When Harold Ramis passed away a couple of weeks ago, it seemed like a natural end to the overlong saga of
Ghostbusters 3. The film has been plagued by script troubles, a lack of genuine fan support, and 100% less Bill Murray than the prior movies had. The project didn't go away but instead was delayed so the script could be retooled, and now comes word that a new director will also need to be found.
According to
Deadline, Ivan Reitman has decided to step down from directing
Ghostbusters 3, but will stick around long enough to help find his replacement. Reitman worked on the most recent draft with Etan Cohen (
Tropic Thunder), and here's what he had to say about it and the reasons for his departure...
Reitman:
"[W]e now have a draft that is very good, that
the studio is very excited about... It’s a version of 'Ghostbusters'
that has the originals in a very minor role. When I came back from
Harold’s funeral, it was really moving and it made me think about a lot
of things. I’d just finished directing Draft Day, which I’m really happy
with and proud of. Working on a film that is smaller and more dramatic
was so much fun and satisfying. I just finally met with Amy and Doug
Belgrad when I got back. I said I’d been thinking about it for weeks,
that I’d rather just produce this Ghostbusters. I told them I thought I
could help but let’s find a really good director and make it with him.
So that’s what we’ve agreed will happen."
He also revealed that they have a handful of directors in mind to take over, and that filming is being planned for early 2015....
Retiman: "I’m not going to say how many Ghostbusters there will be in the new
cast, but we are determined to retain the spirit of the original film,
and I am pleased that all of this seems to have happened organically,”
he said. “I’m hoping we can get started by the fall, set in New York,
but given the logistics and the stuff that happens, the beginning of
2015 seems more likely."
Along with a new director they'll need to find a cast to star as the next generation of Ghostbusters. Ha anybody asked if Slimer will be coming back?
