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Director Ivan Reitman on why the time is finally right for Ghostbusters 3
Ivan Reitman, who directed Ghostbusters, told a Los Angeles audience that the time finally feels right to seriously develop the long-awaited, often-rumored Ghostbusters 3. Reitman introduced an anniversary screening of the original film in support of the upcoming Blu-ray release.
"We're going to get a screenplay in a short time," Reitman said Wednesday night. "We're going to see how it is. There's something in the zeitgeist of the world right now that it feels appropriate. There are some very talented people writing the screenplay. All of our fingers are crossed."
Before his introductory remarks, Reitman spoke to a group of reporters about the Blu-ray, the Ghostbusters video game and the new sequel. The following Q&A features edited excerpts of that interview. Ghostbusters arrives on Blu-ray June 16.
What finally made a Ghostbusters 3 a real possibility?
Reitman: I actually think the combination of both the Blu-ray release and the new game sort of awakened the thirst of at least the creators of the movie to start to rethink it more seriously, the possibility of a sequel. It's something that's been sort of dormant in our minds, really, for the last 10 years or so, and there have been two things that sort of told us, "Wow, people still seem to be really interested in this story, and the characters in this story." More importantly, it sort of reawakened the joy of working on this film in both iterations.
Did the new sequels to Indiana Jones, Rocky, Rambo and Die Hard more legitimize the idea of revisiting Ghostbusters?
Reitman: No, for me, that actually makes me much more wary, frankly, but it's never been about the other movies. There have been a ton of sequels almost to all these sort of historical big movies over the years. We've never really done it. Now it's been 25 years since the first one. It's not like we'd be taking advantage of the power of the movie.
Would the new story be about passing the torch to a younger generation of comedians?
Reitman: Yeah, I think that is part of the story that we're working on right now. We'll see how it turns out. One of the reasons there's not Ghostbusters 18 right now is that we're basically this family that all have an equal voice in something. The studio is one of five equal voices. The studio would have liked to have made a bunch of them, and we've been really quite selective. Frankly, any of us can kill it.
And Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg now have a voice with the new script?
Reitman: Except for an outline, I have yet to read anything, so I think they're going to hand something in in the next month or two.
What are your hopes and fears for a new Ghostbusters?
Reitman: The most important thing [is] we don't want it to be certainly a disappointment to the people who have sort of taken this very much to their hearts. I feel the responsibility as the producer and director of the original in a very legitimate and real way. It was hard enough to do that sequel, but I think the time is kind of right. I just sort of felt it lately and said that to Columbia, so we've started this journey. The most important thing is that the script is good. I think we can find actors who can join the original group of actors to make something special of it.
By Shaun at 2:54 PM ON 06/04/09
i am all for a sequel. i just do not want to see the original (and highly talented) cast overshadowed by the new whippersnappers that will be cast. bill murray is a comedic genius. he and the rest of the original actors must have their opportunities to shine!
By EDFX at 3:40 PM ON 06/04/09
He said "we" a lot. I was under the impression that he was not directing. Maybe he'll be involved in some other way???
By ben at 7:27 PM ON 06/04/09
I'm so stressed out thinking about this. The idea of the original Ghostbusters stepping aside and handing over their proton packs to a bunch of contemporary (by which I mean inferior) comics is so symbolically significant as to feel like the death of comedy itself. Some of the casting ideas you hear in reports online are TERRIFYING. The Apatow guys as Ghostbusters??? Seth Rogan? Michael Cera? Please no. Nothing against them - but Bill Murray and Danny Aykroyd they ain't. The original four should be the leads, and the new recruits should be support roles, and they should be credible actors playing them (Sam Rockwell? Jeffry Wright? Jeff Goldblum?) Otherwise it's dogs and cats, living together, mass hysteria.
By KC at 8:46 PM ON 06/04/09
"I'm so stressed out thinking about this. The idea of the original Ghostbusters stepping aside ....is so symbolically significant as to feel like the death of comedy itself. Some of the casting ideas you hear in reports online are TERRIFYING."
Ooo. Yikes. Really?!
By scififan at 9:00 PM ON 06/04/09
I for one am completely stoked over the idea of a Ghostbusters 3, now that the original cast are all comitted to it. I haven't seen Rick Moranis' name mentioned, but the others are all on board. I do agree that the originals need to be the main stars, and newer, younger stars should just be in supporting roles. But I wouldn't be upset to see Alyssa Milano and Eliza Dushku in the supporting cast. Could be a blast
By ben at 10:24 PM ON 06/04/09
Hell yes KC. This is what I spend my time thinking about.
By Screenwriter72 at 12:09 AM ON 06/05/09
GB-II was NOT good, I sure hope GB-III will make up for it. Here's some ideas to consider, cast former and current Saturday
Night Live alumni in cameo parts, have a surprise cameo by a major film actor like
George Clooney, and have a portrait of the
late great John Belushi oozing with pink goo!
Good Luck and don't let us down! :D Markus McLaughlin / linuxglobe @ twitter.com
By tinmiss at 12:28 AM ON 06/05/09
Maybe it will be a generational thing. Like Alyssa Milano could be the daughter of Bill Murray's character (Dr. Peter Venkman), & or Eliza Dushku could be the daughter of Harold Ramis' character (Dr. Egon Spengler)!!!
Heck how about this, they could go the route of the spinoff of the cartoon "The Real Ghostbusters" you know the one that came out in the late 90's, I think it was called "Extreme Ghostbusters". It only lasted one season though I think.
By Uber Critic at 3:21 AM ON 06/05/09
The time Is right for a new Ghost Busters cause they are all broke!!!
By goddogx at 5:52 AM ON 06/05/09
and they've all made many bad career decisions LOL!
By Shaun at 8:47 AM ON 06/05/09
"The time Is right for a new Ghost Busters cause they are all broke!!!"
bit of a pessimist, eh?
By nonfreak at 12:02 PM ON 06/05/09
I feel like Ivan Reitman is the right guy for this. He's done very good work in the past, both Ghostbusters, and non-Ghostbusters. I think he sees this as originally his baby, that's kind of grown up, and I would think he'd want to see it mature into something fun, yet responsible. Basically, I think he'll be selective, and make sure it's right, and if not, keeping working on it til it is right.
By Top3 at 2:16 PM ON 06/05/09
Passing the torch is clearly a bad idea. Lets compare Rocky Balboa to Rocky 5. Or if you can stomach it watch Indiana Jones 4 again. I for one hope Murray kills this sequel before a bunch of talentless fcks are cast as replacements.
By scifi-ED at 4:32 PM ON 06/05/09
Do you guys really think Bill Muarry is broke and has made a lot of bad career descions?
Since GB 2, in 89', He's had a movie come out every year, except 92, 95, 02. And many of the other years he had multple movies, plus he has 4 slated for this year.
But getting to the point, if they don't do this, than in a few more years it will get done antway, without the original cast. And that would be total crap.
Passing the torch is clearly a good idea. As long as they find a cast, with just as much chemistry. The only thing that can kill it is lack of good writing.
By Ghostbusters3MustHappen at 2:03 PM ON 09/26/09
Make it happen. Give me anything. Let me see the REAL Ghostbusters 1 more time. It doesn't matter their age/weight/whatever...just do it
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Make it happen. Give me anything. Let me see the REAL Ghostbusters 1 more time. It doesn't matter their age/weight/...More »