Girls Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost: New All-Women Ghostbusters Lineup Announced!

It seems like almost a decade ago we were promised a new Ghostbusters sequel or reboot or whatever, often with the promise of a new, all-female cast. Well, now we finally know who it will star! The Hollywood Reporter reports that comedy stars and co-Bridesmaids Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig will be joined by current SNL hilariladies (that’s a term, right?) Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones as the new, funnier team of Ghostbusters.

Wiig and McCarthey in Bridesmaids copyright Universal Press

Wiig and McCarthey in Bridesmaids copyright Universal Press

Of course Melissa McCarthy first hit the big time as the chef Sookie on Gilmore Girls (now on Netflix) and then has enjoyed a huge career resurgence since her Oscar-nominated role in Bridesmaids, starring in movies like Tammy, The Heat and the upcoming Paul Feig spy comedy Spy, as well as her Emmy-winning role in the TV show Mike and Molly. Wiig, who not only starred in Bridesmaids, but also co-wrote it, first became famous from being amazingly funny on Saturday Night Live. More recently, she’s starred in more indie movies like The Skeleton Twins, dressed up like Harry Styles on The Tonight Show and been the funniest presenter along with friend Bill Hader at the recent Golden Globes.

This will be the first major film role for McKinnon, an out comedian who has been the funniest member of the SNL cast for the last few years. Maybe she’ll play a queer Ghostbuster, wouldn’t that be amazing? Or hey, if any of these actresses play a queer ghostbuster that would be amazing. Jones is also a super funny current SNL cast member, probably most famous for her appearances on Weekend Update. She also had a role in the recent Chris Rock film Top Five.

Jones on Weekend Update via splitsider

Jones on Weekend Update via splitsider

All four of these women are extremely funny and talented and I can’t wait to see them fighting ghosts together. We already know that Wiig and McCarthy have great chemistry together in the movies and Jones and McKinnon have it on SNL, so things are looking really good. Although I loved the original Ghostbusters, I’m way more excited for this than the rumored sequel with the original cast (minus Harold Ramis who recently passed away). I’m pretty sure everyone who saw the original wished for more Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts and Gozer, right?

Paul Feig, who directed both Bridesmaids and The Heat will be directing, and there is no announced release date.

We’re still waiting to find out what role the hilarious and super talented Brittani Nichols will be playing, although roles including “mayor,” “person whose home or place of business is being haunted,” “the shape that the ghost takes on when it wants people to find it instantly hilarious and/or lovestruck,” “the talk show host who interviews them and asks if they’ve seen Elvis lately” and “Vigo” (of Ghostbusters II fame) have been hitting the Autostraddle rumor mill.

image made by our own Cecelia

image made by our own Cecelia

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Mey

Mey Rude is a fat, trans, Latina lesbian living in LA. She's a writer, journalist, and a trans consultant and sensitivity reader. You can follow her on twitter, or go to her website if you want to hire her.

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23 Comments

  1. so ready for this! I was stupid obsessed with the Ghostbusters movies when I was a youngin… let this be every bit as full of quirky stupid humor and weird slime shit and creepy possessions… but with ladies. Yes please.

  2. I’m not generally a big movie person, but this looks great! (And that Bieber SNL parody was hilarious.)

  3. Take my money, take all of it now.

    I really hope this eventuates. If they could just convince Sandra Bullock to be in it then my life would be complete.

  4. This is going to be awesome. Ridiculously excited, may even wear my ghostbusters outfit to the cinema to see it.

  5. I was really looking forward to this once I heard about a female led cast until more info started coming out. I have no interest in seeing another movie from Paul Feige and the cast I find unappealing. To be clear, I’m not talking about appearances there, I just don’t find them funny. Especially not McCarthy and her schtick. She’s fine when she steers away from it but considering Feige is the one that got her famous for it and uses it often I have no hopes of that. On top of that, after the transphobia in The Heat, I decided I’m not going to pay to see Paul Feige movies. So as someone who is a fan of the Ghostbusters, count me out of this one.

  6. I had to go a little “be still my beating heart” at the possibility of a queer ghostbuster there.

    I don’t watch movies in theater often… or watch movies at all very often, but if there’s actually a queer ghostbuster I think I may have to get my butt down to the theater for this.

  7. Cool. Plus, really it has to be better than Ghostbusters 2. Colored crumpled paper blowing in the wind is.

    • Am I the only one who kind of liked Ghostbusters 2? Yeah, it wasn’t as snappy as the original, but I thought it was entertaining nonetheless.

      • I loved Ghostbusters 2!! The underground river of pink negativity slime, vigo and the creepy curator Jansz scared the crap out of me!! I Especially loved when they got the Statue of Liberty moving with the slime charged with positivity b/c Your love keeps lifting me higher by Jackie Wilson. Just the best!! What a great movie…loved it! Also I had a picture book from scholastic from that movie…and at the same time I got a picture book about the young King Tutankhamun…which I really dug. Excited for this movie with these talented ladies!!

  8. I want to watch this, but I rarely go to the movies. This hobbit is looking forward to the day when releases just come directly to Netflix.

    I’m not a recluse. I’m keeping my couch company.

  9. this is going to suck period.. i wanted to like it but. its not gonna be forward thinking theres just gonna do stuff to do it. give me a reason why its all girls. why its important shes “queer”. i just feel like were doing stuff to fill quotas now. nothing has real reason or back story. like maybe they’re all sisters (by oprhanage) and there favorite care taker is a ghost and being tormented in ghost world by evil spirits (idk).. but give me something all the stuff i been hearing and reading is like celebrate it because its all women and ones gay so you gotta love it or your a misogynist and homophob. and thank you Bill (Murray) for ok’ing the ladies but as a person that orginated and iconic character i would have asked questions before endorsing such. now if it tanks that scorches your career and “billy murray was all for the all girls ghostbuster flop!!!!”

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