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Bill Murray Officially Busts Dan Aykroyd’s Dreams for Ghostbusters III


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In what will come as a shock to precisely no one, Bill Murray is officially out of the Ghostbusters business. The past months have been one false start after another, with Murray rightfully dragging his heels about returning to portray Peter Venkman once more in Ghostbusters III. (The last we heard from Murray on the subject, he claimed to have shredded the script he received). In an interview with The Telegraph, Dan Aykroyd has confirmed that Murray will definitely not be involved in any future busting of ghosts. When asked about the future of the franchise, here’s what Aykroyd had to say:

“At this point it’s in suspended animation. The studio, the director Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis feel there must be a way to do it, but Bill Murray will not do the movie. He doesn’t want to be involved. He’s got six kids, houses all over America. He golfs in these tournaments where they pay him to turn up and have a laugh. He’s into this life and living it. I know we’d have a lot of fun [but]I can’t be mad at him. He’s a friend first, a colleague second.”

Now bear in mind that Aykroyd also has repeatedly claimed in the past that he would bring the long-retired Rick Moranis back for a third Ghostbusters film — something that will also never happen. At this point it seems like Aykroyd is stuck in a K?bler-Rossian denial stage of grief about a film he so desperately wants to make happen despite the insurmountable odds working against it. In the interview, he goes on to state that while the movie is currently in an indefinite limbo and “it’s
a surety that Bill Murray will not do the movie,” he also claims “there is still
interest from the studio.” Well sure, because studios are in the business of making money and the Ghostbusters franchise has some juice left it based on audience recognition alone. I have no doubt that at some point there will be another Ghostbusters movie — either a straight up reboot or one without Murray that may feature Ramis, Aykroyd and Hudson in diminished roles. But there is no chance of getting those guys, Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver back for another adventure. None. The Ghostbusters III that Aykroyd envisions is dead, hovering through his mind like a malformed cinematic Slimer. And you know what? I’m totally fine with that. (Via io9