Jason Reitman is directing a sequel to the original 'Ghostbusters'
Who knew that ghostbusting is a family business? Jason Reitman, the director best known for Juno and Up in the Air, announced that he will helm a new Ghostbusters film, continuing the franchise that his father, Ivan, launched in 1984.
The film will not be a reboot or a sequel to 2016’s female-driven Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, but will instead continue the story that started in the elder Reitman’s Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2. “This is the next chapter in the original franchise,” Jason told Entertainment Weekly. “What happened in the ’80s happened in the ’80s, and this is set in the present day.” The movie is scheduled to begin filming this summer in anticipation of a 2020 release.
Neither Sony Pictures nor Reitman shared any details about the film’s plot, including whether or not original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson will return for the sequel. Harold Ramis, who starred in Ghostbusters and its sequel as Egon Spengler, passed away in 2014.
Reitman, along with Monster House director Gil Kenan, wrote the new Ghostbusters script in secret before presenting it to his father, who will serve as one of the film’s producers. “It will be a passing of the torch both inside and out,” Ivan said.
Ghostbusters, which chronicles the adventures of three academics who open a paranormal extermination business, was an instant hit when it came out in the summer of ’84. Paul Fieg’s recent revamp didn’t fare quite as well. Despite an all-star cast, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call took a $70 million loss at the box office, scuttling Sony’s plans for a sequel.
Franchise creator Aykroyd has been trying to get a sequel to the first two Ghostbusters films off the ground since the ’90s with little success, although the original cast did reunite for Ghostbusters: The Video Game in 2009.
Despite that, Ghostbusters continues to flourish, with virtual reality attractions, Pokémon Go-inspired mobile games, and comic books keeping the brand alive. Reitman’s sequel isn’t the only Ghostbusters film on the slate, either: reportedly, Sony is developing an animated Ghostbusters feature, too, although that won’t come out until after Reitman’s sequel hits theaters.
No comments:
Post a Comment