I’m excited about this one. I’ve been waiting since 1989 for this! (well, not really, but in a way, yes I have!). They’ve been on and off with this for a long time. But in the mid-90’s Dan Aykroyd wanted to put Chris Farely and Will Smith in a third Ghostbusters movie (this was before Will Smith was in Men In Black (which came out in 1997), which itself is kind of like Ghostbusters but with aliens, just not as good as Ghostbusters). Then while I was in college or right after I had just gotten out there were rumors of having Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and one of the Wilson brothers (either Owen or Luke) to be the new generation that are trained by the older one.
That too has kind of gone away. But I’m definately looking forward to whatever they put out.
from variety.com:
Columbia calls up new ‘Ghostbusters’
Eisenberg, Stupnitsky to write reunion film
By MICHAEL FLEMING
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.
My one problem is that they didn’t let Dan Aykroyd and Harrold Raimis write this one. I wonder why?
–Cos