Gil Kenan says ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise changed his life when he was a kid

Mumbai: British-American filmmaker Gil Kenan, who has directed ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, has said that the ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise changed his life as a kid with its unique blend of horror and comedy.

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ sees the return of the Spengler family to the New York City firehouse where it all began. They join forces with the original Ghostbusters, who have established a top-secret research lab to take ghost-busting to new heights. Things go awry when their discovery of an ancient artefact unexpectedly unleashes an evil force, putting the world at risk of a second Ice Age.

Talking about the impact of the film on him as a child, Kenan said: “‘Ghostbusters’ changed my life as a kid – the unique blend of scares and comedy. I had never experienced anything like it in a movie theatre before. What really got me was the fun of it all, the joy on screen. It was that feeling, a thrill ride through the supernatural world around us, that inspired me to create the tone of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.”

“At times funny, at times scary, always fun. And not just for adult fans who like me grew up with the films, but for all audiences, including kids who will be the same age now that I was when I first saw ‘Ghostbusters’. Kids, who I hope will discover in this film the same thrill of discovery in the world of ‘Ghostbusters’ that I did in 1984.”

The film features an ensemble cast of Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts.

Taking over the reins of a ‘Ghostbusters’ film was a responsibility that director Gil Kenan did not take lightly.

“Ghostbusters sets a very high bar,” he said.

“Every film that has come before has some indelible cinematic moments. We are all aiming high to create a film worthy of the Ghostbusters logo, and the spirit that allows the improvisation, the looseness, the sense of play or life in front of the camera, is all part of a collective spirit of trying to capture lighting in a bottle. It’s a Ghostbusters film.”

Sony Pictures Entertainment India releases ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ in Indian cinemas on April 26, 2024.

–IANS