LOS ANGELES, July 9 — A third Ghostbusters has been in the pipeline for years, but when it was revealed that the new team would be all female, the production faced criticism from online users.

And when the first trailer was released, it eventually became the most disliked trailer on YouTube.

Director Paul Feig says: "When it's based strictly on the fact that they're women, that's just depressing that people still feel that way, but that's not the majority of the people. But I understand from the other people just the passion they have for this project and property that's been around and part of our lives for so long, of course there's a natural fear and hesitation to want to take it in.”

Actress Leslie Jones chips in: "I did not respond well. I might have tweeted out my address to a couple of people to come see me. They had to calm me down.”

Adds actress, Melissa McCarthy: "I try to not let things tear me down. It's not going to make me a better mom, it's not going to make me a better person, certainly won't make me a better actor, so I really just try to not see any of that stuff, because I can't improve myself from it. "

According to director Feig, the new film addresses something fundamentally wrong with mainstream cinema.

He explains: "I just think it's just time for women to get to establish themselves in these big leading roles that are three-dimensional, that have foibles and they have vulnerability in a way that women aren't sometimes allowed to be shown, either they have to be shown as the shrew or they have to be shown as the perfect one, and why do guys get to be fully three-dimensional and women don't, so whatever it takes to even the playing field, that's what I'm for.”

And in case you need any more convincing...

From Kate McKinnon: "You know what I say? I say 'come see the movie.' If you still don't like it, we're so sorry but you still got to come see the movie.”

And from Leslie Jones: "Even if you're going to hate on it. Get popcorn, get Raisinets in it. Put some Raisinets in the popcorn, put it in your mouth and watch the movie.”

Ghostbusters goes on release globally from July 14th. — Reuters

‘Ghostbusters’ stars Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones visited patients at Tufts Medical Centre in Boston recently. — File pic