Let's see if MTV's headline about that Chris Pratt/Channing Tatum Ghostbusters project matches up with the substance of their story. Here's the headline: "That Other ‘Ghostbusters’ Is Totes Happening, And Guess Who They’re Gonna Call".
And here's what writer Drew Pearce had to actually say about the film: “That’s definitely the cast we’ve been thinking about as we approach the project. Whether that happens or not is very much above my pay grade. It’s just my job to give them something exciting that maybe they’ll do.”
Uh, something here doesn't compute. Here's where things stand: Pearce confirmed to MTV that he had finished writing something that would be part of Sony's planned Ghostbusters universe that includes Paul Feig's upcoming film and could comprise four movies in total.
“I’ve finished my work on that in the last couple weeks. Obviously it’s top secret, but there’s a gigantic bold idea that I came up with, and the Russo brothers — who did Captain America: The Winter Soldier and are doing Civil War at the moment — and Ivan Reitman, who did the original movie, are going to take that and run with it. Obviously I cannot tell you what it is, but hopefully in one year’s time you’ll know!”
Pearce then hit Twitter to clarify his statements, saying that what he wrote isn't exactly a script, but basically a "bible" for the project if it were to ever reach the scripting stage.
Also, I've only written a bible (because I have to go off and direct my own stuff). No script yet. So news cycle: CHILL YOUR BOOTS.
— Drew Pearce (@mrdrewpearce) July 29, 2015
He also adds that the film, which has been referred to as an "all-dude" Ghostbusters as some kind of counter to Feig's female-led comedy, is actually something quite different.
For the record, my GB idea has a mixed gender team. Also ghosts of all classes (I to VII). It's very inclusive that way.
— Drew Pearce (@mrdrewpearce) July 29, 2015
So MTV is going a little overboard when they so enthusiastically state that the Ghostbusters spinoff is "totes happening", as it sounds as if a lot still needs to be worked out. For one thing, Pratt has completely denied any knowledge of it, while Tatum recently suggested the film was dead because too many Ghostbusters projects were going on at once. And that may be the biggest problem of all, finding a way to make multiple films telling essentially the same type of story fit into the same universe. There doesn't appear to be much communication between Feig, Akroyd, Reitman, Tatum, the Russos, and whoever else about what this budding franchise should be.
Pearce co-wrote Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation which opens this weekend. Feig's Ghostbusters hits theaters July 22nd 2016.
