Columbia Wants Reitman Off Ghostbusters 3?

Source: comingsoon.net

March 18, 2010

Vulture is reporting that Sony's Columbia Pictures is looking to make Ghostbusters 3 without the first two films' writer-producer, Ivan Reitman. The site says:

The studio's strategy is to revitalize the franchise for next year by having the original 'busters train a dramatically younger crew in Ghostbusters III, while a correspondingly younger director handles things behind the camera. However, Reitman's old contract — made at the height of his and Ovitz's powers — still gives him exceptional creative control over the series, including director approval.

The site adds that, along with Reitman, original stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis have deals in which they can single-handedly veto and kill the project if they don't like something. The studio would like to have the actors on board, however.

A second draft of the script by "The Office" writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky will be turned in in May.

According to Vulture, Columbia had hoped that Reitman's new project would conflict with Ghostbusters 3, but Reitman thinks he can do both. He'll next direct the comedy Friends with Benefits, starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman. It's a sex comedy wherein two friends in a purely physical relationship begin to develop true romantic feelings for one another. That movie is scheduled to hit theaters on January 7, 2011.

Would Sony still go ahead with Reitman to get a tentpole into theaters in 2011? We should soon find out.

Mike
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Did Year One Hurt Ghostbusters 3's Momentum?

Source: shocktillyoudrop.com

July 19, 2010

More on Ghostbusters 3, the sequel that certainly appears to be having a tough time in development at Sony (where Men in Black III is quickly on the move, go figure).

Bill Murray candidly spoke to GQ about the sequel. Here's what he had to say on the latest:

It's all a bunch of crock. It's a crock. There was a story — and I gotta be careful here, I don't want to hurt someone's feelings. When I hurt someone's feelings, I really want to hurt them. [laughs] Harold Ramis said, Oh, I've got these guys, they write on The Office, and they're really funny. They're going to write the next Ghostbusters. And they had just written this movie that he had directed." He's talking about Year One starring Jack Black and Michael Cerra. "Year One. Well, I never went to see Year One, but people who did, including other Ghostbusters, said it was one of the worst things they had ever seen in their lives. So that dream just vaporized. That was gone. But it's the studio that really wants this thing. It's a franchise. It's a franchise, and they made a whole lot of money on Ghostbusters."

Seriously, who knows if this will ever happen? Read more via this link!

Joy. I wonder when this thing is going to get off the ground...

From IGN:

Son of Ghostbusters?

Character buzz about the long-gestating third film.

August 31, 2010

by Jim Vejvoda

We already knew that the long-gestating Ghostbusters 3 was going to revolve around a younger set of GBs, with the original gang serving more as mentors this time around, but a report online claims that the filmmakers will be keeping the new protagonist in the family so to speak.

If true the following rumor is a big spoiler. Proceed at your own peril!



The site didn't know just how far along the perpetually in-development GB3 is, but "word has it things are actually progressing nicely (contrary to what Murray is saying)."

Ghostbusters 3 Development Continues, Aykroyd Rewriting

Source: shocktillyoudrop.com

October 7, 2010

Finally, a Ghostbusters 3 story with a bit of meat to chew on.

Vanity Fair spoke with Dan Aykroyd who addressed Bill Murray's rather negative comments on the proposed sequel and revealed a bit of juicy news.

"He was talking about the writers from Year One, and I think he was reacting to the box-office success and the general public view of the film, which in my view was a very serviceable comedy, and in the end I think they’ll make their money back. I think he was concerned that the writing on Ghostbusters 3 by these guys would not be up to standard, but I can tell you firsthand, I'm working on the script now and those two — Stupnitsky and Eisenberg, [writer-producers of The Office] — wrote Bill the comic role of a lifetime, and the new Ghostbusters and the old are all well represented in it...we have a strong first draft that Harold [Ramis] and I will take back, and I’m very excited about working on it."

What do you think having a good ol' 'buster back on writing duties?

From IGN:

Not a Dan Aykroyd Ghostbusters Update

So it may actually be true then.

October 15, 2010

by Scott Collura

Your weekly Ghostbusters 3 rumor has arrived, but this time it actually doesn't come from Dan Aykroyd. So maybe there's something to it then...

Bloody Disgusting reports that Ghostbusters Italia (don't ask us) was at Rome's Ghostbusters Day 2010 last weekend. And that Stefano Paganini, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's product manager for Catalogue, Animation and TV Series, said the following at the event: "I spoke about this night with my boss from Los Angeles. She allowed me to let you know that the script of Ghostbusters 3 has been approved so the engine has been turned on!"

Hmmm. An odd way to make the announcement, but we'll go with it… for now. Or until Aykroyd opens his mouth again.

Exclusive: Ivan Reitman on Ghostbusters 3

Source: comingsoon.net

January 7, 2011

"When do we get to see 'Ghostbusters 3'?" You know it's the first thing you'd ask director Ivan Reitman. ComingSoon.net got a chance to sit down with the man who brought us Slimer to chat about his new film No Strings Attached. Sure, we talked about the film, (check back for our interview soon) but there was no way we were leaving the room without getting the scoop on whether we'd see the proton packs again. There has been plenty of news, from who's read the script and who hated it to whether Venkman's son would be taking over the business. Here's what Reitman has to say.

ComingSoon.net: So, you know we have to ask you what's going on with "Ghostbusters 3," right?

Ivan Reitman: [laughs] We have a really good script, but Bill (Murray) has to read it. He hasn't read it. There has been all kinds of chatter online about him reading it and not liking it. He has not read a thing. He's never read anything. And I just sent it to him. So we'll see. God knows how long that will take. But we'll see.

CS: There have been a ton of stories online. Lots of back and forth...

Reitman: There is almost nothing that is accurate online about that film. Will you write that for me?

CS: I will!

Reitman: There is nothing... I mean, all these stories... there has been a ton of stuff about casting, about who's in... none of it is true.

CS: The whole Sigourney Weaver thing about Venkman's son taking over and Bill Murray coming back as a ghost...

Reitman: Oh, no, yeah... I mean, Sigourney Weaver has a role in this movie. All the original characters have parts. As well as a whole bunch of new characters... it's got a really good story, this one. Maybe the best of the whole series. I hope we get to do it.

Could Peter Venkman be Recast in Ghostbusters 3?

Source: ComingSoon

February 13, 2012

Roughly six months after dropping significant plot details, Dan Aykroyd has an update about Ghostbusters 3 and the likelihood of both Bill Murray and Rick Moranis returning. Speaking with Empire, the actor hints that the former could end up being played by a different actor altogether.

"We communicate frequently and his position on the involvement in 'Ghostbusters 3' has been made clear and I respect that," says Aykroyd, who the magazine also claims suggested a possible "Jack Ryan" style recasting.

Aykroyd seems a bit more optimistic about Rick Moranis' potential return as Louis Tully, even though the actor has been retired from show business for 15 years.

"If we can get the script to 'Ghostbusters 3' right, then it would definitely have Moranis as a major component," Aykroyd explains. "None of us would want to do the movie without having him as a participant."

Check back soon for more details on Ghostbusters 3 as they develop.

I genuinely think this is one we'll never see. I'd love to see it, I think it'd be great. But there's been so much talk for so long I just can't see it.

That was the case with the Star Wars Prequels when I was a kid. All through the 90s that was all I heard of...

It seems everybody's on board except Bill Murray. Why is the guy being difficult about the whole thing?

You can't recast Peter Venkman, though. You might as well recast the whole cast and call it a reboot.

Dan Aykroyd Confirms Bill Murray Won't Do Ghostbusters 3

Source: ComingSoon

February 29, 2012

Dan Aykroyd talked about this vaguely earlier this month, but he has now confirmed to The Telegraph that Bill Murray won't be a part of Ghostbusters 3, if the film gets made at Sony Pictures.

"I honestly don't know. At this point it's in suspended animation," he said when asked about the film's status. "The studio, the director Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis feel there must be a way to do it, but Bill Murray will not do the movie. He doesn't want to be involved. He's got six kids, houses all over America. He golfs in these tournaments where they pay him to turn up and have a laugh. He's into this life and living it. I know we'd have a lot of fun [but] I can't be mad at him. He’s a friend first, a colleague second. We have a deep personal relationship that transcends business and he doesn’t want to know."

Aykroyd previously said that one possibility would be to recast Murray's role, but he adds that they are "not going to do a movie that exploits the franchise. The script has to be perfect. I'm the cheerleader, but I'm only one voice in the matter. It's a surety that Bill Murray will not do the movie, however there is still interest from the studio."

Would there still be interest from you if Bill Murray wasn't part of the third film?

They'd have to have one heck of a cast for me to be interested without Bill Murray. It COULD be done, but should it? I dunno...

Would definetly NOT see this movie if Bill did not do it.

Bill Murray Says Ghostbusters 3 is Still a 'Possibility'

Source: ComingSoon

April 16, 2012

While Dan Aykroyd was quoted in February saying that Bill Murray would not be involved with Ghostbusters 3, Murray himself revealed earlier this month in an interview with WGN (via The Playlist) that it's still a "possibility."

While Murray quickly changes the subject and talks about Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, he doesn't say outright that he won't do the third installment.

Aykroyd previously said that the film was in "suspended animation. The studio, the director Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis feel there must be a way to do it, but Bill Murray will not do the movie. He doesn't want to be involved."

You can check out the interview segment by clicking here.