Dan Aykroyd has recently defended the 2016 all-female reboot of Ghostbusters, despite its mixed initial reception. The Academy Award nominee praised the film, directed by Paul Feig, calling it “a movie that you want to watch again.” Aykroyd expressed his admiration for the cast, including Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, and Kristen Wiig, noting their exceptional performances.
In a recent interview with People, Aykroyd admitted his frustration at not fulfilling his role as a producer and the film’s higher-than-expected costs. However, he emphasized his pride in the film and his full support for it. He stated, “I liked the movie. I thought that the villain at the end was great. I loved so much of it. And of course, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones and Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, you’re never going to do better than that.” He added that the film stands out positively among the various Ghostbusters iterations and is worth watching multiple times.
Aykroyd, who co-wrote and starred in the original 1984 Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel, also made a cameo in the 2016 reboot. He has since reprised his role in the recent sequels Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024). The 2016 reboot also featured cameos from Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts.
Ernie Hudson, another star of the original series, previously expressed his reservations about the reboot. In March, Hudson commented that while the film featured brilliant performances, he was unsure why a reboot was necessary, suggesting that a new story might have been more fitting. He added, “Fans were really invested in the story and the characters, and I think it was disappointing. I enjoyed the movie, but I think it wasn’t what fans were hoping for.” Despite his reservations, Hudson praised Paul Feig and maintained a positive view of the film.
