Columbia Pictures is getting serious about scaring up a new installment of its blockbuster "Ghostbusters" franchise. The studio has set "The Office" co-exec producers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky to write a script for a film designed to bring back together the original cast of Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson. Studio would not comment on the development and has been mum on recent rumors that there was interest in making another installment of the franchise. The scribes just wrote "Year One," a comedy that was directed by Ramis. Ramis with Aykroyd wrote the first two installments of the films. Ivan Reitman directed both the 1984 original and the sequel that was released in 1989. The close proximity between the writers and original Ghostbuster Ramis is evidence that the ghost chasers have sparked to the idea of returning. "Ghostbusters" was Columbia's highest grossing film ever, until it was beaten by "Men in Black" and then "Spider-Man." An attempt to make a third installment of the franchise was stymied in the dealmaking stage. Sources said so much gross was pledged to the participants that it was next to impossible for the studio to make any money on a third installment. No deals will be made with the original cast until the script is ready, but the gross percentage will certainly be an issue. Sony has a standing policy not to allow more than 25% of first dollar gross out the door. The scribes, who are Emmy- nominated for their work on "The Office," just set up another picture at Columbia, selling their spec script "Bad Teacher" to the studio for Jimmy Miller to produce. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991624.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
This is great news. Hope it happens because the first Ghostbusters was one of my favorite movies as a kid.
As long as both Harold Ramis and Ivan Reitman are involved (along with the original cast), I am looking forward to it. Murray has been on a semi-serious role kick as of late. It would be great to seem him go back to his roots.
they gotta bring back rick moranis and sigourney weaver if they do this......i have no idea if i spelled her name right
The returning cast will be a huge part of any desire to see the third movie. It doesn't matter if they are "A" list actors because they will draw in "A" list box office numbers.
This would be awesome! I was a Ghostbusters freak as a kid. I had all the action figures, Ecto-1,the firehouse......... the whole 9 pretty much.
Are they going to be wearing diapers in this one? The first one was a classic. The second one was a complete turd. I'll be skeptical of this one no doubt, but at least it's not a remake starring the rock and shyla labuf. Not yet anyway.
What is with these sequels of ancient movies? Not as bad as Geriatric Rocky and Indiana Jones, but still. What's next, Hamlet 2?
From Wikipedia: "I pulled out of making movies in about '96 or '97. I'm a single parent (Moranis' wife died in 1991 of liver cancer), and I just found that it was too difficult to manage raising my kids and doing the traveling involved in making movies. So I took a little bit of a break. And the little bit of a break turned into a longer break, and then I found that I really didn't miss it."
I'm suprised it took this long with all the other crappy 70-80's nostalgia being regugitated in Hollywood.
Ghostbusters (the first one) is one of the most re-watchable movies in my collection. The only way to do it is to get as much of the original cast back as possible. Ramis, Murray, and Akroyd being the most vital.
Harold Ramis on GhostBusters 3 (link and Chicago Tribune article below): Harold Ramis confirms 'Ghostbusters III' I just received this e-mail from Harold Ramis confirming the forward progress on a third "Ghostbusters" movie (as mentioned earlier here), with Judd Apatow, some of his regular actors and perhaps Bill Murray involved: OK, so we're picturing Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson showing the ghost-busting ropes to Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, James Franco and Michael Cera. (Ramis already memorably and warmly played Rogen's dad in "Knocked Up.") Maybe Jason Segel or Craig Robinson fit in there somewhere. Is this a "Ghostbusters" you'd want to call?
Great post. Seriously. New news, a link, a quote, a bit of (spot-on) opinion, before asking others what they think. That's a great post. Yes, I'm sober.