Mckenna Grace is back as Phoebe Spengler in the newly released Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the fifth movie of the popular supernatural franchise Ghostbusters. The newest film in the franchise features the old and a new team of Ghostbusters who are tasked with saving the world from a new paranormal threat called Garraka.
While the movie has been receiving some positive reviews from fans for its blend of humor, action, and supernatural elements, many might not have liked how the tale was changed a bit related to Mckenna’s character. And in a new interview, the actress revealed why such a change was necessary.
Mckenna Grace on Why Her Character Had an Important Change
Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler shines throughout the Ghostbuster franchise. Not only was the actress’s casting and portrayal loved by fans when she starred in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but fans were also anticipating seeing more of her in the newly released Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (see Reddit).
The recently released movie has been well received by the fans. However, what fans did not like in the new movie was her character’s apparent relationship with the teen ghost Melody (via Reddit). Not only did Grace take the ghost out of her body to spend more time with her ghost friend/ ghost crush, but she seemed to relate more with the ghost than any other human being.
While talking to the Digital Spy, Grace explained why such a major change was taken and why it was necessary for her character,
“I really enjoyed working with Emily. I thought that was an important connection for Phoebe to have outside of the family because she feels very isolated in this film, so that’s her first connection outside of these guys and Podcast… It was very interesting to play Phoebe on this arc of figuring out what to do now that she’s kicked out of Ghostbusters and has to prove herself back to them.”
Yet some fans were not happy with the arc. While certain fanatics explained how it would have been good to explore their relationship more, others felt that the movie’s final act was cut short due to the Phoebe-Melody arc.
Reason Why the Phoebe-Melody Arc was Added
After being kicked out of the ghost-battling squad and being confused over her identity and purpose, Mckenna Grace’s Phoebe ignites a friendship with a ghost. Some fans found the arc problematic, and the director Gil Kenan revealed why the story was written this way.
Apparently, since Afterlife put more focus on Phoebe, the writers felt that whilst following the development of Phoebe and her relationship with the Spengler family, they would eventually end up where the story needed to be, as Kenan explained to GameSpot.
Since Grace’s character naturally has a sensitivity to the other side, as was seen in the previous film, it felt natural to explore more in the direction. This ended up with the Phoebe-Melody arc.
“And then it was just like, dramatically, so compelling to think that a Ghostbuster could find the one person in the biggest city in America, who could actually sort of relate to them and see them, and they could feel like there was a sort of shared language between the two of them. And the sort of tragic irony that that one other person just happened to be a ghost. That felt too juicy not to explore.”
Stated Kenan about the narrative that diehard fans of the franchise found unnecessary at times. In the end, although a somewhat controversial decision, the movie has largely been well-received by the fans.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is in theatres now.
