Paul Feig's Ghostbusters Reboot Will Be "Scarier" Than The Original

At the very least, you can't accuse Paul Feig's Ghostbusters reboot of simply retreading the original. It's already bound to set itself apart with an all-female cast, and now Feig adds that he hopes his version will be scarier, too. Hit the jump for the Paul Feig Ghostbusters reboot comments. 

Speaking with Empire (via Comic Book Movie), Feig discussed some of his plans for Ghostbusters. "I want ours to be scarier than the original, to be quite honest," he told the site. "[Screenwriter] Katie Dipold and I are so focused on wanting to do scary comedy. We don't want to hold back."

The filmmaker confirmed Ghostbusters would be PG-13, unlike the R-rated comedies he's known for. However, he doesn't see that as a drawback:

The reason I do a lot of R-Rated comedies is that you want a movie to feel honest. But the Ghostbusters world doesn't need that level of swearing. We'll have to be PG-13 with this one. I would like to make it R-Rated, but I won't. You want the biggest number of people to watch it and not be put off by it.

The original Ghostbusters struck an entertaining balance between action, comedy, and horror, but it really emphasized laughs over scares. A spookier Ghostbusters could be a nice change of pace. Of course, it could also be a soggy mess, but that's true of really any remake or reboot attempt.

Besides, the film's status as a reboot means it's not really obligated to stick to the same formula. It also has the advantage of giving Feig a fresh start. The filmmaker explained:

I have too much respect for the original one [to do a sequel]. There's also the feeling that once the world knows ghosts and has seen them busted on such a large scale, they run the risk of becoming pedestrian. There's something fun about introducing our world, which has never seen ghosts to the phenomenon of ghosts. I love origin stories and to introduce new characters.

Feig's decision to go all-female with the cast has earned him a lot of attention, some from detractors. However, Feig insists it isn't jut a gimmick:

I guess I can see the cynics' view of it, but for me I just love working with funny women. People said, 'Why don't you do a mix?' I'm just more interested in the idea of lady Ghostbusters. It's the way my brain works.

Oh, and speaking of funny women, half the comedic actresses in Hollywood have stated their interest in the project but Feig insists no casting has been set yet:

Right now, honestly, there could be 50 Ghostbusters. I'm just waiting to get our first draft of the script together to go, 'Who makes sense in these roles?' If I put the list in front of me of people that have said they want to do it, talk about a Sophie's Choice. When you do a movie like Ghostbusters, people get very interested.

It's very tough to say at this juncture whether Feig's ideas for the Ghostbusters reboot will turn out to be for the best. Still, it's heartening to see Feig is making Ghostbusters his own instead of just replicating the original. And given his successes with female-led comedies in the past, we're betting he won't be struggling to put a good cast together, either.