China bans 'Ghostbusters,' government superstitious about superstition

The Ghostbusters may not be afraid a no ghosts, but China is.

The 1.36 billion people living in the world's No. 2 movie market, won't be able to see the new Ghostbusters movie, except as a bootleg, because the movie has been denied a theatrical release.

(They never got to see the original Ghostbusters either.)

According to The Hollywood Reporter, China's official censorship guidelines prohibit movies that "promote cults or superstition," going back to the days when the only allowable spirit was Chairman Mao's.

Disney's mega-hit Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest never opened in 2006, thanks to its ghouls.

Before the official decision was even made, a bad omen (are omens allowed in China because they can be seen as supernatural?) was the removal of the Chinese character for "ghost" from the reboot's Chinese title.

What was it going to be called Dave&busters?

Actually, the Hollywood Reporter says it was going to be called, Super Power Dare Die Team, a marquee-filling, catchy, box office mouthful if ever there was one.

However, sources close to China Film Co., the state-owned film body which handles the release of all foreign movies in China, told the Hollywood Reporter that the problem with the movie wasn't its spectral presence.

"It's been confirmed that Ghostbusters won't be coming to China, because they think it's not really that attractive to Chinese audiences," said one Chinese executive. "Most of the Chinese audience didn't see the first and second movies, so they don't think there's much market for it here," the exec added.

Huh? They didn't see the first two because they were forbidden. That's not the best market research test.

The most dangerous band in the world descends on Philadelphia Thursday night, but there's been action behind the scenes all week.

Tattle's Lincoln Financial Field concert correspondent Alexandra Villarreal reports that since Sunday, 125 members of Guns N' Roses' touring crew have been building a steel platform at Lincoln Financial Field. Wednesday, they were joined by just as many locals to add decorations, lights, sounds, and videos. The show will feature pyro and stage effects, but it's also intentionally "classy" to symbolize the band's historic reunion, according to production manager Dale "Opie" Skjerseth. Large screens will project Axl Rose, Slash, and others as they play so no one misses the up-close-and-personal experience.

"The biggest effect is that they're here," Skjerseth said. "Guns N' Roses is here. Original members in the band and supporting cast, that's the big effect. That's what people are here to really see."

Skjerseth was on-staff during the "Use Your Illusion" tour, which ended in 1993, the last time Slash and Rose played together before 2016.

"We were all young, let's put it that way," Skjerseth said. "In a great way, and in a great, learning way. We all learned a lot about the business, and we all learned about what we needed to do as we all matured."

His greatest challenge this time around is "keeping everybody happy."

"Personalities is the challenge. Putting the show up is the easy part, but the challenge (is) making sure everybody gets along, from the crew up," he explained.

So far, he seems to be managing, despite the band's storied past.

"The show is really, really good. It brings up the excitement from the beginning to the end," he said. "From ballads to the hard stuff, they play, and the crowd goes wild."

Rapper and Philadelphia-native Meek Mill will be at Roosevelt Mall (2339 Cottman Ave.) this Friday (July 15) from 4-5 p.m. to celebrate the opening of PUMA Lab Powered by Foot Locker. Meek will greet fans, sign autographs and show off his new sneakers from their Dreamchaser Collection.

These shoes will only be available at Philadelphia PUMA Lab until they go national on July 22.

The all-white PUMA Blaze of Glory and PUMA Basket each combine quilted material and patent leather and are inspired by Meek's affection for patent leather footwear and motorcycle jackets. The shoes even come with the option of patent leather laces.

Meek is one of a multitude of hip hop artists going back to Run-DMC, who have their own sneakers.

- Daily News wire services

contributed to this report.

215-854-5678 @DNTattle