Coming off a disappointing return of the Men in Black franchise this past weekend, one has to wonder… what makes for a successful resurrection of a film series? Maybe there’s a certain dose of nostalgia and common thread to the original films fans need in order to connect with a new installment (Where was Will Smith at?)
Looks like the upcoming Ghostbusters will lean into the roots of ‘80s classic, as original director Ivan Reitman’s son Jason helms the 2020 feature set to see the return of Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson and Sigourney Weaver-- among a few other common threads. Check out what Aykroyd recently told Gamespot of the new movie in the works:
Jason came up with this idea, which is just so good, everybody got it right away and understood. It will connect, better than anything, to the first movie.
Well, this is exciting! While recent reports of the key characters from 1984’s Ghostbusters returning to the franchise already hinted at this, Dan Aykroyd, who is also an executive producer on the project, has now confirmed the story will tie specifically to the original film.
Earlier this month, Jason Reitman called the project a “love letter to the original movie” at a fan event celebrating Ghostbusters’ 35th anniversary in Los Angeles. However, he also talked about how he envisioned the film centering on a 12-year-old girl and her family. The girl will be played by Mckenna Grace (Captain Marvel, Gifted) and her family, Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard and Fargo’s Carrie Coon.
The connection between these new characters and the Ghostbusters’ cast we remember is yet to be known, but it certainly looks like an exciting ensemble cast has joined the upcoming installment. Per some other recent words by Dan Aykroyd on the film, it won’t be a cheap imitation of the originals. Here’s what he said:
It’s so different from even the first and second [movies]. This just takes it to a new generation and a new direction that is so warm, heartfelt and, indeed, quite scary when you confront some of the issues that are being discussed.
While 1984’s Ghostbusters was fueled by its comedic tone, it looks like this version may have some ‘scary’ elements to it and relevant discussions for our time. With the additional leading cast, this certainly seems to be the case, as Grace, Wolfhard and Coon are known more for their dramatic work than comedic chops.
The movie will follow the commercial failure of Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters, a female-led reboot that proved unprofitable for Sony, as it the film made $229 million worldwide on a $144 million budget. The film is set to hit theaters on July 10, 2020.
