While it may not have been built to stand as a franchise in the beginning, the Ghostbusters films have become a greater beast throughout the most recent legacy-quels. That in particular is true thanks to the 2024 movie Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire bringing the crews of old and new Ghostbusters together closer than ever. Which, of course, has people asking one question a little harder these days: will we ever see Rick Moranis’ Louis Tully again?
Though the history behind the answer to that question has always been sitting in front of us, there’s something else that’s been staring Ghostbusters fans right in the face. There’s a perfect way for the franchise to honor this accounting wizard/former pawn in the end of the world, and it’s a way that ties back into some deleted scenes from Ghostbusters II. So if Rick Moranis decides to respectfully decline a potential return, there is a proper method to tie up his character thanks to his cousin Sherman.
Why We Haven’t Seen Rick Moranis’ Louis Tully After Ghostbusters II
I know, I dropped the surprise cousin angle in the introduction, and for all of you diehard Ghostbusters fans out there, you know where I’m going with this. However, before I explain the entire scenario with this deleted Ghostbusters II character, I’d like to provide some background on Rick Moranis’ semi-retirement from show business.
After losing his wife Ann Belsky to cancer in 1991, Moranis would eventually shift his focus to their two children. The Little Shop of Horrors actor didn’t retire, contrary to what was once reported, but rather shifted gears to a more selective approach to his career.
Rick Moranis has mostly done vocal roles, like his part in Disney’s Brother Bear movies, but there have been offers for the Canadian comedy legend to return to franchises like Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. However, in the case of the paranormal comedy, passing up on a potential cameo in Paul Feig’s 2016 reboot pretty much made it clear that unless it was a substantial role, Mr. Moranis was fine leaving Louis Tully where we last saw him.
How The Ghostbusters Franchise Can Honor Louis Tully Without Rick Moranis
For Rick Moranis to return for a follow-up to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, it sounds like it’d need to be a solid presence in the film, and not merely an appearance for a legacyquel’s sake. I can’t blame him for that approach, especially when he’s not only spending time with family, but also carving out a niche for himself in music. So how do we honor Louis Tully without Rick Moranis? We simply bring back his cousin Sherman!
Played by Schitt’s Creek star/fellow SCTV legend Eugene Levy, re-canonizing Sherman Tully's place in the Ghostbusters universe could easily fill the audience in on what Louis has been doing in the years before Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Just as a deleted Ghostbusters scene helped set up for the future that Frozen Empire would explore, a long-deleted Ghostbusters II moment presents a great opportunity to keep digging into the archives.
Eugene Levy’s Sherman Tully, Explained
No, I didn’t make this character up, as previous cuts of Ghostbusters II actually included this dermatologist cousin to Rick Moranis’ character. In fact, there’s a pretty good video you can watch below, which includes footage and script pages that reconstruct how he was supposed to factor into the overall plot. Take a moment and enjoy:
Now in the final cut of Ghostbusters II, legendary frenemy Mayor Lenny Clotch (David Margulies) had the Busters released from the psychiatric facility. There hasn’t really been a proper explanation for why Eugene Levy’s small, but crucial role was cut, but at this point that doesn’t matter.
What does matter is bringing Sherman Tully in to help save the day, as both an ally to the Ghostbusters and a means of providing an update on Louis Tully’s whereabouts. At the very least, it'd be nice to know if Louis is living the sweet life, his retirement bonds matured and investments paid off, with nothing but all he holds dear to worry about.
If Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Has A Sequel, Sherman Tully Should Be A Key Player
Admittedly, if there is a third Ghostbusters legacyquel, there’s going to need to be some careful thought on how to include the OG team. I’ve heard some complaints about the old guard’s presence being a bit distracting in Frozen Empire, especially with all of the younger players like Lucky (Celeste O'Connor) and Podcast (Logan Kim) seeming to not get as much screen time this round.
But the threads to the past are also what make this series so strong in the first place, so it’s not like the franchise can just dump the OGs at a moment's notice. With the help of Eugene Levy’s Sherman Tully, another corner of Ghostbusters history can be set straight in the history books, and we could even keep Sherman around as a similar comic relief figure to that of Rick Moranis’ Louis.
Not only could Louis be safely stored in Ghostbusters lore, but the rest of the crew could choose to sit out or participate as they saw fit. If Ernie Hudson wants to return as Winston Zeddemore, the door’s wide open. But if he feels he’s done with the character, and wants to leave him in a good place, that works as well.
Sherman Tully would be a fantastic mentor figure, and comedy sounding board, that could tell stories about the ”Statue of Liberty debacle” that we haven’t heard yet. Plus, he’s still technically owed a ride in ECTO-1, as it was a pretty big condition towards helping Louis and the gang in Ghostbusters II. No matter how you slime it, now's the time to finally bring Sherman into the fold, while also helping the next generation of Ghostbusters take their place in the world.
Unfortunately, those of you who want to revisit those Eugene Levy scenes will have to rely on two sources: YouTube or the out-of-print Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection gift set. However, Ghostbusters II's theatrical cut is currently streaming with access to a Hulu subscription.
But maybe, if Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire puts up decent enough numbers, a bran- new box set could be ready to go soon enough that also includes this long-sought-after footage. And if you want to see where the Ghostbusters are today, you can head to a theater near you and see that most recent entry.
