'What a way to freshen things up:' Ivan Reitman on the Ghostbusters revamp

After sparking wide debate and online furor, the revamped Ghostbusters finally debuts in cinemas this week, with original director Ivan Reitman among those hailing the new, female-led reboot for offering a fresh perspective.

Hollywood's latest nostalgic remake is set for wide release Friday, following its red-carpet premiere in Los Angeles over the weekend. 

It's been more than 30 years since Reitman's original Ghostbusters hit theatres (the Toronto-raised movie mogul also directed the sequel).

After years of starts and stops for a proposed third instalment about a quirky team of paranormal investigators, Reitman produced this reimagined version, which instantly sparked a negative backlash from some diehard fans of the beloved 1980s franchise, namely for its all-female cast of leads.

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"There was a lot of fear that somehow things were going to get screwed up," Reitman told CBC News in a recent interview.

"This is a gigantic franchise and has an extraordinary amount of love all over the world. And, so you just have to be sensitive to it."

Reitman discusses the backlash to the new Ghostbusters — directed by Paul Feig and starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon — in the interview above.

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