Sony Pictures’ Ghostbusters 3 has been in developmental limbo for years, held up in large part by the studio’s inability to get leading man Bill Murray to commit, or for that matter even read a script. Today, franchise co-star Dan Aykroyd said the film will shoot next year, even if Murray’s not in. “That is our hope. We have an excellent script,” he said on radio’s The Dennis Miller Show. ”What we have to remember is that Ghostbusters is bigger than any one component, although Billy was absolutely the lead and contributed to it in a massive way, as was the director and Harold (Ramis), myself and Sigourney (Weaver). The concept is much larger than any individual role and the promise of Ghostbusters 3 is that we get to hand the equipment and the franchise down to new blood.” Somebody better tell the execs at Sony, where it’s still no Murray, movie. And for that matter, Murray.


The movie that no one is asking for
I am.
Then you’re an idiot. Remember Ghostbusters 2? This will be worse.
No, not an idiot. Just not a cynic.
…unless, somehow, Wes Anderson directs…
I think they should hand it over to an even older cast. Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Morgan Freeman and Richard Attenborough. Slimer would be proud.
Ghostbusters WILL MAKE MONEY NO MATTER WHAT. Since, it’s one of those popular movies that each generation loves. For example Tron was a box office failure but the sequel made bank even though it was only an ok film.
Ghostbusters 2 wasn’t all that bad. It just lacked the epic, edginess and horror elements of part 1. But, it’s not exactly a Uwe Boll film or some cheesy movie of the week on the syfi network. Part two was a quality film that just had a few flaws. I saw it in theaters and thought is was an ok movie. It’s only major flaw is that the made part 2 more of a tongue and cheek family flick which part one WAS NOT.
I think part of the reason was because the cartoons were on TV at the time. I remember the Real Ghostbusters cartoon and other cartoon when I was a kid.
Ghostbusters is bigger then Bill Murray. But, they can bring in any number of A-List comedians who are just as funny or even funnier. I love Bill Murray but if he’s not even going to contribute by reading the script and/or making contributions then he’s not being a team player so forget him!! He’s not exactly A list anymore so NO FRANCHISE SHOULD HAVE TO BOW DOWN TO HIM.
Note to the people making this movie:
WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER BLUES BROTHERS 2000
1. Make sure the story is taken seriously, not campy. The original had comic relief, but it wasn’t a three stooges UNREALISTIC movie.
2. Make sure the horror elements that scared the hell out of me when I was little are in it.
3. Make sure the mythology of whichever horror ghost is on the epic level of part one and not part two.
Again, this movie will be a hit with or without Bill Murray. It’s like Tron and other franchises that are loved by generations.
I just hope its in 3D!
I hope it’s in 4D, just like my favorite Spy Kids Movie: Spy KIds 4.
No no no. 5D is the way to go. The fifth dimension is one in which you hold in your hand the difference in price btwn a 2D and 3D movie over your head and it magically disappears.
Hurry. I need the work.
I love the fact that there are people out there that actually think this won’t be a waste of everyone’s time. Murray obviously is not interested, he’s moved on with his life. Unless it was the original guys the whole film, I couldn’t care less. The last thing I want to see is some new team of “young blood” trying to crack jokes like Murray did so well in the original.
Amen! The theaters are overfull of that kind of crap. It’s a cancer.
Did anyone see Zombieland?? BM holds this franchise close to his heart. If he’s not interested in a third installment there MUST be a fair reason. Bill’s weird, not stupid.
If GB3 happens with Murray… that’s a big Twinkie.
Who’s Murray? The guy from Lost in Translation?
This is a proven franchise. If they keep the budget reasonable the film will be successful . Anyone who doesn’t believe this is foolish. They do need BILL if they want a big opening weekend (and bigger returns) – The scary thing is the script. People are sick and tired of the “new blood” routine. We never want our heroes to be anything less than how we remember them. The audience knows your setting them up and they don’t like it.
JohnDoe, you are SO RIGHT. We want the originals. It’s called chemistry. They have it. We love it. No “new blood” crap. That’s the worst… and it has been so played.
This will likely make money but it will be a disaster along the lines of Indy 4.
Um… the last Indiana Jones, “Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, made $786,000,000 worldwide. How in the name of Standard & Poore is that a disaster? Sure, the movie sucked… but it’s not about making a good movie. It’s all about making moolah.
GB3, with Murray, will be a worldwide hit. Without him, not so much.
And count me in as one of those idiots who’ll be in line opening night if Murray toplines it.
I can’t name a single person who actually liked it. It made money on brand only. Creatively it was bankrupt.
Seriously, did no one learn anything from the last Indiana Jones? You can’t resurrect a franchise after 20 years. It’s done. Let it go.
Rise/Planet/Apes just resurrected a franchise after more than 40 years.
They also learned something from CASINO ROYALE, STAR TREK and the new MUPPETS will be outstanding. Get the right three young comic talents and all will be well.
Unfortunately what they learned was that that atrocity made a fortune for everyone involved, just like the Star Wars prequels, and they learned that lesson very well.
Yes, they did. They learnt you can make $783m by selling nostalgia.
M, Indy 4 wasn’t fun because of the “new blood” storyline combined with aliens – FORD can obviously still pull it off. The reason that “failed” (almost 900 million?) is because the script stunk. Indy 5 needs a great script. Harrison is still plenty capable. That’s another franchise that still has legs.
script is under lock and key, so i can’t speak to the quality, BUT this movie is DEFINITELY happening and it’s going to shoot next spring in nyc, with or without mr. murray. the sony execs talk about it all the time. you’ll hear an announcement this fall.
yeah sure – to those who say franchise can’t be rebooted after 20 years:
tell it to Hawaii 5-O, Mission Impossible, Charlie’s Angels, etc
Dan Aykroyd is right. With a good script and cast, I’d watch Ghostbusters 3 with or without Bill Murray – and I love Bill, so get out of here you knucklehead! And I mean it. Nuggies! But I’d really to see Woody Allen and Billy Murray together in GB3. The “Woodman” and Murray! Now get out of here you knucklehead.
If it’s a good script I’m fine with the focus being new blood. But Murray needs to at least do a cameo, and ideally more. It’s a nostalgia reboot, so everyone needs to at least show their faces, even Rick Moranis and Annie Potts. It’s just schlock otherwise.
Bill has already said he wants cash upfront, since he knows they will kick him to the curb the minute after the film opens.
What did he say earlier this year? “They want to use us old guys to relaunch the franchise with a bunch of kids.”
So he wants all the moolah they will part with. $80M opening domestic with Murray. $35M opening without him – and then it drops like a stone.
I don’t think it’s dead. The last one came out in 1989 so that’ll be 24 years in between movies. That’s long enough to bury the bad memories of GB2 as long (as stated by many) that Murray’s involved.
(And not in some weak “1 scene cameo.”)
Those guys are funny. They all have a lot to lose and probably learned a lot from GB2.
I have faith.
God bless you, Bill Murray, for staying away from this! GB2 is an unwatchable mess – this should have stayed a standalone film! Whereas the studio dreams of GB3′s potential profits, nobody wants a crappy 3rd film. Stand pat, Mr. Murray!
Getting sick sick sick of so many franchises and requels and seboots! Whatever happened to ORIGINAL films with ORIGINAL ideas??? Yes, I know, it’s easier (and lazier) to market pre-known books, characters, etc. – but I yearn for more original script ideas, not so many retreads. Next thing you know, we’ll see the E.T. reboot. Ugh. Find new stories, Hollywood!!!
Get the originals back and we’re ALL IN! No “cameos” – Give us the real thing (remember why this was a hit) we want the originals – anything less (new blood) is unacceptable.
MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC PEOPLE!!!!!! The music in the original was fantastic! Ray, the BusBoys, Elmer Bernstein. A Grammy nom. Common folks. The music helped that movie get to where it was going. I will tell you now that no one from Columbia has contacted any of the older artists and nobody expects them to because they all want to push the new blood to claim the victory if it happens. I heard Mr. Murray was a big fan of the music in that movie. Please Bill, take care of yourself and please know many in the industry really respect you, but it’s going to take a guy like you to force the turds at Columbia to embrace the old and have the old guys who know WTF to do involved. Tell them no Ray/BusBoys….. no Bill. Who you gonna call…..?
I’m assuming the movie will be a total POS. I’d love to be proven wrong, but nothing that any of these guys has done recently gives me any confidence that they have the slightest clue about how to do this right. That said, $500m worldwide is in the bag and $800m wouldn’t shock me (quality of the film is irrelevant). Sure, they lose some of that if they lose Murray and some of their legitimacy, but how big of a fall does it take without him. Even if they think it’s 40% off the top, I still think it’s greenlit eventually. No Murray just means that the movie goes even further to try to make the new guys the focal point.
Do you people realize how old the original Ghostbusters are now. I’m all for a resurrection to one of my favorite series of all times, with or without the old crew. (Though I do believe that Murray and the rest need to at least train the new blood.) I know I may be alone in this boat, but having grown up with them, I loved the originals. (Even the practically (for some)unbearable and ill fated second one.) I would love to see the series brought back to life with a better attempt than the last cartoon series. (I mean, come on. Egon and slimer alone with a whole new crew. Give me a break.) Sony, if you make it, I will go see it
This won’t turn out well.
It is amazing to me, how many airheads we have out there in this world. If anyone out there had been following Bill Murray online the past couple of years and had been paying attention, red flags would have been clearly seen. They have been waving everywhere! Do I know anything for sure by 100%? No, but what I do know is this: Bill Murray began suffering some kind of a health crisis last fall, carrying into winter past February, and I believe he has known for quite some time about something very serious that has happened with his health. Can anyone recognize literal sarchasm when they see it? Bill Murray said he’d only do 3 if were a ghost. Hey people, get a clue! He didn’t mean being cast as a ghost, he meant that by the time filming starts, he expects to be a ghost. That’s why he hasn’t committed to anything. Why would he, if he knew he wouldn’t be around long enough for filming to complete? In his mind, that’d knowingly break a commitment. I disagree with Bill Murray about a lot of things. Personally, I believe when it comes to judgement and decision making that all to often, he’s had his head up his rear-end. I can honestly say though, that he is a professional and will not commit to a movie he doesn’t plan on making.
Also: Just for the record? Ghostbusters with no Bill Murray will equal a flop, a.k.a. a really bad idea, a.k.a. an epic fail!
Sorry, but I doubt what you said. If that were true, then why haven’t the National Enquirer or TMZ picked up on that yet? I think you’re making far too many assumptions and mental leaps.
Anyone doubting the viability should look at the receipts for the video game — it was that success that led Sony to want a GBIII so badly.
Yes, I hope Bill comes back, like any true Ghostbusters fan. But to be honest, I’m more concerned at how much weight Ramis and Aykroyd have packed on in the years since — Ramis especially. Those are gonna be some tight jumpsuits.
They should use their CG models from the videogame.
The question is, is this worth the gamble? If it turns out well, there’s another great “Ghostbusters” movie out there. That’s the best case scenario, obviously. If it doesn’t, and that’s a real possibility, the movie becomes a blight (a second one, actually, if you believe “Ghostbusters II” to be lacking) on the franchise that will only leave people angry and disappointed.
Just let the idea fade quietly. There was a time for this, but that time has long passed.
The three guys – Penn Badgley, Adam Brody, Chace Crawford, James Lafferty, Shia LaBeouf, Chad Michael Murray or Anton Yelchin
The young woman – Mischa Barton, Sophia Bush, Kat Dennings, Blake Lively, Leighton Meester or Jessica Szohr
New blood? Get real! Some people lost their shit when Ernie Hudson showed up.
Look, the paychecks for GB3 are likely the biggest that Ackroyd, Ramis, et al. will ever cash from this point forward. I don’t blame them for the effort. At the same time, bless Bill Murray for preferring to keep his dignity intact, if that’s his motivation.
No one gives a shit about the teens at Ghostbusters Academy or whatever concept they go with. Nor does seeing the obese original cast attempting to bridge the years-long gap into a new feature hold any appeal. If you really love GHOSTBUSTERS then go watch GHOSTBUSTERS.
It’s tempting to compare to Indy 4 but keep in mind that’s an action movie, not a comedy rising from the dead after 30 years. It would be lucky to be half as good as CANNONBALL RUN II.
Color me skeptical. Loved GB1, as did most everyone. GB2 was eagerly anticipated in its time but fell flat at the BO. Even with the original cast, GB2 seemed tired and uninspired.
Without Bill Murray, this could be DOA. And if the studio does not placate him (ie pay him in cash), his indifference will easily be seen both on-screen and in his lack of appearances on late-night talk shows to plug the film.
Creating a franchise for the next generation? Please! Most of them weren’t alive when GB1 came out – they’ve only seen it on television or maybe VHS/DVD. How about coming up with some new ideas, Sony, or is that not possible anymore?
If GB3 does go through, here is a partial list of things to AVOID:
– 3D
– Shia Leboeuf
– Robert Pattinson
– Taylor Lautner
– Megan Fox
– Kristen Stewart
– Another rap version of GB theme
– “Happy Meal” promotional tie-ins
– A hybrid version of the ghost-mobile
– A ghost version of Bill Murray (he previously said he’d do the film if his character could be dead).
Anyone else care to add to the list?