Could this actually be happening this time? Depite probably knowing better, Sony is moving forward with Ghostbusters III after all, and is eyeing an early 2015 start date for production. One thing that it won’t have on board this time is Ivan Reitman, who directed the original Ghostbusters thirty years ago as well as its sequel in 1989. Speaking with Deadline, Reitman said he just didn’t feel right continuing with the recent death of his friend, Harold Ramis, who played Egon Spengler. “When I came back from Harold’s funeral, it was really moving and it made me think about a lot of things. I’d just finished directing Draft Day, which I’m really happy with and proud of. Working on a film that is smaller and more dramatic was so much fun and satisfying. I just finally met with Amy and Doug Belgrad when I got back. I said I’d been thinking about it for weeks, that I’d rather just produce this Ghostbusters. I told them I thought I could help but let’s find a really good director and make it with him. So that’s what we’ve agreed will happen. I didn’t want all kinds of speculation about what happened with me, that is the real story.â€
This is a good news/bad news kind of scenario. The good news is that Reitman seems to know and understand that proceeding on a straightforward Ghostbusters III without the late Harold Ramis or the reportedly uncooperative Bill Murray is really kind of pointless. It’s pretty much time for what’s left of the original players to all move on in anything but an advisory/cameo type capacity. The original Ghostbusters was lightning in a bottle, one of the best comedies ever made, and one they couldn’t even come close to topping when they went for round two a few years later. So what’s the good news? Well, this will be less a Ghostbusters III and more a Ghostbusters reboot, a brand extension, and a way to keep those Ghostbusters logo t-shirts selling at Target. Which means if it sucks, it won’t be as embarrassing as seeing geriatric Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson running around New York with heavy proton packs on their backs. And if by some miracle it’s good? You’ve saved a series where, as Dr. Venkman pointed out in the original movie, “The franchise rights alone will make us wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.”  That revival hasn’t happened yet, but you know Sony really wants it to.
Definately should be no trouble with stories .. you can sit down and look at plots all day.
Go with a different city or country … etc etc .
Animated movie I hope is an option that people think about. 2009 video game made the actors look quite a bit how they did in the 80’s.
I have always thought the next Ghostbusters would be a ‘Passing of the Torch’ film. I’m glad to hear it, and sad at the same time. As was stated, the first is untouchable for so many reasons.
I’ve always thought it should be about some branch of the Ghost Busters Federal Agency (Yeah, they should have become as big as Police, FBI, etc. in that universe…’Franchise’ if you will…) and the next story should be about another ‘Precinct’ that goes from totally uneventful to super busy. Perhaps cameo’s ensue…who knows.
Oy… the line is, “Professional paranormal investigations and eliminations. The franchise rights alone will make us rich beyond the dreams of avarice.” Writing like that is what makes me uneasy about proceeding. That calibur of wordsmithery is not likely to come again.
I can’t decide if I want a reboot (like Star Trek) or a continuation with new characters taking over the jobs who verbally refer back to the founders (the oil painting of the original GBs from the end of GB2 on the office wall would be a nice touch.) But the absolute worse thing to do would be to hire Big Name Actors to play the roles. You don’t need movie stars to entice people in to see Ghostbusters and their fame would get in the way of the audience accepting the new characters. Hire SNL or Daily Show alums, or good comic actors with great timing, people who look like New Yorkers, not pretty-pretty movie stars. (Okay, Vanessa Williams as the receptionist who wants to be a Ghostbuster and eventually gets her wish is very pretty, but she’s a Daily Show alum so she gets a pass.)
Naturally, all the studio wants is Famous Movie Actors in the roles, so I have the lowest expectations for this film.
If you recall, there was references to Ghostbuster franchises in previous movies. So why not reboot with a Ghostbusters in LA or Chicago with newer actors? Then cameo the original cast where needed? Also how about the “Seth Rogan” gang with guys like James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari, etc?
If they’re really going along with this, then I say let the fans decide on casting. Then if it does fail, they’ll have themselves to blame,
Is egor going to be the ghost? Point is – you’re a little late guys.
a) There cannot be and never will be another “Ghostbusters” period. Imitation aside, give it a good storyline and I’ll spend my money on it.
b) de S pite Sony knowing better .. (and since when does a company “know better”? if they see a payday in it, they’re in)
c) if you are going to quote one of the best movies of my childhood, for God’s sake, at least get it right! “The franchise rights alone will make us RICH beyond OUR wildest dreams.” *Peter rubbing the thumbs, index finger and middle fingers together of both hands in anticipation*
Call it Reboot or Reimaging LEAVE THESE GOOD MOVIES ALONE!, there are plenty of movies that were made that had a good story and actors but just didn’t mix well, try to fix the crap ones if you have the money.
This article is a great read on the subject of a cast for a Ghostbusters reboot. Actors aren’t too young, diverse cast… I’m on board!
http://ghostbustersiii.blogspot.com/2012/08/ghostbusters-3-casting-lets-speculate.html
Just, PLEASE, give us a good story. Let it not suck. Hollywood has been far too busy re-hashing old storylines and showing us their utter lack of originality and creativity. Give us something new, something fresh… something worthy of being called “Ghostbusters”.
My dream cast is Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver & the late great Harold Ramis with Ivan Reitman directing. Anything else is not Ghostbusters and should not be made. Leave the series alone.
Kevin Hart has been in EVERYTHING lately. Which isn’t a bad thing. This cast looks awesome! Just hope it lives up to Ghost Harold Ramis’s expectations.
Man that still bums me out…
Josh Gad, B.J. Novak, Kevin Hart, and Chris O’Dowd…BAM! Fantasy cast.