Female 'Ghostbusters' Casts Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, 'SNL' Stars
Who you gonna call? Looks like it's Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon.
That foursome has been revealed as the new cast of Paul Feig's upcoming all-female "Ghostbusters" reboot, after the director tweeted out a photo of the actresses Tuesday afternoon. According to The Hollywood Reporter, McCarthy has already signed on, while Wiig, Jones, and McKinnon are currently hammering out deals for the production.
- Paul Feig (@paulfeig) January 27, 2015
McCarthy had long been rumored to be in the mix, and "Ghostbusters" will mark her fourth film with Feig, who previously directed the actress in "Bridesmaids," "The Heat," and the upcoming spoof "Spy." McCarthy and Wiig will reunite on the big screen for the first time since co-starring in "Bridesmaids."
McKinnon and Jones are the lesser-known members of the ensemble, though "Saturday Night Live" fans will recognize the scene-stealing comediennes. McKinnon has been an "SNL" staple since 2012 (she earned an Emmy nod for her work last year), and Jones joined the show in early 2014, starting out as a writer and quickly moving up the ranks to featured player status this season. She also has a role in Chris Rock's latest, "Top Five."
Variety also reports that fellow "SNL" star Cecily Strong is in contention for a small part. The trade writes that Strong "is likely to play a government official similar to the role William Atherton played in the original."
Tuesday's casting news comes after a long behind-the-scenes struggle for the flick, which was originally conceived as a straight sequel to "Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters II." But as the years wore on, original star Bill Murray declined to get involved with "Ghostbusters 3," and plans to move forward with the threequel eventually fell apart after the death of star Harold Ramis in 2014.
Feig's idea for an all-female reboot keeps the franchise alive while exploring a new story and new characters. And if it's half as funny as his previous female-centric flicks, audiences will be very lucky.
We can't wait to see McCarthy, Wiig, McKinnon, and Jones in action. Production on "Ghostbusters" is expected to start this summer in New York.
[via: Paul Feig, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety]