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Original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman calls backlash 'silly'

He directed the classic Ghosbusters movie. Now Ivan Reitman has backed the all-female reboot that he couldn't wait to "unleash" on the world.

Ivan Reitman got shivers the first time he saw the original Ghostbusters in uniform — a feeling that's returned to him as an all-female crew blast his film into the future. The 2016 version — starring Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon — has seen a lot of resistance from fans of the 1984 original, but Reitman dismisses their complaints as "silly". 

"It was a scary think to suddenly have to deal with," says Reitman, who directed the original film and produced the new one. "What has combated that, finally, is the movie. People have sat down and said, 'oh, this is kind of good'."

Today ​Reitman joins guest host Rachel Giese to discuss passing the torch to director Paul Feig, how the death of Harold Ramis completely changed the writing team's approach to the remake, and why he's so proud of the new film. 

"This film is really funny," says Reitman. "It has kind of bubbly, fun quality that's very intoxicating."
Ivan Reitman, producer of the new Ghostbusters film, says he's been eager to "unleash" the new Ghostbusters on the world. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press)

WEB EXTRA | Watch the revamped theme song by Missy Elliot featuring Fall Out Boy. 

 
Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones star in an all-female remake of Ghostbusters. (Associated Press)

Ghostbusters producer Ivan Reitman, right, poses with director Paul Feig in front of ECTO-1, the vehicle used in the new Ghostbusters movie. Feig pitched Reitman on the making women the new ghostbusters. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)