Teen Character's Implied Lesbian Romance with Ghost Is the 'Central Beating Heart' of New 'Ghostbusters' Film
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
The latest installment to the Ghostbusters franchise — “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” — opened in U.S. theaters March 22.
According to Box Office Mojo, the sequel managed to make $45.2 million on its opening weekend, a decent haul (though, in the long run, it may have a tough time breaking even, given the film’s $250 million break-even point, i.e. 2.5 times its $100 million budget).
What’s proven to be not quite so decent, however, has been critical reception. The film currently boasts a “rotten” 42 percent Rotten Tomatoes score.
“Frozen Empire” is receiving some praise, however, for the filmmakers’ decision to “center” the plot on the strange relationship between one of the film’s main characters and a ghost.
Throughout the film, Mckenna Grace’s character Phoebe Spangler interacts with a female ghost named Melody, played by Emily Alyn Lind, per Screen Rant.
The two befriend one another, and at one point, Spangler turns into a ghost herself (temporarily) so that the two can physically touch one another.
At the very least, the romantic tension between the two characters is heavily implied.
Many fans — both in favor of and against the plot point — even felt the lesbian nature of the relationship was overt.
The girl spengler in ghostbusters frozen empire had a non-lgbtq friendly country lesbian relationship with a ghost girl who died in an apartment fire
— 💫 Tribelisan Al Galib🔻 (39-32) 💫 (@B00K0FTRIBE) March 23, 2024
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a really bland dud that mostly features angsty teenager lesbian drama over anything resembling a Ghostbusters movie. They’ve cannabalized the original characters for no impact or effect only solidifying its lack of creativity or ideas.
— I’m Just Here So I Don’t Get Suspended (@RobMottoMovies) March 22, 2024
GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE
they tease a lesbian kiss like twice and dont go through with it. also the rest of it sucks pic.twitter.com/sI3MCVxCcS
— squidward🏳️⚧️ (@Hazbin_HoteI) March 24, 2024
Not so subtle hidden themes in Ghostbusters Frozen Empire:
Family
Lesbian girlfriends
Grooming
Teen suicide
Reaching your full potentialIt’s not awful. It’s not the best.
If they make another, a smaller cast will help. Hard to build tension when your huge cast has plot armor.— Dr. William Weir (@DrWilliamWeir) March 23, 2024
According to the film’s director Gil Kenan, the relationship between the two was central to the story.
“Well, look, we’ve never had a character in these stories that is a ghost with a new story to tell. The ghosts have always been the thing that you point your wand at. And with Melody, we have, for the first time, a character that has a voice and a story to tell,” Kenan told Screen Rant.
“And for Phoebe, who is searching for her place in her family, is searching for her role as a Ghostbuster, because that is on rocky ground, there is this really poignant irony that the one person who she seemingly connects with happens to be the person that she, by lineage, by instinct, by ability, should be pointing her proton wand at.
“And that creates a real fertile ground for drama and character and part of what makes the central beating heart of this story.”
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