In 2016, the Ghostbusters franchise finally returned to the big screen, only rather than being a sequel to the original two movies, it was a reboot starring brand-new characters. The Ghostbusters reboot was surrounded by controversy in the months leading up to its release, and while it earned a decent amount of positive reviews among critics, it commercially underperformed. Since then, there've been questions about what's next for the Ghostbusters film series, and now we have an official answer: a new Ghostbusters movie is indeed on the way, and it will exist in the same universe as the original movies.
Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman, the writer and director of the first two Ghostbusters movies, will direct this new installment and co-wrote the script with Monster House and Poltergeist remake director Gil Kenan. Sony has scheduled the new Ghostbusters movie for summer 2020, and production is expected to begin in a few months. Speaking with EW, Reitman said:
I've always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan, when I was a 6-year-old visiting the set. I wanted to make a movie for all the other fans. This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the '80s happened in the '80s, and this is set in the present day.
It's unclear if original Ghostbusters stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd or Ernie Hudson (Harold Ramis passed away in 2014) will reprise their respective roles for the new movie, but according to THR, the main protagonists will be four teenagers, two boys and two girls. Ivan Reitman, who is attached to produce the project, describes it as "a passing of the torch both inside and out." As for how this next Ghostbusters movie won't be connected in any way to the reboot, Jason Retiman stated:
I have so much respect for what Paul [Feig] created with those brilliant actresses, and would love to see more stories from them. However, this new movie will follow the trajectory of the original film
As far as filmmaking qualifications go, Jason Reitman has directed, among other things, Juno, Up in the Air, Tully and The Front Runner, the latter two of which he also wrote. But he also already has ties to the Ghostbusters franchise beyond just being the son of the man who helmed the first two movies, as Jason briefly appeared in Ghostbusters II as a kid at a birthday party unimpressed with the spirit hunters.
We'll have to wait and see how this new Ghostbusters movie is received by the public, but this isn't the only cinematic project in development for the franchise. An animated Ghostbusters movie is still in the works, and it will come out sometime after the live action movie has and be handled by a different creative team.
It should be noted that back in November, Dan Aykroyd hinted that "a reunion with the three remaining Ghostbusters" was being written, but again, there's no word yet if Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore will be around for the movie announced today. Maybe this will be labeled Ghostbusters 3 or maybe it will be a spinoff akin to what Jurassic World was for the Jurassic Park movies. That being said, if teens are indeed the star of this particular show, it's easy enough to imagine Peter, Ray and Winston instructing these young'uns in the art of busting ghosts.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on how this new Ghostbusters movie is coming along. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release schedule to plan your trips to the theater this year accordingly.
