What Happens If You Call The Ghostbusters Hotline?
Releasing a promo or gimmick to the public in order to hype up an upcoming movie or TV series is nothing new in Hollywood. Whether they are subtle or over-the-top, they all have the same goal, and that is to get people in the theater seats. Sometimes, however, they can backfire, like when promoters of the "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" movie sent multiple light-up devices across Boston, which were mistaken for possible explosives, essentially causing a panic (via Inverse). Most times, however, promotional gimmicks for productions are benign. One of these attempts came in the form of a hotline designed to hype up the 2016 reboot of "Ghostbusters."
Before the release, it didn't seem like the upcoming movie needed any promotional gimmick to get the public-excitement rolling. After all, this was fans' first taste of new cinematic material since "Ghostbusters 2" was released in 1989. Rather than a continuation, this movie was a whole new telling of the original story, this time with an all-female cast. However, the built-in fan base didn't stop promoters from establishing a hotline that fans could call by just dialing a number. So, when fans did call, what did they hear on the other end?
Calling the hotline connected you to a certain Avenger
Believe it or not, the 2016 hotline wasn't the first time this idea was used, as the original "Ghostbusters" had a hotline back in 1984, where people could hear an answering machine message from Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray, (via Ghostbusters Fandom). This time, for the promo of the 2016 film, fans got to hear a message from Chris Hemsworth, who played the paranormal fighters' secretary in the movie.
With the phone number plastered on movie billboards, fans got to call the "Ghostbusters" hotline to hear messages from Hemsworth. In character as not-so-bright Kevin, he started the message explaining that the Ghostbusters were not available to talk to due to the "considerable rise in paranormal activity." The message went on with him advising, "If you've experienced strange noises or feelings of dread, just ignore them and hope they go away." He continued with, "If you're having trouble with a floating apparition, open up a window and turn on a fan!" The rest of the message goes full movie-promo mode, directing fans to the film's official Facebook page.