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    Hiding female cast, “Ghostbusters” courts male moviegoers 

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2428 Views
    In this image released by Sony Pictures, from left, Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon from the film, "Ghostbusters," opening nationwide on July 15. (Hopper Stone/Columbia Pictures, Sony via AP)

    By Jake Coyle, Film Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    To sell "Ghostbusters," who are you going to call? In the film's initial nationwide TV spots, not its female stars.

    Sony Pictures trotted out commercials Thursday night that promoted the female-led reboot not with cast members Melissa McCarthy or Kristen Wiig, but basketball stars Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony. The ads ran on ABC during game one of the NBA Finals, which is watched by a largely male audience.

    Targeting different demographics through varied marketing strategies is commonplace for Hollywood films. Rarer are ads that replace a movie's actual cast wholesale.

    The ads, which drew mixed reactions from viewers Thursday night, exhibited the anxiety Sony may have in getting enough male moviegoers to buy tickets for the big-budget comedy. A lot is riding on the film, due out July 15, which cost more than $150 million to make.

    Since its inception, Paul Feig's "Ghostbusters" — which also stars Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones — has proven unexpectedly divisive online. Some have objected to the 1984 original being remade at all, while others have voiced criticisms of the female-led cast that have been called sexist. Much attention has centered on the high number of "dislikes" the film's trailer received on YouTube.

    The spots Thursday featured one New York Knicks-centric ad with Anthony, Spike Lee, Kristaps Porzingis and Clyde Frazier strapping on proton packs. In the other, the newly retired Bryant wages war in a "Ghostbusters" jumpsuit. The East Coast-West Coast ads were made jointly by Sony Pictures and ESPN.

    The promotional push for "Ghostbusters" is going into hyperdrive. Sony also announced that Wednesday will be "Ghostbusters Day."

    At least then the "Ghostbusters" cast will get part of the marketing spotlight. Jimmy Kimmel will host the stars, along with appearances of original cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts on Wednesday.

    Tags:GhostbustersSony Pictures



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.

    The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

    The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.

    DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

    "While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

    The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

    The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

    DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More

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