Should We Even Get Our Hopes Up for GHOSTBUSTERS 3?
Josh Millican
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News first hit the internet last week: There’s a third Ghostbusters movie in the works, a sequel to the original horror comedy classic from 1984 (which itself spawned Ghostbusters II in 1989). The source is one of impeccable credibility: Franchise co-star and co-scribe Dan Aykroyd! He claims the screenplay is being written as we speak, telling Dan Rather:
“There is a possibility of a reunion with the three remaining Ghostbusters… It’s being written right now.”
Rejoice, right? Wrong.
We’ve heard it all before, even before Paul Feig’s unfairly-maligned (yet still none-too-good) reboot in 2016, we’d heard murmurs of an original Ghostbusters reunion for, literally, decades. The sticking point has always been Bill Murry, who seems to have zero interest in reprising the role of Dr. Peter Venkman. It’s only an urban legend, but there’s a story that goes something like this:
Years ago, Aykroyd sent Murry his latest draft for a third installment in the Ghostbusters franchise, a script he was extremely proud of. Murry responded nonverbally: Instead of giving feedback, he sent the script back to Aykroyd—shredded!
Whether this dick-move truly happened or is merely a metaphor for Murry’s reticence, it accurately portrays the obstacles that have so far prevented a third Ghostbusters film from being greenlit. Now, however, there’s a completely new reason Ghostbusters 3 might be doomed before it even begins. Fellow co-star and co-scribe Harold Ramis passed away in 2014, meaning there will be a gaping hole in any planned reunion.
Is this another case of Aykroyd crying wolf? More importantly, is a third Ghostbusters even something fans want now that Dr. Egon Spengler has passed to the other side? I know my current levels of both interest and excitement are close to zero. Besides, the original Ghostbusters has aged remarkably well, a vastly entertaining romp that never fails to fright and delight.
Aykroyd and company had years to make an actual Ghostbusters sequel, one that would have maintained the original’s continuity before all of the remaining actors went from hot commodities to crotchety old men. In my humble opinion, that ship has sailed.
Which isn’t to say I’m supportive of Feig’s vision for a sequel to his all-female reboot; he needs to move on before Ghostbusters becomes his own personal white whale.
Synopsis:
After the members of a team of scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to become “ghostbusters” to wage a high-tech battle with the supernatural for money. They stumble upon a gateway to another dimension, a doorway that will release evil upon the city. The Ghostbusters must now save New York from complete destruction.
What do you think about the possibility of Ghostbusters 3 without Harold Ramis? Is it worth the effort or simply too late to recapture the franchise’s magic? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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