First Official Cast Photo For ‘Ghostbusters’ Reboot Revealed

The reboot of the Ghostbusters franchise once set the internet ablaze last year, with furious fanboys confused and upset by the choice of casting women for the four leading roles, but the chatter has since calmed down as the months have gone by. This week, fans are now able to witness the first official image of Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones in action in their Ghostbusters uniforms, sporting their proton packs.

Speaking with ComingSoon, director Paul Feig — who most recently directed Melissa McCarthy in this year’s Spy — talked about his approach to the Ghostbusters reboot.

“I’m having a lot of fun playing with genres. I love the original film, but I also just love the idea of busting ghosts and kind of paranormal warriors. I thought, ‘You know, if I could do this with the funny women I know and kind of just do a new origin story…’ I’m more interested in what would happen today. You know, you see things on TV about ghosts, but none of it’s real. What if, suddenly, something started happening? What happens when that just begins to happen to people? Also, how do they develop their technology? It’s not as fun if they’re just handed their proton packs. It’s why it’s not as fun to do a sequel. The fun is getting there.”

Melissa McCarthy has worked with Feig more than once, first in the 2011 film Bridesmaids with Kristen Wiig, and again in the 2013 film The Heat, with Sandra Bullock and this summer’s comedy, Spy. In an interview with Elle, McCarthy, 44, revealed her thoughts on the costumes in the Ghostbusters reboot. “I love it, you know why? It feels, like, tough to me. It didn’t suddenly go too fashion-y. We all really wanted it to be like, you know, we’re saving New York City, we want to feel tough. I think they have a really good blend.” McCarthy was also able to wear much of her own wardrobe in the film and even had some design input on some of the costumes in the film.

Saturday Night Live cast member Kate McKinnon says she is not a believer when it comes to ghosts. “I know many people in my life, whom I consider intelligent and credible, who say that they’ve seen them, and I don’t know what to make of that. I’m willing to be proved wrong — I’ve even stood in graveyards and said: ‘All right, show me if it’s real. Give me something.’ Nothing has manifested yet.”

SNL alum Kristen Wiig admitted that she felt pretty upset by the negative reaction online to the Ghostbusters casting announcement. “Some people said some really not nice things about the fact that there were women. It didn’t make me mad, it just really bummed me out,” she said. “We’re really honoring those movies.”

Memphis native Leslie Jones has also worked on SNL, moving from the writers room to being in front of the camera. This role in Ghostbusters is going to be her breakout role on the big screen next year.

Sony Pictures was originally setting their sights on a third installment of the ’80s comedy franchise, but original director Ivan Reitman stepped away from the project after his friend Harold Ramis’ death. The new reboot is going to center on a new group of paranormal busters. However, original cast members Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, and Bill Murray from the 1984 classic are said to have cameos in the film, playing roles not related to their original characters.

The film is being directed by Paul Feig, who co-wrote the screenplay with Katie Dippold, currently filming in New York City. Ghostbusters is currently slated for a July 22, 2016, release.

[Image via Sony Pictures]