leads an affront to their very being.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that, prior to the film’s release, Sony seemed set on a sequel, with exec Rory Bruer stating: “While nothing has been officially announced yet, there’s no doubt in my mind it will happen.†The film’s four stars are even rumored to be signed on for two prospective follow-ups.
But two months (and about a million hate Tweets) later, the film’s brought in around $180 million, with estimates of reaching $225 million by summer’s end – a shockingly low number, considering the studio needs $300 million just to break even on the project.