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Harold Ramis Confirms Ghostbusters 3 Plans

by Alex Billington
September 8, 2008
Source: Chicago Tribune

One more update on Ghostbusters 3 today to hold us over until we hear casting news or more details. At this point it is definitely not a rumor anymore, Sony is making a sequel, no question about it. The film doesn't have a finished script yet, but discussion are underway and importantly, the four original Ghostbusters will most likely be returning - but not exactly like you might have imagined. Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Harold Ramis, and even Bill Murray will all be involved in some way, so expect one hell of a triumphant return! Dr. Egon himself emailed the Chicago Tribune with a brief update over the weekend and I thought it'd be great to feature today, especially if you're a fan who is excited for the sequel.

Harold Ramis confirms the details that we previously wrote about plus adds a little more about the concept for this sequel. Here's his e-mail sent to the Chicago Tribune:

"yes, columbia is developing a script for GB3 with my year one writing partners, gene stupnitsky and lee eisenberg. judd apatow is co-producing year one and has made several other films for sony, so of course the studio is hoping to tap into some of the same acting talent. aykroyd, ivan reitman and i are consulting at this point, and according to dan, bill murray is willing to be involved on some level. he did record his dialogue for the new ghostbusters video game, as did danny and i, and ernie hudson. the concept is that the old ghostbusters would appear in the film in some mentor capacity. not much else to say at this point."

All of that sounds good, except for the bit about the old Ghostbusters being mentors. From that sentence alone, I'm predicting that we're going to have a movie with a group of new kids who are inspired by the ol' Ghostbusters that try to take over the business. At least the original four will be back, but who will be the new guys? And is this even a good idea? It sounds like the Indiana Jones theory of adding in a young kid (e.g. Shia LaBeouf) to spice things up and who will, in theory, eventually replace Indy - although that never actually happened in that movie. Either way, I'm a bit worried that this sequel will be pushed too far in that direction, which is what I don't want to see happen with Ghostbusters 3. Thoughts?

Filed under Discuss, Hype, Movie News

From around the web:

Spider

I'm ecstatic about the idea of yet another "Ghostbusters" flick. I certainly believe that the original guys should suit up and go out in a blaze of glory then pass the torch to the younger crew of guys at the end! To have the original guys in the lead roles means a lot to the production--just like Harrison Ford was to "Indiana Jones"! I cringe at the thought of the Judd Apatow gang taking over and thrusting our original "Ghostbusters" in thankless, supporting roles. I like to believe that Aykroyd, Ramis, Murray, Hudson, and Reitman would not allow this to happen. I'll stay tuned!
fanboy d

it's totally gonna have dave chappelle and seth rogen on a new ghostbusters team or something. i can feel it in the air...
Blue Silver

Yep, I second that #1! The fan boys would be pissed if the original Ghostbusters were reduced to supporting characters too. BTW, the original team could use the full time gig!
Chris

Makes sence that the old team should be retiring and passing the baton (it's been what 25 years, I would want to retire too).
Bryanmakeup

Seth Rogen, Vince Vaughen, are being approached. Can't tell you how I know but I do. More info as it happens!
Dave

I think Seanne William Scott would be good in GhostBusters. Remember him in Evolution? That also was an Ivan Reitman film.
Darrin

i'm glad that there will be no reboot
D-9

No Rogen, No Rogen, No Rogen, No Rogen! NO ROGEN!!!!!!!!!! Ramis rules the World, I really do not know how he could include him. God please no!
Great

how do you spell hollaluja??? ill just go with HELL YEAH!!! ive been reading up on this for the longest trying to see and most of the time it was Bill Murray who vetoed the idea... i guess the game, which was canceled , gave him more inspiration for the movie. What would you guys think if they cast Will Smith???
Mulder

GB 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!! YES!!!!!! The Mentors will "Save the Day" and that will be freaking awesome. BLASPHEMY in regards to Seth Rogen. I really don't see the talent there.....I guess he is a good stoner, but whatever. I will not Boycott the movie if Rogen is in it, but I will not be happy. Moranis needs at least a cameo.....and Richard Peck??? Oh yea! Murry needs one more shot at him!
Dave

The game was cancelled? I thought it was almost finished.
thejugfather

i loved the original two movies but unless the original cast has a major role in the new film i think it will be a bust! yes new ghostbusters are in order but i think passing on the torch in a glamorous fashion would be the ticket rather than the whole film centered on a new crew.
breach

Awesome! And it isnt even a freaking reboot. It sounds like they are going Extreme Ghostbusters with it, which would be cool. I do hope though that the cast of Superbad arnt as involved as has been made out though, they just wouldnt fit the Ghostbusters style humor I think
http://www.myspace.com/rob_ohhh Rob Oh!

Do it RIGHT and don't half-bake it like Ghostbusters 2, that's all I can say... don't disrespect the fans of the original. And for God's sake, pay Bill Murray whatever he wants. Murray's Venkman made Ghostbusters a classic in my book... without him it would have still been fun but nowhere near the same.
sorr

ben stiller, owen wilson, chi mcbride, john c reilly.. ??
L

#15 Chi McBride would be awesome!
werdnafaz

REBOOT IT!!! Those guys where funny in the 80s im sorry i love and respect thier work from then and all thier SNL stuff but that was 25 years ago REBOOT it man.
Steve

This would be my Ghostbusters version 2.0 lineup: Vince Vaughn Will Ferrell Dave Chappelle and/or Chris Rock Seth Rogen and/or Jason Segel (you know Judd Apatow is gonna include SOMEONE from his clique)
Silence

Breach pretty much got it right. What Ramis was explaining sounds similar to the Extreme Ghostbusters which in my opinion was a great cartoon. If they follow the same sort of story line it could be great. As long as they keep the original Proton Packs.
Tim "Cloverfield"

#15 Ben Stiller is a worthless talentless HACK, and #18 Are you deranged? Seth Rogen and Will Ferrell? What is wrong with you people??!!! You are all talking SACRILEGE!!!!! The whole idea after 25 years is to bring these 4 back as a team. How can you de-grade something as brilliant as GB in having hacks and non-actors into the cast. WTF is next, Nick " I am only in the business because of my Uncle" Cage as Richard Peck!? AURGHHH!
mulder

Here Here! What is wrong with these people? Good job 20. I am sick to my stomach even thinking about Stiller and Rogen in a GB3. My God, what is next indeed?
TookyG

It's about time we get GB3. Also, the game was not cancelled. It is supposed to release this October, but it looks like it will be pushed back to 2009.
D-9

The game was pushed back, hopefully in time for Christmas! # 20 Clover, once again YOU ARE RIGHT! Mentor status, whatever, as long as the orginal gang is back, and no wanna-bes for the studio to think they need to sell more tix. GB3 forever!
D-9

Right on 20! GB3 is not to be messed with! No Posers, Bad comics and actors that CANNOT ACT!
avoidz

I think they're gonna cross the streams on this one... But there's a slim possibility this could be good. And bring back Slimer, haha.
Steve

#20 - I wasn't talking about replacing the original guys or having ONLY this new cast. The article already established that the old crew would be in the movie in some sort of capacity. Hey, I love the original crew as well, but do you really want to pay $10 just to only see a group of 60 year old guys trying to run around busting ghosts? At first it would be great nostalgia, but after the initial giddiness dies down, I think I may feel let down. Case in point - I'm a big fan of Harrison Ford and of the Indy series. It was awesome seeing him back as Indiana Jones, but at the same time I was thinking the whole time while watching the movie, man does he look old on the screen.
Matt

Personally Id have Eddie Murphy in it. I'd have him as all of the Ghostbusters, (even the old guys!), and all of the ghosts. Imagine four Eddie Murphys with proton packs blowing up a huge marshmallow Eddie Murphy. Now thats a movie i'd pay to see!
Slimer

The boys of "Superbad!"
GB fan

I think that either the Rogen or the Stiller ideas are just some of the worst I've heard, don't get me wrong the only way they could pull it really off is if they were hardcore fans of the original movies, wich I really doubt they are. I don't wanna see some new Ghostbusters, I want the originals damn it! and I want them using the proton packs and any new equipment they can come up with. I think that if I'd be given the choice I'd pick Rogen over Stiller, I do think that Jason Lee and Ben Affleck would be good ghostbusters, aslo Kevin Smith (acting, not directing) but I don't even want that, I want the originals for most of the movie. PLEASE DON'T MAKE IT FOR THE TOYS
http://lanowar.cjb.net 3V1L

A Few Things...... First, the game has not been canceled. It went gold this past summer and is completely done and sitting in packages waiting to be distributed..........which is the problem. With all the red tape in game development these days, the original company that agreed to publish the game, dropped out. So they are settling on a publisher at the present time and yes, I understand it to be first quarter 2009. I am with #29 above........I am all for a GB3 movie, but after reading all of your comments above (which all have valid points) I agree with the consensus that the original 4 actors need to be the focus of the movie. Yes, watching 60 year old men run around with proton packs would not be that funny after a while, but I think with some creative writing, that would be the point where they might phase in the new characters. So if I had to divide the movie into segments of old cast vs. new cast, I'd say 75% of the movie should be old cast, and 25% new cast......just my opinion. I feel that a lot of the actors listed in all the comments above are all really good actors but they don't all possess the style of humor that Akroyd, Murray, Raimis and Hudson had in the first 2 movies. The timing that those 4 possessed is just priceless and I don't think any combination of any of the actors listed above would be able to match that chemistry.........they are all too diverse in the types of movies and acting they do.......again, just my opinion! Thanks for listening people! P.S. - Ben Stiller a part in Ghostbuster 3.........that would be a catastrophe!!
mosquito

the new cast would be james franco in a venkeman like role rogen in a ray like role the white kid with glasses from tropic thunder the real black dude from tropic thunder the chemistry will work, its all in the subtleties the script will be ready soon ----Stiller or Ferrel or sean william scott would really suck, vince vaughn could be interesting, never thought of him
Edward

It's "WALTER" Peck, you chodes!!! Not RICHARD!!! Maybe you should go back and actually WATCH Ghostbusters instead of complaining about Seth Rogen. And for the record, Harold Ramis played his dad in Knocked Up. Maybe the old GhostBusters had kids!
Edward

Hey, I like that idea! The Ghostbusters are family men now, telling all their children and grandchildren about the adventures they used to have fighting with ghosts, but of course all the kids are skeptical, and think they are full of crap... Then all hell breaks loose, literally, and they have to come out of retirement. Family involvement and emotional situations, very "John Hughes-esqe" stuff mixed with the creepy fx. Maybe we can see a grown up Oscar, or a Louis & Janine lovechild.
3V1L

Edward, I like the idea of a "family of Ghostbusters"! Being a big fan of all of the original movies and an active member in several Ghostbuster online communities, I can speak for the masses when I say that they general consensus is to bring back ALL of the original cast members in some way, shape, or form. People want to see these guys! Ernie Hudson looks amazing for his age and the others have aged well also. It would be a perfect transition from old to new. I'm just totally against Ben Stiller even coming near this movie. He's been used in too many movies for roles like this and he's just not funny. Jack Black and Seth Rogen........a definite yes! Time will tell! 3V1L
Juli0

I agree with 3v1l all the way, not necessarily in a family of ghostbusters idea (altough the grownup Oscar Barret ideas is awesome) but in the Rogen and Black idea, the other I was watching the GB dvd set and I realised that the "Rogen/Apatow/Ramis clan" has everything it takes to make not only a good GB movie, but an awesome one too since their humour and seriousness are right down the Murray/Akroyd/Ramis lane, the only concern that I'm having is that supposedly the guys writing it are the guys from the office... and that show never really made laugh... just chuckle from time to time... And three other things: 1.- I tought Ramis and Rogen had great chemistry in Knocked up 2.- If they don't get the 7 members of the original cast now that they can since they're all still alive and in great shape they will really regret it... 3.- It would be kinda interesting havin Alyssa Milano there since she's been confirmed for the videogame
Erin

I'm not opposed to the stars of the movie being younger actors, as long as they are also new characters. I hate the idea of having to recast the original characters. The fact that they decided not to go that route gives me some hope, as well as the original guys being involved (even if they don't end up with that much screen-time). We'll just have to wait and see how it turns out. It is in good hands, at least. This could be a great movie if they handle it correctly. The only thing that worries me is that with the original two, it's not just the fact that they're ghostbusters that makes it awesome, it's the characters. They've become iconic. Not just the ghostbusters but Rick Moranis, Sigourney Weaver & that redhead secretary. Half the fun of those movies is watching Bill Murray be Bill Murray.
Erin

I also agree that Seth Rogen and Harold Ramis had great chemistry in Knocked Up. I'd love to see them in the father/son roles again. I don't get all the Rogen hating. He's just kind of overexposed right now, but he's still funny. And I do think he can adapt to this kind of humor. It's all in the writing, isn't it? What they should be doing is taking great comedic talents and putting them together to create a new ensemble, which is essentially what Ghostbusters was. Someone mentioned Dave Chappelle. I hadn't even thought about him, but I'd love to see him make a comeback, and he's definitely one of the funniest and most talented guys around.
3V1L

Well Erin, your comment of "It is in good hands, at least. This could be a great movie if they handle it correctly" is totally correct with the key word being "if they handle it correctly". And let's face it, if the guys who write "The Office" are in charge of the script, I see this movie tanking big time. Which leaves it then up to the actors to pull it off. I do agree though with the possibility of Dave Chapelle being cast in an Ernie Hudson type role. That guy is totally hillarious and would deserve to be in the movie, but again, I can think of a half dozen other actors other than Seth Rogan to play a Bill Murray or Dan Akroyd type part in GB3. My lineup would potentially be as follows: Jack Black, Rob Sneider, Dave Chapelle, and someone totally not even mentioned in this thread........Jimmy Falon! He'd be great! Seth Rogan right now is in a place right now kind of like Tom Cruise was back in the late 90's. Every time you turn around, he's in another movie and the public gets tired of seeing the same guy in a ton of movies. WE NEED A BREAK FROM THIS GUY!