I really do need to get some more Ghostbuster images in my library.
Since I have a number of different topics planned for this week I’m going to combine all three trailers that came out over the weekend and I think last week. Yes, I know the new Star Wars trailer came out but it’s the last one and I don’t really pay attention to trailers past the first one unless I’m not quite sure yet if I’m interested. At this point I’m willing to watch the train wreck in the hopes of learning what not to do with an established franchise while still trying to make a good story. A good story doesn’t always mean it’s a good adaptation.
For example the reboot of Ghostbusters in 2016 was not a proper torch passing, although I don’t know how it stands as a movie in general. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has put out a lot of good stories but has made a number of adaptation errors, especially in a couple of their more recent films where they bowed to social issues and China over the original product, as if they couldn’t have both. Okay, maybe not the Ancient One but you’re adapting an American comic for an American audience so why should they care so much? Aren’t you saying China is right to come down on Tibetan monks or something? Meanwhile the DC movies haven’t been very good at either category, although the movies have improved slightly and at least Shazam! was based on a version of Billy Batson. Too bad it was the New 52 version that was a re-imagining anyway.
So yes, we will be looking at the trailers for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Black Widow, and Wonder Woman 84 to see how they fare in both potentially good story and potentially good adaptation. Let’s start with the first one.
I’m not too sure about this one. Maybe it’s the trailer itself, but this seems to be leaning more on the spooky elements and ignoring the comedy. Granted, and I don’t think enough people realize this, the original movies and even the TV series had plenty of horror elements and the comedy was just there to lighten the tone a bit and often served as the character development. However, this doesn’t seem to have any comedy at all. It’s about Egon’s kids finding the late Ghostbuster’s gear just in time to deal with a paranormal threat in a new setting. With Harold Ramis passing away it’s tough to have all the old magic but while this seems to at least care about the original more than the reboot I’m not quite sold yet on this movie. Maybe a future trailer will fix that. I’m not quite willing to immediately accept a movie just because it isn’t the bad reboot.
Fans have been asking for a Black Widow movie since she appeared in Iron Man 2, and here it finally is. The thing about the MCU is that the deal is usually “this genre but in a superhero world”. Natasha’s life is only tied to superheroes because she joined SHIELD during the Avenger Initiative set-up, but it does still allow for superscience to be part of the narrative. That said, Red Guardian (I’m assuming it’s him, basically the Russian Captain America) seems to be shoehorned in while Hawkeye we already know is tied to her story not only in the comics (he’s the reason she ultimately reformed) but in the movie version being godmother to his kids and already having a strong bond of friendship. (Yes, someone realized they could be friends and not a couple–shocking I know given how it’s almost like platonic relationships don’t exist to Hollywood between men and women…and even in same sex situations according to shippers). It looks like it could be really good and I hope it is given how long this movie has been in demand. I’ve said that it should only be done if they have a story that makes sense for Natasha in the MCU and maybe they finally have it.
The UK trailer was longer than the US one so my thought was it might show a bit more. It just added an end card. It’s the same trailer. Let’s see, Wonder Woman’s costume looks better, especially with the brighter colors. I’m hoping it doesn’t devolve into the usual “HEY WE’RE IN THE 1980S DID YOU KNOW THIS IS 1984 LOOK HERE’S SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE 1980S ALTHOUGH THE YEAR AND MONTH MAY BE WRONG BUT WHO CARES IT’S THE 80S AREN’T THE 80S AWESOME REMEMBER THE 80S” cliches that show up in stories set in the 1980s but made well after. The action looks good, there are signs of interesting characters and a plotline and oh my god there’s sunlight here! Sunlight AND bright colors? I thought Hollywood banned both of those things!
So this may turn out to be a good summer. All three movies look good, though the question is adaptation. I’m not sure the new Ghostbusters movie is giving me the same tone as the other two although frankly I’ve always been more into the cartoon than the films. Black Widow looks to be taking cues from the comics. Wonder Woman is closer to what I wanted in a Wonder Woman movie and the last one was rather enjoyable. Between this and Sonic maybe Hollywood is finally getting it.
Yeah, I’m not holding my breath either, but I don’t want to give up hope just yet.
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