People are furious the first 'Ghostbusters' trailer appears to have a ‘token black’ character

A new trailer for  "Ghostbusters" dropped Thursday morning — but not everybody is feeling the ectoplasm-filled ad for the all-female twist on the classic film. 

Initial reactions to the reboot, which stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, were positive. People on Twitter seem psyched about the return of the paranormal franchise to the big screen after 30 years. 

But after seeing the trailer, many began raising questions about Jones' character, Patty Tolan. McCarthy, Wiig, and McKinnon play a supernatural scientist, a particle physicist, and a nuclear engineer, respectively. Tolan, however, is portrayed as an outspoken MTA employee.

While the three white women in the cast all have advanced degrees, Patty Tolan's talents — again, as far as the trailer implies — are street smarts and the ability to get the team a vehicle. 

"You guys are really smart about this science stuff, but I know New York," Jones, as Tolan, says in the trailer. "And I can borrow a car from my uncle." 

The car is later revealed to be a hearse. "It's a Cadillac," Tolan exclaims to an incredulous McCarthy.

On Reddit, many users were quick to point out that the trailer relies heavily on stereotypes, making the "black woman a caricature" of herself. 

Take a look. 

And on Twitter, reactions were similar. People were disappointed to see Jones being portrayed as the "token black friend." 

For reference, "WOC" is shorthand for "woman of color."

YouTuber Akilah Hughes also fired off a tweet-storm about the new trailer. Hughes began by calling out a scene in the trailer where Jones slaps McCarthy across the face in an attempt to beat out a ghost who has taken over McCarthy's body. 

"Oh hell no, the devil is a liar," Jones yells in the trailer while she repeatedly hits McCarthy, until a green ghost flees her body.  

Some people are comparing Jones' character to Winston Zeddmore, a member of the original  "Ghostbusters" foursome. Zeddmore was played by Ernie Hudson, who, like Jones, is black. In the 1984 version, Hudson's role is significantly less substantive than his white, scientist counterparts.

It's an issue the 2016 reboot director, Paul Feig, has previously addressed. “Patty’s a bigger part [than Winston Zeddmore],"Feig told the New Yorker. "I definitely wanted four equal team members.”

The film's official website describes her role in the movie as a "ghost tracker, municipal historian, and metaphysical commando." Jones has also talked to the New Yorker about the potential issue, which gives us hope about the yet-released film.

"He [Feig] made it completely equal. It was like a superhero team, where each one has her own skill but can’t use it without the others," she said. 

Still the new trailer seems to have left a pretty poor taste in some people's mouths. "Ghostbusters" won't hit theaters until July, so we'll have to wait until then to see for sure. 

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