Being a Ghostbusters fan is often a frustrating experience. Since the release of the sequel back in 1989, there’s been a constant stream of rumors about a second follow-up to the classic 1984 original. Along the way, we’ve heard Dan Aykroyd excitedly hyping up the various versions of the project, the most notorious of which would have seen the Ghostbusters go to hell. Then there was the 2016 reboot, which was met with a colossal wave of online disdain, wasn’t very funny and ended up a box office failure. But let’s put all that behind us, because Jason Reitman (son of Ivan) has just announced Ghostbusters 3. For real this time.
According to Entertainment Weekly, it’ll continue the story begun in Ghostbusters and stick to the original timeline. As Reitman put it:
“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.”
If that’s true, then it would seem the plot will necessitate the return of some familiar faces, and sure enough, sources close to We Got This Covered have confirmed that the original cast members “will probably return.” We weren’t given any names of who exactly will make it back for more, but let’s do a little speculating.
Of course, the most likely by far is Dan Aykroyd, whose enthusiasm for all things Ghostbusters rivals even the most dedicated fan. Similarly, I can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t get the most underrated Buster, Ernie Hudson’s Winston Zeddemore back. Trying to convince Sigourney Weaver to return, meanwhile, might be a little more of a stretch, but according to a 2014 interview with Vanity Fair, she’d be on board if they made Dana Barrett’s son Oscar a member of the team.
Heading into the realms of the unlikely is the return of Rick Moranis, who’s been retired from acting for a long time (though he did reprise his role of Dark Helmet in a cameo on The Goldbergs). And then there’s Bill Murray, the most iconic Ghostbuster, but he’s famously been reluctant to sign on for another sequel. His explanation is that “no one wants to pay money to see fat, old men chasing ghosts!”
Fair enough. However, he did pop up for a cameo in the 2016 film and, according to Ackroyd, he’d probably do it, with the actor saying: “I think Billy will come. The story’s so good. Even if he plays a ghost.”
So, who knows? The existence of two Garfield movies indicate that Murray’s no stranger to suppressing his artistic integrity for a payday, but I’d suspect the project will have to be something truly special for him to strap on a proton pack on the big screen.
What do you guys think, though? Will Bill Murray change his mind? And is Ghostbusters 3 really a good idea? Have your say in the comments section down below.