Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

Chris Hemsworth to play receptionist in female-led reboot of Ghostbusters

Stephanie Topacio Long
By

chris hemsworth ghostbusters reboot receptionist 3 logo
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has been brought on board for the female-led Ghostbusters, and his character isn’t his usual role at all. Instead of playing the hero or warrior as he has in Thor and Snow White and the Huntsman, he’ll be playing the receptionist. The reboot’s director, Paul Feig, shared the news today, tweeting, “Our receptionist. #whoyougonnacall” along with Hemsworth’s photo.

Hemsworth was approached early on, Variety reports, but he wasn’t interested in a role that he felt was too small. Apparently Sony really wanted him, because they revised the script to make his role more substantial. He’ll share the screen with several well-known female comedians, including Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon. (The movie will be a Bridesmaids reunion of sorts, given that McCarthy, Wiig, and Feig were all involved in the 2011 hit.)

Though Hemsworth’s role is being called the male version of Janine Melnitz (played by Annie Potts), it’s unclear what — if anything — their characters will have in common. The upcoming film won’t be a remake. Original co-creator and star Dan Akroyd has likened his vision of the reboot to Marvel’s universe. “The whole vehicle of Ghostbusters has to be rebuilt,” he said in late 2014. “That’s the ambitious thinking that’s going on now. Taking on the model of Marvel where we take all of the elements that are in this movie and we put them out there as different ideas.” The film will still take place in New York, though, with some filming done in Boston.

As the project has progressed, Feig has been a fan of sharing major announcements via Twitter. He previously revealed the film’s lead actresses in a Tweet, as well as its release date. The Ghostbusters reboot is still over a year away, hitting theaters on July 22, 2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
‘Ghostbusters: Now Hiring’ unexpectedly launches for PlayStation VR
Ghostbusters

Surprise game releases aren't unprecedented, but they certainly aren't common. We usually know about a game many months, if not years, in advance of its launch. The steady ramping of hype gets gamers geared up for the game's arrival. Unexpected releases hailing from classic intellectual properties? Even less likely. Ghostbusters: Now Hiring, a game not known to be in development, has launched for PlayStation VR.

Sony accompanied the unexpected release with a brief launch trailer. Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt plays the Icon Ghost -- your guide. "I bet you're here for the ghostbusting chops," Oswalt says. This setup, which puts you in the shoes of a new Ghostbusters recruit, serves as a reintroduction to the franchise that stumbled last year with both the Ghostbusters film reboot and the game tie-in.

Read more
Netflix's 'Lost in Space' reboot finds its villainous Dr. Smith in Parker Posey
lost in space reboot parker posey flickr

Expect to see an iconic villain to look very different when Netflix's Lost in Space remake premieres in 2018. The role of Dr. Smith has been gender-swapped and an actress will take over the part played by Jonathan Harris in the 1965 sci-fi series of the same name. Parker Posey is set to fill the role, reports Deadline.

Like the original, Netflix's Lost in Space will center on the Robinson family as they find themselves stranded in space and dealing with dangerous threats, a new environment, and their own personal issues. As Dr. Smith, Posey will likely be up to no good. Harris' version of the character was known for double-dealing, attempts at sabotage, and dropping harsh quips.

Read more
Female-led 'Ocean's Eleven' spinoff may amp up star power with Rihanna, others
rihanna billboard tidal anti platinum

The Ocean's trilogy is getting a female-driven spinoff, and the Ocean's Eight cast is going to be as impressive as their male counterparts. Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett are already onboard, and deals with Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Mindy Kaling, and Awkwafina (rapper and actress Nora Lum) are close, reports Deadline.

The group brings together both veteran actresses and relative newcomers. While Bullock, Blanchett, Hathaway, and Carter are all Oscar winners or nominees, Rihanna and Awkwafina have taken on acting roles only in recent years. Meanwhile, Kaling is best known for her comedic work on The Office and The Mindy Project.

Read more