Why is Kobe Bryant a Ghostbuster?

   

     Not too long ago, a reboot of the Ghostbusters movie was announced. The twist? This time the lead protagonists will be a team of women. As noted in Miss Representation, women are rarely given educated lead roles in movies that don't revolve around romance and men. While Ghostbusters may not be the most serious of films, it will give a more empowering team of heroines on the big screen for children to look up to. The female team is composed of famous female comedians, that don't act or dress in a sexual way in the ads. It was a bold move on Sony's part to change the classic  team of ghost hunters to females, and it looks as if the company may already be regretting its decision.

     So the question still remains, why are images of Kobe as a Ghostbuster surfacing all over the media? During game 1 of the NBA Finals, Sony aired an ad for its new reboot, but with the Black Mamba himself suiting up to save the day. When I first saw this advertisement, my entire body flooded with excitement. The idea of such a star becoming a Ghostbuster truly hooked my interest in seeing the new movie. However, after the hype had died down, I realized what a sad statement this ad was making. Ghostbusters being remade with an all-female cast has received a very mixed reaction, with many feeling angry with the bold change. To try and counter this negativity, Sony has resorted to using male-only ads to promote the upcoming movie,

     The company is now relying on stars and celebrities to divert its viewers from the reality of the movie's cast being female-dominant. Kobe will not appear as one of the main characters in the actual movie, yet by portraying Bryant as one in the commercial, and immediately cutting to the films release date, many will become interested in going to see it for the sole purpose of seeing Kobe on the big screen. Sony resorting to such forms of diversion shows how desperate the company is to attract consumers to the cinemas to watch its new movie.

     I think its sad how Sony has been so quick to take back the trust it has put in having females as its protagonists. It will be interesting to see how well the remake does in the box office, and how fans will react to the female cast after watching the movie. Sony is smart to be using NBA players to attract male viewers, though I'm not sure how effective it will be in convincing them to say to see Ghostbusters.