Speaking to the Sun media group, Ivan Reitman has confirmed the third draft script for Ghostbusters 3 is done and he has a copy (just as Dan Aykroyd does) – presumably Harold Ramis has a copy then as well then.
While not commenting directly on the script, Reitman did express optimism that this is the closest it’s ever been to seeing a third film get the greenlight.
He also commented on directing the film, and while it had been suggested in the past that he might not direct, Reitman is now being quite clear on the matter – having directed and produced the first two movies, he feels it’s his right to do the same on the third film.
“For me as a director it would be very hard to let anyone else direct it. I do feel very possessive of it. I’m the sole producer and director of the first two, so I feel it’s both my obligation and my right to do it. But I won’t do it and won’t allow it to happen unless it’s good.”
Also interesting is Reitman’s commenting on the flaws of Ghostbusters 2, though he still says he’s happy with the film.
“We got the first two acts in pretty good shape and then the last act of our story didn’t come up to it. I’m really happy with the movie, but it was certainly not up to the creative level of the first film.”
So, hurtles still remain, but we have a script and nobody is tossing it in the trash. We have at least two of the five parties who have to say yes being very positive on the matter, and another – Sony – putting a lot of time and energy into helping revitalize the franchise with the public (ie new products, the game, Blu-ray release, etc.)
For comparison and perspective, this puts us roughly en par with where we were ten years back, when Dan was pushing the script he and Ramis wrote to Sony/Columbia. Though arguably this is a bit beyond even that, as Sony wasn’t that interested back then, which helped lead to Dan Aykroyd splitting with the company and moving his production offices on the studio lot.
So, no, this is still not party time yet – but boy, it’s about as good a chance as it’s ever been. So, cautious optimism all round, eh?
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Yeah!
Since Reitman was kind of stand-offish about directing part three over the last decade and now he’s all for it, I take that to mean that must be one hell of a script!
I am humming the theme song…..
I think that the script being something super-awesome is a bit of an assumption, Lon, but it is at the very least encouraging that he’s starting to consider the possibility of directing again.
Yeah, it’s probably not super-awesome, unless you think GBII was super-awesome…I mean, how many movies can you really say are SUPER-AWESOME? Ghostbusters is among a very small handful of the last 30 years that I can think of…
I m waiting but its killing me. All this ghostbusters merchandise…..but no new real ghostbusters story? (ok the video game had a cool story) i feel like i m gonna be a ghost before it happens lol!! By the way i did love the scolari bros scene in gb2……it was awsome!!
I would like to state, for the record, that GBII was indeed super awesome.
I do love both movies… and I´m dying for watching a 3rd coming out… Dan and Ivan are giving good comments about the script… let see what says Harold, Bill and Ernie… and, of course, Sony.
I have my doubs about the passing the torch story, but if the The Office writers are on it… there´s hope.
i want this so bad, but i don’t want to get my expectations up and then get let down again (like ten years ago)… although i kinda thought i would feel that way when i first saw the zootfly test video game footage and then heard that an actual company was picking up the license for a game… AND THAT TURNED OUT AWESOMELY!!! …and totally off-topic (but needs to be addressed, WE NEED EXTREME GHOSTBUSTERS ON DVD!!!!!!!!! okay, some of it wasn’t the greatest moments in GB history, but on the other hand, some of it was really awesome too!!! as my time life RGB set is coming to a close, i feel that i really need EGB on DVD NOW!!!
Very encouraging news indeed… Reitman wanting to direct all of a sudden is nothing but exciting. It would be weird for someone else to take this on.
This is the best time to be a Ghosthead since 1989… video game, figures, Minimates, comics, a script in hand… all pointing towards the final culmination of a third movie… unbelievable. Someone pinch me.
I’m hesitant to accept a script from the Office guys. I mean, seriously, Year One was less than stellar and I’m fearful the same would happen with GB3.
Wow… I’m interested to see how this turns out. I’m cautiously optimistic.
I really don’t see what more they can do with Ghostbusters. It seems to me that another sequel will just be retracing old steps.
Ghostbusters 3.. ALLRIGHT!
That’s now Murray AND Reitman who have stated that the 2nd film was… subpar. It is no longer up for debate.
I honestly didn’t even consider Ivan coming back… who’s to say what that will mean for the franchise. He should at least produce the film.
Its good news to say the least. Im still keepin a keen eye on the horizon…
We should all be optimistic because we’re fans, after all, that’s our role.
But, let’s face it, there’s going to be a ton of backlash. There’s always backlash and a lot of people will just hate it for the sake of hating it (like with all these overdue sequels).
Aww. I see he didn’t say ANYTHING about casting an unknown fellow named Reubnick as Oscar.
I had a lot of faith that the writers from the office rewrote Dan’s and Harolds GB3 Hellbent script really good! I knew that the writers from the office wouldn’t screw it up! Things are finally looking up and Ivan said that he wants to direct GB3 which is Wonderful because he did a great job doing that in the first 2 GB Movies! Sony does want to make a Ghostbusters 3 and Ivan said that the script is Great and Sony will also like the GB3 script to! Dan said that he hopes Production will start this Winter of 2009 and it will happen after all from Ivan’s response! Harold will like it to and Bill and Ernie because Dan was hoping for the samething because his wish came true the GB3 script is Great! It says for a 2012 release for GB3 so with this response from Ivan it looks like the GB Fans will have there wish for so long Ghostbusters 3! I’m Very excited about this I’m Very Happy to! See Dennis I told you that I was right and you were wrong! I don’t make up lies like you do.I was reading right Information about GB3 being made and getting the greenlight from Sony! It’s finally coming and it will be Great to see in Theaters in 2012!!!
Ghostbusters 2 was a great movie to. I liked it a lot. Harold and Dan wrote a Great script for GB2. It was funny like the first one because you have to have humor to movies to. For Ghostbusters 3 you know that they added humor to the script to the Office writers. GB3 will be funny with Ghosts flying everywhere! It might be scary then the first one because with Hellbent it will be Awesome for GB3!
Really nice. I haven’t been keeping up much with things since the game came out.
Evolution and My Super Ex-Girlfriend were all sorts of lame! If Ivan Reitman doesn’t direct -a potential- Ghostbusters III, that’s fine with me.
Reitman didn’t want to be a part of it 10 years ago because it was shaping up to be a sad, pathetic flogging. Think Blues Bros. 2000.
A decade later, it’s popular to revisit 80′s properties, and the Ghostbusters franchise is slowly re-building it’s credibility. So naturally Reitman now has “a right and obligation” to direct it.
His talent dried up many many years ago, and since as an artist he’s done nothing but fail for the better part of 2 decades his opportunities are nowhere to be found;
33% Chance he Directs it and fucks the movie up because he blows.
33% Chance Sony doesn’t let him direct it and he vetos the movie entirely.
33% Chance he cares more about money than anything else and just takes a producer credit and a paycheck.
1% Chance he directs and it turns out well.
It’s all subjective but in my opinion Ghostbusters II was not a good film. I was extremely disappointed with it. It was completely unoriginal, it was aimed at a younger audience than the first, and compared to the original the ending was a complete anti climax.
I would rather they had never made Ghostbusters II and I really don’t think that they should make a third one.
I’ve got to be a realist. Until I’m sitting in the theatre and watching the movie I’m not getting my hopes up, but I will say that we do seem closer then ever before.
Well, consitering the game did very well…there is deffently a demand for it…i say we got a solid 50/50 chance now…leaning towards more so getting it done.
Again…it wont be till i see a trailer or im in the theater watching it will i be completly sold…but…it looks good
This is great news. Now, while GB2 wasn’t the critical success that GB1 was, it still had it’s moments. And is by far not as horrible as everyone makes it out to be. It’s all about execution. You can make a terrific film from a bad script and bad film from a terrific script. So for one to judge that GB3 may be bad based on their let-down from GB2, is complete ignorance. You can’t pass judegemnt on a film until it’s truely complete. And when will that be? When GB3 is playing at a “theater near you”. I have no doubts this will be at-least “good”, if not GREAT. And no-one should think twice that this film wont make loads of money, just from the brand name alone. Yes, there’s always a chance, either way. But don’t knock down opportunity because of fear. The truth is: they do need another film to keep the brand going. But none should worry, with lessons learned, the people involved older and wiser, and with all the advancements in motion pictures. But there will be some that just won’t budge on this subject. If you are one of those people, do not spoil it for the rest of us! If the film does get made, you can just as easily ignore it, as if it wasn’t made at all. Without destroying the dreams and hopes of other fans, when there IS a possibility this may be REALLY GOOD and you just don’t know it yet. Bottom line: the nay-sayer’s don’t speak for all the fans, and they shouldn’t ruin it for the rest of us!!!! Conclusion: Bring on GB3!!!!
no offence but if you followed the cartoon series of both the real ghostbusters and extreme ghostbusters it feels like to me that is every great story that could have been told for a third sequel had already been told from those shows as well as the recent video game.both gene stupnitsky and lee eisenberg would have to produce a damn good script in order for a third film to get the attention of not just the actors and the rest of the crew, but also convince sony to get it green lit as well
There’s a massive difference between a script for a 25 minute cartoon and a script for an hour and a half long film.
not to nip pick but both both ghostbusters films lasted 2 hours and 30 minutes well mostly on television.i was only saying that stupnitsky and eisenberg would have to really give a very interesting script that would cause everyone to jump on board to do another ghostbusters chapter.i mean i want to see a good ghostbusters sequel much like all of you but i don’t wanna see it end up like stupnitsky and eisenberg’s last film “year one”.
This sounds like a baddddddd idea.
The Year One writers suck. And I’m afraid this film is being done for the wrong reasons. I think they’re in the mindset of bank-robbers. Just one last Big Score and retire to Mexico. Hopefully Bill Murray says no and they cannot legally do it without him.
This passing of the torch crap is nonsense. I’d rather get kicked in the nuts repeatedly for an entire month then watch them destroy the ghostbusters like they destroyed indiana jones.
I WANT GHOSTBUSTERS 3…and please keep the Oringinal Logo for part 3..not like the part 2 logo!!
Man…I agree with the posters who say that Reitman’s coming on board is a very mixed blessing. On the one hand, maybe you’ll have all the elements meld into magic like they did over 20-odd years ago. But Reitman’s 20 year track record has been abysmal…Everytime I think that putting Reitman, Aykroyd, Murray, and Ramis together, I think My Super Ex Girlfriend, Blues Brothers 2000, and Year One (Murray gets a total pass on this one, though I COULD have said Garfield). Granted, everyone has some flops now and then…but when you put Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford together and the best you can get is the shit that was Indy IV, I fear that all may be lost to the sad process of aging.
I personally think GB2 most likely would’ve made more money had it not been released a week before Batman.
to nick and to make things worse their planning on doing a 6th installment to indiana jones.
Shawnswint both Ghostbusters films lasted 2 hours and 30 minutes???
Ghostbusters is 105 minutes long and Ghostbusters 2 is 108 minutes long.
On the subject of Ivan Reitman coming back to direct the third movie, personally I don’t have a problem with it. In fact, I wouldn’t really want anyone else doing it. I don’t think that Ghostbusters would look or feel the same with any other director at the helm and I think that it is incredibly important for a sequel to have the same feel as the films that preceded it. For instance, when Len Wiseman directed Die Hard 4 he gave it a completely different look and consequently it just didn’t feel like a Die Hard film.
I think that Ivan Reitman is perfectly capable of directing Ghostbusters III and directing it well. The reason why he hasn’t had any hits in recent years isn’t due to his capability as a director. It’s down to poor decisions in relation to the projects that he’s chosen to work on. Unfortunately these movies just haven’t caught the publics imagination, often because of bad script choices.
I can already see how badly this could end. Cut to 2011, we just got home from seeing Ghostbusters 3 starring Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and Paul Rudd, where it’s a passing the torch story, and we are sitting here, saying, “HOLY SHIT, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!” Indiana Jones 4 all over again. And then for the next decade everyone will be cracking jokes how Ghostbusters 3 was terrible, similiar to the whole “nuke the fridge” thing.
I don’t trust The Office writers to be able to write a good script for this. I love The Office, but it’s a different kind of comedy than Ghostbusters. I don’t want “awkward moments” in Ghostbusters.
I don’t trust Sony, because they’ve made horrible decisions in the past. It all started with putting Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and then all those terrible Resident Evil films. I’d even add the Spider-Man films to the list, as Spider-Man 2 was the only good one. You know they will no doubt force the Apatow crew into this film, because they are a money making cash cow for them. I don’t believe they understand why Ghostbusters was so good in the first place, they only care about starting a new franchise with “new” Ghostbusters.
And unfortunately, I feel like Ramis and Aykroyd have lost their way too. I don’t think Ramis is all that invested in Ghostbusters anymore, he has alot of other projects under his belt. And Aykroyd seems to want this third film to happen so bad, he is willing to do whatever he has to. I don’t think he really wants to pass the torch, but it’s the only way to get the film made, and he has been pushing for a GB3 for the last 19 years. He’s desperate, hence why he’s saying all these jokes lately about the Ghostbusters being too old. Hudson doesn’t care either way, he just wants a paycheck, and I don’t blame him. He has no creative control. I have more faith in Reitman than everyone else, but he’s still do whatever Sony is pushing them to do, and sadly that’s why it’s going to be about passing the torch, and hiring current “hip” actors to try to pull in a huge box office.
I’ve wanted another Ghostbusters for almost my whole life, but not like this. I’m not so desperate for a new one that I’ll take anything I can get. I don’t want an “Extreme Ghostbusters: The Movie”. I want one last hurrah, just the original guys doing there thing. No ridiculous stunt work required, just shooting their guns at ghosts. That’s what everyone has wanted for 19 years, not replacements. Sorry to say that “Ghostbusters: The Video Game” is probably the closest thing we’ll ever get.
Mills I agree with everything you just said.
People have been waiting twenty years to see Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson star in a third Ghostbusters film. After all this anxious waiting to see these beloved characters come back it would be an act of senselessness and incredidibly poor judgement to make a film in which these characters take a back seat to new characters.
I want each and every moment of this sequel to be filled with Venkman, Stantz, Spengler and Zeddmore and i agree that it if it has to be made then it should be the last hurrah, the curtain call, a final swansong.
@Mills.
Agreed on all points. The Apatow crew is poison to this franchise. Keep away at all costs.
And to the dude who thought that Reitman’s recent poor track record was not a reflection on his skills as a Director, I’d say that’s less than half true. There were many shots in both Evolution, and My Super Ex GF in particular that had terrible direction – affecting both punchlines and pacing. Watching some of his earlier films like Stripes, GB, or even Twins, immediately followed by some of his more recent ones, really make it apparent that he’s almost done a 180 as far as technique is concerned… and not for the better. This troubles me.
If there was any poor direction in his films i never noticed it. I think that the problem is that his recent films just haven’t had the commercial appeal that his past films did. It may be down to the concept, the stars, the competition at the time etc but I don’t think that the reason why his recent films have failed is due to his direction.
I also think that Ghostbusters is something that he’s passionate about and, like Aykroyd, he see’s these films as his babies. He’d love to reunite and work with the old crew again and I think that this passion would motivate him to make the best film that he possibly can.
i guess the decade of 2000 really is the decade that movies have officially gone to hell you know what i’m saying no more originality it’s all about the big bucks in making shitty films and equally shitty remakes in hollywood or as it will now and forever be called hollywierd.
Every generation proclaims that “this particular decade” is the decade cinema went to crap and it’s all about the money and there’s nothing good anymore.
And here’s the truth – stop whining, every decade sucks, mostly. Sturgeon’s Law is always in effect, all the time. A lot of anything will suck. Most will be OK. And a few things will be gems. And it’s like that all the time.
So, I wouldn’t stress out over Ghostbusters 3 too much – it will be what it will be, but just because it’s a sequel does not mean it will automatically suck. Ghostbusters 2 was a PRIME example of the executive money-grab, and the talent involved managed to achieve 85% of the original.
The main question is, seeing as the amount of time between now and the last movie, is so much greater than the time between the first and second movie, will that encourage the production of the third movie to break away from the formula of the first, or reinforce that it has to be “just like the first!” And either way, is that a bad thing?
This really is a pretty bad generation for movies though. I look fondly upon the 40s, 50s, 70s and the 80s. Other than that, there isn’t much else I like. The 90s was a really bad decade, but the 2000s are much worse. I pretty much grew up in the 90s, so it’s not like nostalgia is talking here. The 90s blew. Good time for tv shows, especially animated shows, but bad time for movies. That’s when special effects started to become “easy” and it over powered the story. I really don’t know what the 2000s era has been famous for even. What did we do in the last 10 years of cinema besides advance CGI? I has nothing to do with originality. That doesn’t bother me, but they are rehashing old stories in the cheapest way imagineable. I guess the 2000s was the age of the “remake” as well the age of the “comic book movie”. I just know if I reached adult hood in the 70s or 80s there would be alot more interesting films to see than there are now. You had things like Jaws, The Shining, Halloween, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Evil Dead II, Robocop, The Terminator, etc. Everything so creative, and all around well made movies. What do we have to look forward to now? A remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street (as well as a remake of every other horror movie), a Seth Rogen starring Ghostbusters 3, Transformer movies that focus on sex comedy rather than the actual robots, bad superhero movies like Fantastic Four, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Spider-Man 3. Seriously, fuck this generation.
at last someone who agrees.
The problem is that as time passes by originality is a progressively more difficult thing to achieve. Films get made, they use up ideas and the number of possible concepts for storylines are reduced.
There are always new ideas out there but now because of the vast catalogue of films that have been made it’s tougher than ever to come up with something truly original which has never been done before.
Here is another problem I have with Ghostbusters III: I really, really don’t want to see a 60 year-old Peter Venkman. Is he still an incorrigible bachelor? Did he settle down? Who cares? An aged Peter Venkman goes against everything that character stands for. You could say that the same thing goes for Ray Stantz.
I don’t really see their age as a problem Alex. Venkman could still be the incorrigible bachelor with women of his age but I don’t think that Ghostbusters III has to include Venkman chasing a woman. It’s been done!
Venkmans biggest character traits are his deadpan tone coupled with cynisism and sarcasm. He’s not in Ghostbusting because of science either. He’s in it for the money. For him Ghostbusters is purely a business but to Ray and Egon it’s serious scientific research. If they remember this then Venkman will feel convincing.
I don’t really see the problem with a sixty year old Aykroyd playing Ray Stantz either. Aykroyd was playing an exitable kid in the original. He’s like a child in a mans body. That’s Stantz’s character and in my opinion he should remain the same even at 60!
I also agree their ages don’t matter. And I really haven’t a damn clue why Rays age would matter. Egon and Ray are scientists, think of Doc Brown, how old was he in Back to the Future? Still energetic and amazed by science.
And The Life Aquatic came out 5 years ago and Murray was even funnier chasing women in that film. Look at Jack Nicholoson in real life, in his 70′s and pulling it off. Danny Devito is a great example in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. A man in his mid 70′s chasing after chicks and succeeding in many of cases. It is actually hilarious and you don’t think about how old he is. Murray could even dye his hair and play 50.
Still Dr. Brown in Back to the Future proves my point. A scientist in his later years running around like a kid.
I understand and respect your points, but to me the Ghostbusters always were not fully realized adults. With the exception of (maybe) Zeddemore, the other 3 guys were irresponsible, reprehensible scientists (unlicensed nuclear accelerators on their backs and all)… almost like kids pretending to be scientist.
What I guess I’m trying to say is that I feel like there is certain type of characters that should never age (say, like Bond, Superman, Batman, Indiana Jon…er, damn!). I totally understand about Doc Brown, but he needed Marty as the catalyst to keep the story running. The other thing is that Doc Brown was originally created to be a middle-aged scientist, so we never truly see him “age”. I’m not sure there is a solution to this problem, since re-casting the Ghostbusters is impossible and having 4 new characters is stupid too.
Here’s another thing. Sony will never allow four old guys headline a summer tentpole movie. Which is why the “passing the torch” crap is unavoidable.
There is so much stuff working against Ghostbusters III, that I don’t see how a good movie can come out from it. I rather have no more Ghostbusters than a new sucky movie. I hope I’m wrong and they are able to make something that is even better than the original.