--- title: Ghostbusters Director: 'Chick Flick' Is a 'Derogatory' Term' description: Director Paul Feig called complaints about Ghostbusters "misogynistic," and now he's fighting back against more sexism toward the movie. canonical: https://time.com/4378542/ghostbusters-chick-flick-interview/ author: Megan Lasher article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-22T17:57:45.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T09:02:47.333Z og:title: Ghostbusters Director Says 'Chick Flick' Is a 'Derogatory' Term og:description: The Ghostbusters cast and director discussed the 'surprising' reaction to their film og:url: https://time.com/4378542/ghostbusters-chick-flick-interview/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt55c32151657d4868/698898f70b72e3f0f66e9e74/ghostbusters-cast-paul-feig-misogyny-e1467153902928.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: CinemaCon 2016 - An Evening With Sony Pictures Entertainment: Celebrating The Summer Of 2016 And Beyond og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Ghostbusters Director Says 'Chick Flick' Is a 'Derogatory' Term twitter:description: The Ghostbusters cast and director discussed the 'surprising' reaction to their film twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt55c32151657d4868/698898f70b72e3f0f66e9e74/ghostbusters-cast-paul-feig-misogyny-e1467153902928.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Ghostbusters Director Says 'Chick Flick' Is a 'Derogatory' Term > Sponsored content. 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There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=4b33a1a8-56e0-4c2f-aef9-41c858f5c2c9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Megan Lasher](https://time.com/author/megan-lasher/) ## Megan Lasher Jun 22, 2016 5:57 PM UTC  Actresses Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and 'Ghostbusters' director Paul Feig attend CinemaCon 2016 Actresses Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and 'Ghostbusters' director Paul Feig attend CinemaCon 2016 Todd Williamson—Getty Images for CinemaCon by [Megan Lasher](https://time.com/author/megan-lasher/) ## Megan Lasher Jun 22, 2016 5:57 PM UTC The new _Ghostbusters_ movie was met with [criticism before it was even released](http://motto.time.com/4314767/ghostbusters-trailer-negative-comments/), but the cast and crew aren’t having it. Director Paul Feig called complaints about the female-heavy casting [“misogynistic,”](http://motto.time.com/4357714/ghostbusters-director-paul-feig-misogynistic-criticism/) and now he’s fighting back against more sexism toward the movie. “The whole ‘chick-flick’ idea is an excuse for guys not to have to see something,” Feig said in an [interview with the New York _Times._](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/movies/whos-afraid-of-female-ghostbusters.html?%5Fr=0) _“_It’s what I consider to be a derogatory title. I try with my movies to go: Look how funny these people are.” The film’s female stars, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, are all well-known actresses and comics—three of them have been regular cast members on _Saturday Night Live._ Yet as with _Bridesmaids_ and what feels like all other female-driven films, the criticism seems relentless. “I’m surprised, because women have been killing it for years,” Jones told the New York _Times._ “It’s the same thing, when you go to a comedy club. \[announcer’s voice\] ‘Are you guys ready for a woman?’ Are you ready for a unicorn? Why is being a woman so surprising? There are two sexes. A man and a woman. 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