I remember being in school around January of 1985. One of my friends sat next to me (can’t remember his name, it was almost forty years ago) and he was telling me how amazing Ghostbusters was, that he had seen it. However, I noticed something strange (in the neighbourhood) as all he kept talking about were scenes shown in the trailer and nothing from the actual film itself.
I mean, he didn’t even know about the giant marshmallow man. It became quite clear that he hadn’t seen the film at all and was trying to sound ‘cool’. I knew he hadn’t seen the film because well, I had. Anyway, that was the first memory that came to my mind when I heard that Ivan Reitman had died. I was a kid back then, I never understand filmmaking at all, I didn’t know what a director did, had zero idea of what (if anything) happened behind the camera. All I cared about was the fact I enjoyed watching the film.
As I grew older and became a fan of not just films but filmmaking. When I began to learn about everything that does go on behind the camera, that was when I understood what a director and producer did. That was when I started to become a fan of Ivan’s work. I remember watching Stripes on TV for the first time. It had a couple of the guys out of Ghostbusters in it, so that was enough to get me to watch. Of course, Stripes was also directed by Ivan Reitman. Then there was Meatballs, the film that really launched both Bill Murray’s and Ivan Reitman’s careers. This film was also the start of the personal and professional relationship between Ivan, Bill and Harold Ramis.
The all-time classic Animal House that really kick-started John Belushi’s film career and the whole National Lampoon’s film franchise was directed by John Landis but produced by Ivan Reitman. I didn’t realise it at the time but Ivan was shaping my tastes in American comedy films as I grew from boy to young adult. Then there was Twins, the mismatched and goofy comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito as twin brothers. It is stupid but harmless and good fun. A film that took the then gargantuan action star that was Arnold Schwarzenegger and showed that he had some pretty decent comedy chops. Something that Ivan would do again later with both Kindergarten Cop and Junior.
Of course, the film that inadvertently made me an Ivan Reitman fan got a sequel. Ghostbusters II has always been a bit of a hit and miss film. A disappointment after the first film sure but still a good watch and it was great to see the old team back together again. As a director, Ivan kept himself busy up to 2014 with his last film being the sports drama Draft Day.
As a producer, Ivan Reitman had a few other notable films under his belt. Cult favourite Heavy Metal, the animated movie based on the magazine of the same name. Full of violence and beewbage! The awfully terrible Sylvester Stallone starring Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot was another. But Ivan Reitman made up for how bad that was with the pretty damn great Space Jam afterwards. Melding live-action with classic Loony Tunes characters for some basketball action… and a Bill Murray cameo. Ivan was also a producer on the biographical making of Psycho with the 2012 film Hitchcock.
When Ghostbusters was remade in 2016, Ivan Reitman was on board as producer. And of course, he returned to the franchise one last time for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which was released last year. Directed by his son, Jason Reitman, the film worked as a direct sequel to the original films and was pretty damn great too. Ivan was not just a producer on this film, he even had a little ‘hidden’ cameo at the end, which I’m not going to spoil if you’ve not yet seen it.
Ivan Reitman was set to direct a sequel to Twins this year called Triplets. Bringing back Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito but now with Tracy Morgan playing the third brother. Sadly, now that Ivan has passed away, it is not known where the film stands, especially as it was set to begin filming this month. Ivan’s cause of death has not yet been revealed but his family have described it as being an ‘unexpected loss’. Maybe Jason will pick up the mantle and finish what his father sadly could not?
There’s been an amazing backlash for the last decade in America: political correctness. In many ways, I think that, while we’ve been remarkably violent in our media, there’s been a real schizophrenia. In private, on the Internet, and on public-affairs shows or talk radio, we’re way more explicit than we’ve ever been. But traditional Hollywood has been much more frightened than it ever was in the ’70s about presenting things that could be perceived as politically incorrect.
Well I finally got around to watching perhaps the most controversial film of this year. That controversy does not come from the content of the film itself, but more from the idiotic nature of internet people who have defamed this film for no good reason.
I actually never had any intention of watching this at the cinema because I just didn’t think it looked cinema worthy. I already covered this in my Ghostbusters celebration from a few weeks back but I’ll quickly cover it here too. I don’t like Paul Feig as a director and I don’t find Melissa McCarthy even slightly funny.
After watching this film, I still don’t rate Paul Feig as a director and I still don’t find Melissa McCarthy funny at all. But before I get into my feelings on the film, first the plot… SPOILERS!!!
Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) is a physics professor at Columbia University. She is approached by Ed Mulgrave (Ed Begley Jr.) who asks Gilbert to investigate a possible haunting after he read a book she co-wrote years ago on ghosts. Gilbert is angry as she never knew the book had been published and she seeks out her old friend and co-writer of the book, Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy). Yates has been trying to make the theory in their book a reality with the help of Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon). Gilbert feels the resurfacing of the book could reflect badly on her new career at Columbia University and asks for the book to be pulled. Yates agrees to pull the book but only if Gilbert agrees to introduce herself and Holtzmann to Mulgrave so they can investigate this supposed haunting.
Gilbert, Yates and Holtzmann all turn up at the house and start to search for ghosts… and they find one. The trio film the ghost and the video is posted online. The Dean of Columbia University sees the video, believes it is fake and is insulted that one of their professors could be involved in such a scam. So he fires Gilbert and she decides to join Yates and Holtzmann in their project of ghost hunting instead. But the director of the institute they work at fires all three as he thought that department had already been closed down years ago. They decide to continue their research on their own and open a business called “The Conductors of the Metaphysical Examination” which they start above a Chinese restaurant. Then then hire dim-witted Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) as a receptionist. They begin to design and create their own equipment for catching ghosts.
We are then introduced to subway line worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) finds a ghost in the subway and contacts The Conductors of the Metaphysical Examination for help. They investigate the ghost and even attempt to catch it with an early prototype proton containment laser created by Holtzmann. They almost catch the ghost, but their equipment is too heavy, bulky and under powered as the ghost escapes. But they did manage to film the incident for proof, yet their proof is called out as being fake by a respected sceptic Martin Heiss (Bill Murray). The team still continue their research and even make the equipment more manageable. Eventually Tolan joins the team.
Meanwhile, Rowan North (Neil Casey) has been planting home created devices that summon ghosts in very specific spots around the city. North is an occultist who wants to bring about an apocalypse of ghosts which he wants to control. He plants one of his devices at a rock concert and the team are called into capture the a ghost. Which they do in front of hundreds of witnesses. So they finally have their proof that ghosts are real. Back at their HQ, Heiss turns up and is as sceptical as ever and demands to see the ghost. Eventually Gilbert caves and releases the ghost which kills Heiss as it escapes. Mayor Bradley (Andy Garcia) demands to see these Ghostbusters as they have now become known and he reveals that the government are fully aware of the existence of ghosts but he can not have these Ghostbusters running around the city making the government look foolish. So they make a deal where the Mayor will support the team, but only if they agree to be exposed as frauds, even though they are not.
The Ghostbusters eventually work out North’s plan, track him down and confront him to the basement of the Mercado Hotel where they discover that North has built a portal to the ghost dimension. They try to stop him, but North electrocutes himself rather than be turned over to the police and Holtzmann deactivates the portal. This is when they learn that North had been reading Gilbert and Yates’ book and this is where he also learned to create the equipment he had. Gilbert discovers that North intended to die all along so he could return as a ghost which he does and ends up possessing Kevin and opens the portal and releases hundreds of ghosts into New York and this sets the scene for the big finale.
First my views on the cast.
I didn’t really like any of them to be honest. I just found all the main four utterly devoid of character… okay, possibly with the exception of Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) who plays the eccentric one of the group.
I admit to getting a few laughs out of her and her antics, plus she probably has the best lines in the film too. But the other three are bland characters with nothing redeeming about them.
People have been praising Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) as the dumb secretary. I found the character cringe worthy. I just do not like the dumb secretary at all, its an overdone cliché. It doesn’t matter if its a female or male in the role, its a tired outdated stereotype that just isn’t funny. He is written so stupid it becomes offensive. I mean, there is a scene where Kevin strikes a gong which (obviously) makes a loud noise and he covers his eyes and then comments on how loud the noise was… he covers he EYES to drown out a loud SOUND. Even Homer Simpson was never this dumb. I thought the character was terrible and just do not understand the praise. The only time I liked Kevin as a character was when he gets possessed, because he stopped being such an annoying idiot.
There was something else that really bothered me about the film. When you do have a remake of a film, you are bound to find the odd cameo/reference to the original and you can get away with 2-3 tops before they become annoying. This film has too many of them and shoehorns in a cameo from the original film or makes some really unsubtle reference. Yeah its cute at first but when you realise you have seen 4 of these and are only 30 minutes into the film, its just too many. Seriously there is a cameo/reference every 10 minutes or so and they becomes too distracting. All that was needed was to have Paul Feig pop into frame every time and just say “remember this from the original?” to the audience. The film tries too hard to remind people of the original and this is its biggest failing. This just would have felt a much better film if it toned down the references and concentrated on being its own film.
The plot is very different to the original though similar and it does seem to want to be its own film… but then it keeps making nods to the original as if it wants to constantly remind you that there is another Ghostbusters film. They even do the “chose your own destructor” thing at the end. I’d have much preferred it if this film just did its own thing from start to finish without all the references to the original.
All the main original cast return for a cameo, Bill Murray plays the sceptic, Dan Aykroyd is a cab driver with a couple of lines, Ernie Hudson plays the uncle of Leslie Jones’ character, Sigourney Weaver pops up during the credits as a mentor to Kate McKinnon, Ivan Reitman has a quick extra walking past appearance, Annie Potts (fittingly) plays a receptionist and even Harold Ramis makes an appearance. Most of them are utterly pointless. I suppose that at least Bill Murray’s character plays a part in the plot (even its its pretty obvious he didn’t want to be there), but the rest are mostly just there because they are…
Other cameos I really didn’t see the point of. Ozzy Osbourne is in this… why?
There were only two cameos I enjoyed. The first was the Harold Ramis one which I felt was a nice little bit of respect and tribute to one of the originators of Ghostbusters. And the second one?
Slimer makes an appearance and its easily the best of the cameo/references. He ends up stealing Ecto-1 and takes it on a joyride around New York, he even manages to pick up a girlfriend along the way as he turns the car into a party bus. The whole Slimer bit put a big ole’ smile on my face as Slimer was based on the personality of John Belushi and quite honestly I really could imagine Belushi doing something like that knowing the antics he got up to on film sets.
The film has some great moments. We actually get to see the Ghostbusters build and test their equipment. In the original, they just have all this advanced technology because they are scientists. In this one, you get to see an early and bulky proton pack before it becomes the more recognisable backpack concept we know. You also get to see other weapons beside the proton packs being developed and tested. This whole idea made me believe these people actually create their own equipment. The way the team become the Ghostbusters also seems more “organic” in this one and that for me added a lot to the storytelling.
The whole film has a more “cartoon” feel to it. There are a few stand out scenes that scream cartoon like when Melissa McCarthy tests the new proton pack in a back alley and goes flying all over the place, or when they get squashed under a huge parade balloon of the Stay Pufft marshmallow man. It really does feel like a live action cartoon at times… and I’m perfectly fine with that. I loved the old animated Ghostbusters cartoon and this does feel like a live action version of that.
I enjoyed the action more in this one than the original, yeah I know the original was not really an action film but it did have action in it and it all just amounted to four guys pointing sticks at ghosts. The action in this is more dynamic and interesting to watch and the addition of new equipment adds a lot to this.
The build up to the final fight was really good with some great action along the way… but the battle against the main villain was a bit dull if I’m honest and the whole last 5 minutes or so of the final fight was a let down.
Speaking of the main villain, I just didn’t really enjoy Rowan here. He is just your average guy with a crap job who has had enough of being bullied, so he decides to release hundreds of ghosts into New York. The whole motive just felt flat and Rowan is just not an interesting character, especially for the main villain.
It also has a really creepy atmosphere at times. The opening with a tour of a supposed haunted house really does feel very Ghostbusters. The design of the ghosts themselves looked great and there are some genuine scares here too. There is a scene near the end where a group of parade balloons get possessed by ghosts, one of the ghost balloons just pops its head around a corner and stares at the Ghostbusters, it just looked so creepy but great at the same time.
The film has its problems, but overall I enjoyed it. I didn’t think it was an amazing film or anything but I left the cinema feeling fully entertained. Some of the jokes really do work and some of them just fall flat. But one thing I do want to say. You remember how the first trailer was labelled as “most disliked trailer ever”? Well we now live in a time where most trailers ruin a film completely, especially with comedy films as the trailer tends to have all the best jokes in it. The trailers for this film didn’t do that. Most if not all of the best scenes and jokes are not shown in the trailers and left for the film instead and that is something I will praise this film for.
Sony have this idea for a Ghostbusters universe, they have already set up a production company called; Ghost Corps.
The idea is to create more films all within this universe, which is more inline with Dan Aykroyd’s original idea for Ghostbusters. After seeing this film, I’d definitely like to see more. Maybe not more of these particular four Ghostbusters but other films within the same universe could be interesting. I do think this film is a good start, not great but good enough. Though I’m not sure if we will get to see anymore films in this universe as unfortunately, this film is hardly breaking records at the box office. It has only just about made its production cost back and is struggling to turn a profit right now.
All the hate and vitriol aimed at the film over the last few months and none of it was worth it at all. Its a good film and I can see this introducing a whole new generation to Ghostbusters just as I was introduced to the original in 1984. If you have kids, take them to go see this one as they will have a blast… you might just enjoy it more then you thought you would yourself too.
Its a shame the film is not doing as well as it deserves, mainly because of certain groups imbecilic nature… “haters gotta hate” I guess.
Let me put it this way, this was a much better Ghostbusters film than Ghostbusters II was… yeah I said it.
Erin Gilbert: “Books can’t fly and neither can babies!”
Little Bit of History: The sequel to the original film and again written by Dan Aykroyd & Harold Ramis. Directed by Ivan Reitman, released by Columbia Pictures in 1989. This film only came about as Dan wanted to reunite the original cast in a new film, but couldn’t come up with a good story. So he decided to begin writing a Ghostbusters sequel instead.
Little Bit of Plot/Story: Five years after the events in the first film, The Ghostbusters have split up and sought out new careers after being sued by the city for all the damage they caused previously and have also been barred from investigating supernatural activities, causing the Ghostbusters business to go under. Dana is now working at the Manhattan Museum of Art and preparing for a new exhibit for a sixteenth century tyrant; Vigo the Carpathian. After a strange occurrence involving Dana’s baby boy; Oscar, she seeks out the disbanded Ghostbusters for help. They agree to investigate the incident for their friend and this leads to them illegally excavate First Avenue. The Ghostbusters are arrested and taken to court where two ghosts appear and the Ghostbusters do their thing by capturing the ghosts in return for the dismissal of all charges and them being allowed to reopen their business. Meanwhile, Dana’s colleague at the museum, Dr. Janosz Poha seems to have a rather strange attraction to a painting of Vigo the Carpathian which orders Janosz find a baby to possess so Vigo can return to life.
Little Bit of Character: Pretty much all, the main cast return playing their original roles. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson all reprise their roles as the Ghostbusters. Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis are back as Dana and Louis as is Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz. Joining them in the sequel are Dr. Janosz Poha (Peter MacNicol), Jack Hardemeyer (Kurt Fuller) and Vigo the Carpathian (Wilhelm von Homburg) dubbed by Max von Sydow.
Little Bit of Influence: Part of the very popular Ghostbusters franchise. Which, by this point was still going strong. The merchandise was still flowing and this film spawned just as much as the previous film. Again, lunchboxes, t-shirts, action figures, video games, books… everything.
Little Bit of Memories: I recall seeing the trailer for this film and being so excited. Ghostbusters was one of my childhood favourites and the anticipation of the sequel was unbearable. I’m pretty sure the first time I got to see the sequel was when my older brother managed to get hold of a none too legal copy on VHS. The quality was terrible and pretty much unwatchable.
Little Bit of Watchability: This sequel is quite notorious for being pretty bad. Its reviews at the time were pretty average and the film is most definitely a major disappointment. It just lacks the quality of jokes, the plot is a little silly (yes even for Ghostbusters) and overall it just seems empty when compared to the first film. I had not watched this film in years (10+) unlike the first film which I have re-watched several times. Then when doing this whole Ghostbusters celebration, I had to re-watch this sequel… and its not as bad as I remember. Admittedly, compared to the first film its lacking so much. But I really enjoyed watching this more then I thought I would. Check it out.
Peter Venkman: “Kitten, I think what I’m saying, is that sometimes, shit happens, someone has to deal with it, and who ya gonna call?”
Little Bit of History: Released in 1984 by Columbia Pictures. Written by Dan Aykroyd & Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman. Originally conceived as a film for Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, but Belushi’s untimely death led to the film being taken in a new direction. The amazing theme tune was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song but lost out to The Woman in Red.
Little Bit of Plot/Story: A trio of parapsychologists are called to the New York Public Library to investigate reports of a ghost. They see this an an opportunity to set up a new business of a paranormal investigation and extermination service called the Ghostbusters. Developing their own equipment, they create the proton packs and traps that enable them to capture ghosts. Eventually they hire a fourth member of the team. Meanwhile, Environmental Protection Agent; Walter Peck has the Ghostbusters arrested and their ghost containment unit turned off. This unleashes a horde of ghosts into New York as Gozer the Gozerian grasps control and swears to bring an end to the world.
Little Bit of Character: Ghostbusters is full of amazing and lovable characters from the main four Ghostbusters of; Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Raymond “Ray” Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) Also along for the ride is the Ghostbusters secretary Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts), Peter’s love interest Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) and her neighbour Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) with Walter Peck (William Atherton) as the antagonist trying to prove the Ghostbusters are frauds.
Little Bit of Influence: Ghostbusters went on to become a very successful franchise. Any and everything bore the Ghostbusters logo in the 80s and 90s. The film spawned its own sequel, a popular animated TV show… which itself had its own sequel. Board games, video games, toys, clothing, comics, etc. Think of any product and there is a good chance there was a Ghostbusters version of it. The fan base of Ghostbusters is very strong an loyal (just look at the hate train for the remake as proof) and there have even been fan made films.
Little Bit of Memories: I remember first seeing the film on VHS around 86/87, by which time the Ghostbusters hype was at fever pitch. If I recall correctly, me and my brothers first watched it when staying at my aunt’s house overnight. My uncle had to pre-book the film to rent weeks in advance as it was so popular.
Little Bit of Watchability: One of THE definitive films of the 80s. A great ensemble cast, great jokes, amazing effects work and brilliantly directed. This is one of those ‘feel good’ movies that just puts a smile on your face every time you see it. I could (and have) watch(ed) this film over and over and yet never get tired of it. Dan and Harold’s script is snappy and entertaining. And that damn theme tune will remain in your head for the rest of you life. Most definitely well worth watching and aside for that slight cheesy 80s feel, the film is timeless.
Louis Tully: “I am Vinz, Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer. Volguus Zildrohar, Lord of the Sebouillia. Are you the Gatekeeper?”
So Ghostbusters was an amazing success that spawned a very much loved franchise. From video games and toys to cartoons and cooking aprons. T-shirts and hats to Slimer based drinks and even Stay-Puft marshmallows.
The Ghostbusters logo was put onto pretty much everything in the mid 80s to early/mid 90s and we loved it. Us fans even tolerated the distinctly average sequel film, Ghostbusters II. We just could never get enough Ghostbusters. The Ghostbusters franchise started to wane though the mid and late 90s and everyone believed that as far as movie go, the franchise was all done and dusted. But there was something every die hard Ghostbusters fan wanted…
We didn’t care how old the guys were getting, we just wanted to see them back on the big screen one more time. And do you know something… it almost happened several times. A Ghostbusters III was being worked on many times over the years but for one reason or another, it was just never meant to be. So here, I’m going to take a look a the many failed attempts at getting a Ghostbusters III off the ground before everything went wrong and the decision was made to remake/reboot the franchise instead. Lets start at the very beginning, I hear that’s a very good place to start.
It was the early-mid 90s when the rumours began with Dan in interviews like this one from Playboy in August 1993:
Playboy:“Will you continue to make sequels, whether based on the Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters, Coneheads or others?”
Dan Aykroyd: “As long as there is something new to do with them and it’s enjoyable. It’s kind of nice to have built-in franchises. The one I don’t think we’ll necessarily further exploit is Ghostbusters. It looks like that’s about had its run.”
Playboy: “Because Ghostbusters II did poorly?”
Dan Aykroyd: “Yeah. It opened and Batman opened the next weekend and wiped us out that summer. Although we made a good movie, it just wasn’t as commercially successful as everybody thought it would be. If I could get that team together, it would be a real dream, because I think there’s a great story to be told. But it won’t be for a while.”
Hmmmmm. While Dan says here he didn’t want to ‘further exploit’ Ghostbusters. On the same subject, he does also say it would be great to get that team back together and there is a great story to be told. So he must have been thinking about a possible return even back in 1993. Well we did get a Blues Brothers sequel, but what about that Ghostbusters III?
What about this interview from WWOR Channel 9 news sometime in February 1994:
Pat Collins: “Raise your hands if you want another Ghostbusters movie. Dan says it could happen.”
Dan Aykroyd: “Ah, it might happen. I’ve got a story in mind that I’m thinking about. So, we’ll see, we’ll see. It’s certainly something I always wanted to do. It’s just getting the other players together.”
So Dan had a story idea for another film and this got the fans riled up with excitement. Ghostbusters III looked like it was going to happen after all. Then, adding even more fuel to the fire was a little cameo Dan made in Casper (1995).
Showing up in full Ghostbusters regalia and even with the (Ray) Stantz name-tag and all. Dan only appeared in a very quick, few seconds cameo. So quick was the cameo that he didn’t even bother to shave his moustache. But there was no mistaking it, he was most definitely playing Ray Stantz from Ghostbusters.
It seems it was this few seconds coupled with the afore mentioned interviews that got most fans hoping that perhaps soon, we would see an official Ghostbusters III. By that time, it had been 6 years since Ghostbusters II was released and it seemed about the right time to bring them back despite the lack of love for the sequel. We wanted a worthy Ghostbusters sequel, but little did we know just how much Dan wanted one too.
Back then, Dan had already been working on a Ghostbusters III script in the mid 90s. In fact, he wrote multiple scripts and revisions for the movie between the mid 90s up to the 2010s. Very little is known about all his various scripts but some information was relased by Dan himself regarding at least one version; Ghostbusters III: Hellbent. The basic synopsis for this film had the original Ghostbusters working with a recruit where they would end up travelling to hell. This version of hell was said to be a parallel universe kind of thing taking place in ‘Manhellton’, a hellish version of New York’s Manhattan.
The interviews kept coming over the years too.
Hollywood Online, 10th February, 1998:
Dan Aykroyd: “Harold [Ramis] and I have a treatment that we really like. It’s just a matter of writing it now. We’re going to try to do it this summer. The concept is still strong and I think that Harold and I can pull it off, if we have the time.
The concept is that there’s a positive image of life and there’s a negative image of life. Hell is not some distant place, far away from this dimension or realm. Hell is right next door. It’s like those old tin-type photos where you turn them one way and they look positive, then you just flick them slightly and they look negative. That’s our concept. Given the right technology you could flip the switch and all of a sudden the positive that we see in this room suddenly becomes negative. It’s kind of neat.
We’re going to set it in New York and do a Hades version of New York, very close to life in the city as we perceive it now. You look down at the river and there’s a ferry of Wall Street commuters, except they’re being shoved off with pitchforks into the river which is now boiling blood. Flick it back and it’s just the Brooklyn Bridge and just a normal traffic jam. Carrying that through, I think we can have a lot of fun.”
That sounds like Dan talking about the previously mentioned Ghostbusters III: Hellbent doesn’t it? So things were very much getting under way on Ghostbusters III by 1998. Yet is was also around this time when things started to fall apart. Though Dan Aykroyd wanted to make another film, others didn’t.
In early 1999, Harold Ramis started chipping in on all the Ghostbusters III rumours. By 1999, Ramis had built himself quite a respectable career as a writer and director with films like Groundhog Day (1993), Multiplicity (1996) and Analyze This (1999). He was just too busy with his own career to take on another project and often suggested that a Ghostbusters III would never happen with the original cast and that it was more of a hobby for Aykroyd than anything else. Plus there was the fact that Bill Murray was reluctant in coming back and so was director Ivan Reitman. In fact, it was reported that Bill Murry said of Dan’s idea that it was: “too crazy to comprehend.”
Entertainment Weekly Online interviewed Ramis on 19th February, 1999:
Harold Ramis: “Dan and I talk about it on a regular basis, and he’s done some writing. The studio would love to make a deal, but they’re not sure who to make the deal with, since Bill is very elusive, and Ivan Reitman is kind of standing on the side. The dream plan is that Danny and I would produce it, I would direct it, and we would recruit some newer, younger, popular Ghostbusters to star.”
This sounds like a different idea to the previously mentioned Ghostbusters III: Hellbent and possibly one of Dan’s other ideas for the film instead. But while it seemed the original cast would not be back, or at least some of them wouldn’t, a Ghostbusters III seemed to be going ahead. In the summer of 1999 the website domain of http://www.ghostbusters3.com had been secured. Go to it now and it no longer exists, but at the time it would take you to Sony Pictures main website. An indication that back then Sony were possibly interested in making the film?
All through the rumours and speculation. Bill Murray was very much against making another Ghostbusters movie even insulting his friends Dan and Harold along the way. This all lead to tension and the idea to make a new film without Murray started to emerge.
The subject of Ghostbusters III was brought up again when Dan Aykroyd appeared on the television show: Access Hollywood on the 12th November, 1999:
Dan Aykroyd: “Doesn’t look good right now, I’m sorry to say that.”
Nancy O’Dell: “How could they not possibly want to do it?”
Dan Aykroyd: “Because they’re trying to get bargains, they’re trying to get the next Blair Witch. But, you know, sometimes you have to seed for the big harvest to come in. You’re talking about billion dollar releases. Spend 120, make 500. They don’t see it that way.”
Dan is referring to Sony Pictures just not wanting to spend millions and millions of dollars on an old franchise. At the time The Blair With Project was the big thing in Hollywood then with it’s ultra low budget of around $60.000, but bringing in $29 million in its opening weekend alone. Low budget films making big profits was what studios wanted and you couldn’t make a Ghostbusters III on $60.000. So it seemed that a Ghostbusters III was never going to happen… except it kind of eventually did and with pretty much all the main cast returning too.
The whole Ghostbusters III thing died down for a few years, we had been teased with it since 1993 and it was now almost the year 2000 and still nothing. Ghostbusters III was dead, we were sure of it. It was all swept under the rug and everyone moved on. Then sometime early 2007, Dan Aykroyd brought up the subject of Ghostbusters III once more. Suggesting the film is finally going ahead based on his original Ghostbusters III: Hellbent idea. After all the years and all the waiting, everything seemed to be heading back to the early 90s again… haven’t we been here once before already? What was interesting about this news though was the fact Dan said it would be a fully animated CGI movie as opposed to live action. The idea behind it was that everyone was too old to play the roles convincingly any more, but they could provide the voices for the characters instead and the Ghostbusters could still be as young as they need to be. Even Bill Murray was interested as he hinted at Fantastic Fest 2008:
Bill Murray: “The wounds from Ghostbusters II are healed.”
Murray also revealed that writer/producers Gene Stupnitsky & Lee Eisenberg (The Office) were said to have written a new script under the supervision of Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Things were looking great for another Ghostbusters movie… finally. Live action or animated, we didn’t care, we were going to see the original cast back in an official sequel.
We never did get that CGI Ghostbusters movie, we go something else from that concept instead…
In 2009, we got a fully licensed, fully voice acted Ghostbusters video game. The game was co-written by both Dan Aykroyd & Harold Ramis and it borrowed from Dan’s original Ghostbusters III: Hellbent concept as well as a few of his other early ideas like having a new member join the team. I’ll cover this game in more detail in my Ghostbusters in gaming later. But it is often said by Dan that this game is the true Ghostbusters III. You can even watch all the cut-scenes from the game as it’s own movie…
So that’s it then right, Ghostbusters III all sorted and everyone is happy? Well no, not quite.
Even after the release of the game, the rumours started once more that a movie sequel was still in the works. Bill Murray even got in on the fun and appeared in a cameo for the movie Zombieland (2009) where he plays himself and Ghostbusters is referenced several times. Murray also turned up in full Ghostbusters costume at the 2010 Scream Awards…
Everyone saw this as Bill hinting he had decided to be in a new Ghostbusters movie after all the negativity previously and a new hope was born after the success of the game that we may finally see a real Ghostbusters III movie with all the original cast.
It was around 2013 when the intention of making another movie began to circulate once more as the game had been so successful and proven there was still interest in the franchise. This time around writer Etan Cohen (Tropic Thunder, Men In Black 3) was hired to pen the screenplay with the help of Dan and Harold. The idea was that the film would be a ‘passing the torch’ kind of movie where the original Ghostbusters hand over their legacy to an all new and younger team. Ben Stiller was even rumoured to be playing one of the lead roles. Everyone seemed happy with this idea… except Bill Murray who once again began his anti-Ghostbusters III campaign. It got to a point where Dan outright stated that the film is starting production in 2014 without Bill’s involvement. Things started looking up for Ghostbusters III again and were seemingly really moving forward. This is the closest we have ever got to an actual, live action Ghostbusters III. There was even a production date.
Dan Aykroyd: “We’ve got a brilliant new writer on it and we’ll be passing the torch on to a new generation. We’re working on it to make it just right to satisfy our fans. I’m confident we’ll be in production in the next year.”
There you go, Dan himself saying they will start production on Ghostbusters III in 2014. Unfortunately 2014 didn’t bring a new Ghostbusters movie, it brought tragedy. Sadly, Harold Ramis died and all excitement and expectations for the sequel died along with him. Nobody wanted to make a Ghostbusters III any more and the idea to reboot the franchise came about instead…
That was the end. No more Ghostbusters III talk and only time will tell if this reboot/remake will reignite the franchise once more. Sadly we will never see the original four Ghostbusters in action again… but some of the cast from the original films do have cameos in this new film, including the elusive Bill Murray! Nobody expected that.
Little Bits of Gaming & Movies 
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