In news that will divide the online community as much as the film itself did, The Hollywood Reporter has claimed that Sony is preparing to announce that the Ghostbusters reboot has made a $70m loss. The Paul Feig film, which became a cause célèbre after a vocal group of male fans became irate at the concept of the Ghostbusters being gender swapped to women, is reportedly struggling to reach box office returns of $300m, which would see it break even.
While the film has yet to open in a number of markets (France, Mexico, and Japan) that could pull it over the breakeven line, Ghostbusters is just another would-be blockbuster that has suffered at the cinema this summer.
The financial results have cast serious doubts over the likelihood of a sequel, despite Rory Bruer, the president of worldwide distribution at Sony, going on the record in mid-July saying “there was no doubt in my mind” that the film would spawn a new franchise. Sony has not officially shelved a sequel, but a spokesperson says the studio is actively developing an animated feature slated for release in 2019, as well lining up production on Ghostbusters: Ecto Force, a cartoon series set for TV screens in 2018.
“We’re very proud of the bold movie Paul Feig made, which critics and audiences loved,” a Sony spokesperson said. “It has enlivened a 30-year-old brand and put it into the modern zeitgeist. As a result, we have many ideas in the works to further exploit the Ghostbusters universe.”
The studio added that merchandising, including a Dubai-based theme park ride and a Madame Tussauds’ exhibit will help the company absorb some of its losses.
The stars of the film (Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon) are all believed to have signed up for a three-picture deal, though details have yet to emerge over whether director Paul Feig had anticipated returning to the franchise. Regardless, it appears now very unlikely that a sequel will ever be greenlit.
