Director Paul Feig reflects on his Ghostbusters movie, as it lands on disc.
Plus: what’s he up to next?
When I spoke to you before the release ofGhostbustersin cinemas, we pretty much left it on a cliffhanger.
That you didnt know how the film would be received, or go down.
Can you take us through what happened next, then?
It was your seventh feature, going into an opening weekend of your biggest film.
How was that weekend?
Can you take us through that?
Itisnerve wracking when you have a movie opening!
You spend two to three years of your life on it!
But its also exciting because its going to come out.
I was happy that we did well.
We wanted to do even bigger.
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It was fun to sit and watch people watch it.
What I especially loved was how a lot of women in the audience were really into it.
Especially when Holtzmann runs the gauntlet.
But then I make these movies for an audience, for a group experience.
Every place it played I saw it was working.
It was very satisfying.
I think any filmmaker would be lying if they said they didnt check that stuff!
At least if youve lived on it the way I do.
Overwhelmingly people were excited about loving it, and having so much fun.
What was so nice was people going to see it multiple times.
A lot of the negativity melted away.
After the day in court, if you dont like it, thats fine!
But just the response of the people who saw it was so positive.
You just wish more people would see it.
[Laughs] Oh like!
Does that resonate with you?
Thats a fair assessment.
Idolike show business, and Idolove Hollywood, because I understand the way it works like it does.
Its such a big money industry, that its very hard sometimes.
Im political enough in my career that I dont push people away.
Iwantto hear everybodys notes, Iwantfeedback, Iwantto do test screenings.
Im getting data from the audience!
It got a laugh.
Its easier to present your case.
I do so many test screenings, and the studios are very happy about that.
Else its a filmmaker arguing with executives, and nobody has any reference other than their opinion.
Youve got things bursting through the black bars on the screen, for instance.
Beyond the alternate cut you present, are you hands on with the disc presentation of your films?
And perhaps even more so when it comes to an Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray?
Do you face different decisions on that version, when the resolution is that high?
They do a HDR transfer, and you go into this room.
They put up this monitor that is very intense.
You go gosh, we have to be careful here.
It can get too saturated.
One of the biggest things I found was that highlights were blowing out.
What you never want is anything to pull your eye off the main action or the character.
Just the intensity of everything.
I like that, though.
Its fun to watch in a weird way!
Sometimes an effect that looks good in a theatre looks weird on a small screen.
Same with sound, too.
So I give a shot to monitor that, too.
I venture to confirm that were okay.
But the thing with breaking the frame, that was only supposed to be for the 3D release.
But I like that so much, and less people are going to watch 3D at home.
I wanted that experience to come through, and I had to negotiate with the studio to do that.
One of the downsides is we lost storage space.
There were a few less extras we could put on.
But on the Blu-ray, you’re free to link to a lot of extras through UltraViolet.
Im very happy we did that, though.
I remember Christopher Nolan withThe Dark Knight.
We changed ratio at the very end when [spoilers redacted].
We opened it up.
Our inspiration for this was our stereographer, Ed Marsh.
He didAvatar, so hes like the guy.
And I was like, cool.
Anything like that, Im always up for.
I didnt originally appreciate that they opened up for the IMAX screen when [spoilers redacted].
When that happened, it took my breath away.
And I said that even on a small scale, I wanted people to have that experience.
Youve included a few deleted scenes on the disc, too.
And brough back crossing the streams…!
It was a little bit of that.
But mostly, it felt like we had multiple endings.
I did like the idea of crossing streams.
I like the idea that they try something you think is going to work, and it doesnt.
But, yeah, theres so much homage in this movie already.
Crossing the streams almost always feels like a guy joke anyway.
Im told guys have done that!
[Laughs] It felt right to take it out, but Im glad its back too.
Is itGhostbusters: Answer The Callnow?
At the end of the original theatrical release, it does come up asGhostbusters: Answer The Call.
You popped up in the end credits ofBridget Joness Babytoo, I saw.
Yes, I know!
I was very touched by that.
You were close to directing that originally, though?
I was living over here for a couple of months, it was right afterBridesmaids.
We never quite got it right, but I was very touched they included me.
I read a lot of film books, and one I recently discovered is by Bruce Beresford.
And he couldnt get anything off the ground, ending up doing a straight to DVD film in Croatia.
Were also in an era where even Steven Spielberg had to rattle tins to get the money to makeLincoln.
You have a production company?
How much control do you have over your own destiny, and getting projects going?
Its really nice, the place I always hoped I could get to.
We re-upped our deal with Fox.
Thats where you fall down.
It would be nice to make passion projects.
I dont mean it condescendingly when I saw they are small films.
But once you make something that makes money, you have to make people money.
You also dont want to take your foot off the gas.
I love making commercial movies.
It doesnt mean Im looking for another $150m budget.
Id rather not do that, because the stakes are so incredibly high.
But making a movie likeSpy, I love that.
I love trying to entertain a large audience.
Is it the stand-up comedian in you at heart?
Is that the ethos youre following?
And also it comes from the fact that I started making tiny films.
Even though you know itll be around forever, and people can discover it.
I want to put the same quality and thought into a big commercial thing.
Freaks & Geeksfinally landed in the UK a month back, on Netflix.
It trended on Twitter in the UK.
By most measures, that should be a dormant thing.
Yet here we are.
Where are you now, then?
Id imagine youve taken a few bruises onGhostbustersthat you hadnt taken before…
Yeah.
… and you seem very proud of the movie.
Theres no sense of regret that you made it?
Im very proud of the movie.
The response that Ive been getting over the internet has been inspiring.
Young women in particular have taken to this movie in a way that I hoped would happen.
They really embraced it.
Theres so much cosplay too!
Now theres a jump suit.
Im very proud of that.
I think its great if someone wants to dress up as a sexy Ghostbuster, they can do that.
But the fact that they donthaveto.
That so many women have embraced that jumpsuit, empowered by the fact that it hasnt been sexualised.
I could not be prouder of that, because of the response I get from women about it.
You see young girls dressing as Ghostbusters.
Theyre talking about particle physics!
That makes me want to cry sometimes, because its been denied to some for so long.
I feel that no matter what your movie is you get rehabilitated.
Because the movie then stands on its own.
All the politics go away.
They go its going to be like this, this and this.
Then when they come in and its not what they think?
The expectation has gone, they know what to expect, they experience it in a purer way.
Sooner or later, it lands in places that dont have an upvote and downvote button?
I remember whenThe Gooniescame out, it was really not liked by some, and got terrible reviews.
Some loved it, but it wasnt successful by any means.
Is this where you tell me youre going to remakeThe Goonies?
Because Id best stand back if Im going to post that…
[Laughs] Nooooooo!
So many times Ive wanted to do an April fools joke, and say Im going to remake.
But I cant even stick with the joke.
I cant take the amount of venom that would come just from making the joke!
Im assuming your time withGhostbustersis done?
Theres a post-credits sting?
If the studio was knocking on the door to do another one, Id have to think about it.
We had so much fun, and Id love to work with that team again.
But I would be very surprised.
Where next, then?
Youve done smaller films that people have forgotten about.
Whats driving you now, and what do you want to make?
Feel free to give me aSpy 2exclusive in any words you like.
Well, I hope someday for that, definitely!
Its hard to say.
Picking your next project is like picking a spouse.
Im going to be thinking about it constantly, being upset about it, being happy about it.
Im being careful with what I pick next.
Theres one thing Im writing at the moment that I want to ensure is right.
There are a couple of projects that other people wrote that Im considering.
Im trying not to restrict myself.
I like genres, Howard Hawks was one of my heroes.
I never want to be bored.
Its fun to say I havent done this before, lets get people together and figure it out.
Has yourGhostbustersexperience, the well documented highs and lows, made you any less courageous, would you say?
Its not made me less courageous, just more cautious about what Im going to do next.
But Im always pretty cautious anyway.
Im an addict though.
I like to make movies, and I want to make my next movie as soon as I can.
It makes you just think a little harder.
And is there anyone else youre looking to work with?
Or want to shine a light on?
Im actually watching a lot of documentaries and live performance at the moment.
Im looking for new inspirations.
Im always tracking new people, and there are so many I want to work with.
Just say the word Statham.
Paul Feig, youre dancing around this.
[Laughs] Well, theres nobody I want to work with again more than Statham.
I love that man.
We had lunch just recently.
And what projects were the two of you talking about?
The recorder isnt on, you’re able to tell me.
[Laughs] I will work with Jason Statham again!
I will say that.
I love that guy so much.
In the next two to three years?
[Laughs]
Paul Feig, thank you very much.
Ghostbusters: Answer The Callis available now on DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray and Digital HD.
