Paul Feig Says 'I Still Have a Hard Time Going on the Internet' Because of “Ghostbusters” Haters 10 Years Later
Paul Feig Says 'I Still Have a Hard Time Going on the Internet' Because of “Ghostbusters” Haters 10 Years Later
Benjamin VanHooseWed, June 24, 2026 at 8:21 PM UTC
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Paul Feig; Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig in 'Ghostbusters' (2016)Credit: Shutterstock; Sony -
Paul Feig spoke about Ghostbusters backlash during a wide-ranging conversation at the Nantucket Film Festival
"I still have a hard time going on the internet," he said, 10 years after the film's release
The director received the Visionary Storyteller Tribute at the festival
Paul Feig is proud of his Ghostbusters movie, even if he still receives angry messages online from a segment of fans.
The director of films like The Housemaid and Bridesmaids was honored at the 2026 Nantucket Film Festival with the Visionary Storyteller Tribute.
During a wide-ranging conversation held inside the island's Dreamland Theater on Friday, June 19, moderator Ophira Eisenberg asked Feig, 63, about the "ridiculous" backlash he received from the internet "troll army" over his female-led Ghostbusters movie in 2016.
"That was a good time," Feig said sarcastically as the audience laughed.
Feig recalled at first being hesitant to tackle the popular film franchise — which dates back to 1984 — calling it "sacred ground for comedy."
Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon and Kristen Wiig in 'Ghostbusters' (2016)Credit: Sony
"But then I was like, 'If I can reboot it and I work with all these funny women, that seems like a way to distance myself from the first one and not, like, ruin that legacy, but take the idea and reboot it over here.' I thought it's the greatest idea ever."
"Little did I know," he added, "it would just set off this lightning rod of — I still have a hard time going on the internet. There's still guys that will just excoriate me up there."
Feig, who has previously spoken about the response to his Ghostbusters film, said the film was negatively impacted by falling during a heated election year, with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump running for president.
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"It was just the worst time to put it out," said Feig. "It somehow unnecessarily became a political statement to go see that movie. And most audiences are like, 'I just want to see a comedy. I want to have some fun.' "
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Paul Feig on June 20, 2026Credit: Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock
The filmmaker said he remains "proud of the movie" and "I don't regret it."
"I'm very proud of it, but it definitely caused me more trouble than I needed in my career," he admitted.
Feig's Ghostbusters starred Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon, plus Chris Hemsworth. Since then, two other separate Ghostbusters sequels have hit theaters, led by Paul Rudd: Afterlife in 2021 and Frozen Empire in 2024.
When Feig accepted his Visionary Storyteller Tribute award on Saturday, June 20, at the festival, he revealed behind-the-scenes memories of Rose Byrne while making Spy and also slammed the use of artificial intelligence in storytelling.
Also at the Nantucket Film Festival, The Invite writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack received the Special Achievement in Screenwriting Award, and The Five Star Weekend actress Chloë Sevigny was honored with the Compass Rose Award for Career Achievement.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
