What the Hell Is Going On with Ghostbusters 3?
Posted at 11:10 AM Sep 05, 2008
Okay. You've heard the rumors. You've heard the wishful thinking. You've been told Judd Apatow and his comedy ne'er-do-wells were involved. Now it's time to sit down and figure this thing out.
• Columbia has ordered a script for Ghostbusters 3.
• This script is being written by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg, who both write and produce The Office, along with Harold Ramis, who co-wrote both original movies with Aykroyd.
• The script reportedly calls for the original Ghostbusters team of Murray, Ramis, Aykroyd and Hudson, but also that "next-generation" team that Apatow's boys have been rumored to play.
• None of the original Ghostbusters actors have been approached about the movie, and won't be until the script is finished.
• Since Dan Aykroyd knew two "hot young writers" were working on a script when he was interviewed a few days ago, he knew about the project. Reportedly, Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman also apparently knew about the project.
• Here's where it gets awkward: Apparently Columbia Pictures originally ordered a script treatment from just Stupnitsky and Eisenberg, which was awesome....but no one had told Ramis, who was pissed, and when he read it, said it was terrible. So that's why Ramis is now working with both writers on a new script...and according to some, all of Ramis' ideas are significantly more terrible than the first, Ramis-less script. But put a big "reportedly" on all of this.
• In Aykroyd's interview yesterday, he said Apatow's posse was not involved, but he would love them to be.
• If Rick Moranis can't be bothered to spend a few hours in a comfortable recording booth for a Ghostbusters videogame, it is doubtful he'd agree to be in a new movie.
I don't want to get in the mess of the script, since god only knows what is true or not. But I will say that I'm totally down with a Ghostbusting team of Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and potentially Steve Carell or Jason Segel. I think that'd be awesome as hell, and like everyone in their 30s, I have to imagine they love the original film as much as we do (who doesn't love Ghostbusters?) and would jump at the chance. I'm sure some of you disagree, so feel free to call for my death in the comments. (Via /Film, Yahoo, Pajiba)
Comments
There should be a moratorium on sequels that are created 10+ years after the movies they're sequelizing.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 08:21:03 AMOther than anything involving naked chicks this is the best website of all time.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 08:28:15 AMthe Wii game was written by Ramis and Aykroyd...if i remember???
what i dont get...whats Rick Moranis's problem???
Posted 09/05/2008 at 08:28:16 AMDude, you know that mom wouldn't let us watch the first Ghostbusters back 1985. Or whenever it was. Wonder if she'd let us watch the 3rd.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 08:39:48 AMFollowing the death of his wife some years back, Moranis retired to raise his kids. He has done some sporadic work, released an offbeat country music album and has been working on a Bob and Doug McKenzie animated series. Why he doesn't want to revisit the Louis Tully character is anyone's guess.
As for the film itself, I have very little faith in the writers of "The Office" doing the script when Ramis and Ackroyd are still around. But I echo Rob's sentiment that I would totally be ok with with Rudd, Rogen, et al being involved if they have to go with the whole "next generation of Ghostbusters" thing.
I think the "Ghostbusters in Hell" concept is pretty weak, so hopefully that has been tossed. In fact, I think it might be the basis for the videogame--but the fate of that is up in the air right now too.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 08:41:53 AMWhat the hell is the deal with the video game?
Is this why it has been cancelled/pushed back, whatever.
@makattak
I will second that motion.
My company's firewall just took JoystickDivision away, which caused some tears, but is not overly crucial, but I swear to God if I lose my access to TR I'll burn this mother to the ground!
Posted 09/05/2008 at 08:44:49 AMIs this comment section going to turn into a big TR love-fest? Because I'm totally down with that.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 08:49:01 AMi think apatow's crew could do a great job with ghostbusters, maybe the originals could do a cameo and come back as ghosts hah
Posted 09/05/2008 at 09:01:50 AMOMG OMG Ghostbusters 3 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.
YES
Posted 09/05/2008 at 09:03:15 AMAm I the only one whose first thought on seeing the words Apatow and Rogen associated with this was "No, no, oh god no."?
Posted 09/05/2008 at 09:17:33 AMRob: Your Web site rocks my balls, especially when I'm at work. I lub it.
I'd honestly rather play the hot-looking on-hold Ghostbusters video game than go see another movie, regardless of who's in it. Also video games of any John Carpenter movie would be awesome. Let's start with Big Trouble In Little China. And then The Thing. And then They Live. Please.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 10:05:01 AMSounds like it isn't going to end well...but omg Jason Segel as a Ghostbuster would kick ass XD
Posted 09/05/2008 at 10:06:06 AMHonestly I think this would be good only if Ramis were kept away and the Apatow team could do whatever they wanted, with total creative freedom.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 10:10:09 AMRegarding "who doesn't love Ghostbusters?", before yesterday, I would have said no one. HOWEVER, the temp who sits next to me said, "Ghostbusters? Eh. It never did anything for me." All conversation between us has stopped.
On a side note, TR keeps me from ramming my head through the wall at work. I love this site. Much like MyNoNos, if a firewall keeps me from here... God help tech support...
Posted 09/05/2008 at 11:31:25 AMI lost faith in the original creative minds of Ghostbusters after Ghostbusters 2... so the addition of new blood can't hurt any.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 02:03:50 PM@ NaterGator
There was a third person survival horror game for the PS2 based on John Carpenter's The Thing. It was set three months after the events in the movie and functioned as a sequel to the movie.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(video_game)
Also I will add my vote to the TR rocks campaign.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 04:26:55 PMSeems to me the Apatow team are doing a pretty good job of coming up with new ideas for movies, and these days that's a rare thing, I don't see a need for them to start messing with the classics. Be Kind Rewind was nerd tribute enough.
Posted 09/06/2008 at 06:50:52 AMBesides, having the Office writers is hardly any endorsement, the american version of the office sucks, the only funny bits are the gags they pulled from the UK. If Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant write the script, I'm all ears.
It's a sad comment on pop culture that our present reality was prophesied in an episode of The Critic. If we hear rumblings about Ed Koch it's safe to assume that the final seal is about to be opened.
Posted 09/07/2008 at 05:23:08 PMStupnitsky and Eisenberg helped Ramis write Year One, the new Apatow-produced Jack Black-starring "Life of Brian"-esque biblical comedy. What's the beef with the old and the young collaborating on GBIII?
Posted 09/11/2008 at 04:30:36 PM