Ghostbusters 3

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

Casting is underway for new roles in the upcoming third Ghostbusters film, early, early pre-pre-production has begun and there’s even been some location scouting done. Cleveland’s WKYC make it pretty clear that some locations have been selected, saying:

“Sony has penciled in spring 2014 date to start shooting the third instalment here in Cleveland.”

It’s really happening. For real. Almost certainly without Bill Murray, but still.

Cleveland already stood in for New York in both Spider-Man 3 and The Avengers. It did just fine, and it’ll do just fine again. It seems to be considered as useful for large-scale exterior shoots so expect either a car chase, a battle against spooks in the streets or maybe, just because this series has real form on this front, a giant something stomping along, trampling all and sundry underfoot.

Attachments:

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

From:
www.deadline.com/2014/03/ghostbusters-movie-going-forward-without-ivan-reitman-sony/


Sony Pictures is eyeing an early 2015 production start Ghostbusters New Movie in New York on its next installment of Ghostbusters. There is a major change, though. In the wake of the death of his close friend and original Ghostbuster Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman has decided he won’t direct the film, after all. Instead, Reitman will help Amy Pascal find a new director to take over what everyone hopes will reboot what the studio considers to be one of its most important franchises.

In all the years Sony has tried to get this film up and running, Reitman has been the most stable part of the equation, long locked to direct his third installment of the film. This included the long campaign to get Bill Murray to reprise his signature role, when it became impossible to even get him to read a script that Sony, Reitman and their other architect Dan Aykroyd were happy with. It has been clear for a while that Murray wasn’t going to be part of this, and momentum has been building. Then Ramis, a catalyst for some of the biggest film comedies of the 1970s and ’80s, passed away. That has changed everything.

Reitman spoke exclusively with Deadline on his decision, and I’m going to give him ample room to explain why he changed his mind after so many years of being the primary person pushing this forward.

orig“There has been all kinds of stuff, unofficially written about Ghostbusters,” Reitman told me. “I’ve been reading things online for about four years, speculation on who’s writing, what they’re writing, who’s in it, who we will use, and who’s directing. We’d decided not to comment up till now, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, and it was never clear what Bill was going to do. A lot of things happened in the last few months, the most significant of which was the passing of Harold, who was a very good friend who was extraordinarily influential in my career. We did five movies together including both Ghostbusters.”

Reitman confirmed the Murray chase, one that encompassed not one but two scripts.

“The first was done by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, and me, Harold and Dan helped them on it,” Reitman said. “It was a really good script, but then it became clear that Bill really didn’t want to do another Ghostbusters and that it was literally impossible to find him to speak to for the year or two we tried to get it going. When Bill finally…well, he never actually said no, but he never said yes, so there was no way to make that film. We decided to start over again, and I started working with Etan Cohen, with Dan lending a helping hand. Harold got sick about three years ago, and we kept hoping he would get better. I kept pushing forward on the Etan Cohen and we 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,” he said. “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. I didn’t want all kinds of speculation about what happened with me, that is the real story.”

Sony’s Pascal confirmed this. “We totally understood,” she told me. “He was thinking he might feel that way when Harold died, and then came back to us and confirmed it, that while he was excited to return and make the movie as producer, but did not feel he wanted to direct the movie. We are delighted to work with Ivan on this movie in that capacity. We love him, and he’s going to continue to play an important role. We’re very anxious to get the movie started.”

The movie should give Sony a fresh start franchise and building those is a Sony priority, from stalwart James Bond to expanding the Spider-Man universe to rebooting Men In Black, and already commissioning Richard Wenk to write a sequel of the fall release The Equalizer, with Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua game to reprise a movie whose test scores have the studio bullish.

The death of a close friend and collaborator like Ramis can only make one question a lot of things, and Reitman was left feeling that retracing his steps without Ramis being there just didn’t feel right.

“It was such an amazing time in my life 30 years ago, and I felt that way on the second film,” he said. “With Harold no longer with us I couldn’t see it.” Reitman said he’s proud of the way that the film has remained vibrant, even with all the fits and starts and obstacles for production. “It really seems to have resonated, and I think a lot of adults who saw it when they were younger have shown it to their kids and they seem to respond much the same way. Sony sees this as a huge worldwide opportunity, and it is eager to make the film.

Reitman said they are already working on a short list of directors they’ll go out to, and then it will be time to find the new cast. “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.”

tell Reitman I was around New York during that first movie, when traffic had to be re-rerouted each day near Central Park because of the mayhem created by the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and the other slimy ghouls that haunted that film.

“I am proud to have a long history of closing big boulevards in New York,” said Reitman. Now he’ll just do it as producer. He’s repped by CAA.

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

www.dreadcentral.com/news/76601/feast-your-eyes-major-ghostbusters-3-info#axzz34fobxOZo


Yes indeed, there is new information regarding Ghostbusters 3, including a new character, casting and plenty more to sink your teeth into. Who ya gonna call? Nobody right now! You're going to click on into this article and find out what your favorite ectoplasm-covered heroes are up to.

The first bit of info comes from an article in Vanity Fair: Oscar, the son of Dana (Sigourney Weaver) and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), is now a Ghostbuster.

A quote from the article reads, "For example, Sigourney Weaver says that during one relatively recent conversation with Ivan Reitman, 'I said, "I have one condition; I want my son, Oscar (from Ghostbusters II), to be a Ghostbuster," and he said, "We’ve already done that."'"

We also get confirmation from the same article that, as anticipated, many members of the original cast are returning. An additional quote reads, "All of the original cast members interviewed for this article tell VF Hollywood that they’d happily participate in a third installment, and several speculated about what their characters would be up to today. Rick Moranis on the fate of Louis Tully: 'He’s in prison, a cellmate of Bernie Madoff’s. They compete to see who can make their bed first in the morning.' Ernie Hudson prophesies that Winston Zeddmore would be 'the C.E.O. of the Ghostbusters franchise. I just hope that he wouldn’t be on a walker or in a wheelchair.' He adds wistfully, 'And hopefully we’ll still be able to wear the backpacks.'"

Even more Ghostbusters 3 information was found in an article at Screen Crush. Although Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) is the latest candidate to direct Ghostbusters 3, that wasn't always the case. Originally Phil Lord and Chris Miller (directors of The Lego Movie) were attached to the project but then turned down the opportunity. Miller stated, "Right now, we’re just super tired and we want to take a break. We’re doing a TV show with Will Forte. So we don’t really know what we’re gonna do next; we just know we can’t jump into another movie like that right away."

And Miller and Lord agreed, "We think that there’s a good Ghostbusters movie out there. It’s such a fun franchise. Obviously, we don’t have the same attitude as people who hate stuff before it's even made. It's a fun idea and it's a fun world and I think it will work."

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

variety.com/2014/film/news/paul-feig-ghostbusters-comedy-reboot-1201274332/

Paul Feig is being courted to direct and produce a “Ghostbusters” comedy reboot.

Feig is not helming “Ghostbusters 3″ or another sequel, in any sense of the word, as has been incorrectly reported.

The movie is a total reboot most likely with female characters played by comedic actresses in the ghostbusting roles, according to sources. The script will be written from scratch.

Feig, who is best known for helming the comedy hits “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat,” has been in conversation with Sony to direct the project. However, no formal negotiations have taken place yet. Sony declined to comment.

Feig is also re-teaming with Melissa McCarthy to direct her latest comedy “Spy,” which is slated for a Memorial Day 2015 release. The director has several new scripts in development at Fox that will likely be ready to go while he’s at work on “Spy” so this “Ghostbusters” fem reboot will not necessarily be his next film.

“Ghostbusters 3″ was initially supposed to be directed by Ivan Reitman, the director of the original “Ghostbusters” and its 1989 follow-up, “Ghostbusters II,” but he dropped out in March. It’s unclear whether another director will be chosen for that project or if this reboot will take its place.

“Men in Black 3″ writer Etan Cohen was brought on broad in 2012 to redraft “Ghostbusters 3.” “The Office” scribes Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky were hired in 2008 to revive the blockbuster franchise.

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

www.deadline.com/2014/08/film-chauvinist-asks-do-we-want-an-estrogen-powered-ghostbusters/


Film Chauvinist Asks: Do We Want An Estrogen-Powered ‘Ghostbusters?’

Sony has tried and failed to conjure a new Ghostbusters so many times, it’s not surprising they would embrace a daring new take from femme-friendly comedy director Paul Feig. Most famous for Bridesmaids and The Heat, Feig wants to transfer that formula for a Ghostbusters reboot that would be driven by girl ghost hunters.

That turns on its ear the original construct that consisted of three earnest ghost chasers (Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson) led by a disreputable misogynistic womanizer (Bill Murray). Great comedy ensued from that dynamic, and left room for comic turns by Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, Rick Moranis and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Signing Feig would be great news for Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, and maybe Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne and Rebel Wilson, but what about the rest of us? The ones who feel a level of ownership of the classic 1984 guy comedy Ghostbusters, the ones who endured a disappointing sequel and waited years for Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) to finally say he was not going to answer the call for a third film so we could get to this point? I feel slimed.

I had it in my mind that we’d see some combination of Jonah Hill, Kevin Hart, Channing Tatum, James Franco, Zach Galifianakis, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis carry on the spirit of the ghost-busting tale.

I know, some of those guys spit the bit in The Watch, a movie that also dealt with otherworldly forces (aliens) and sucked. And, there is the potential fiscal upside: we are seeing a recognition that women will come to the movies if there is something in it for them, as evidenced by the Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Other Woman and last weekend’s winner, Lucy, with Gone Girl and Fifty Shades Of Grey sure to add to that box-office win streak. And Marvel Comics just gave Thor a gender do-over and made the hammer-wielder a woman.

But does that give them the right to take Ghostbusters from knuckle-dragging Neanderthals like me who have little else going for us but our all-time top 10 or 20 favorite guy movies, and the prospect of a revamp that feels like the original guy version of one of the films on that list? What’s next, a Goodfellas redo with female mobsters pulling off the Lufthansa heist? A Raging Bull redo with Rhonda Rousey? Brian’s Song, set in in the WNBA? Animal House at a sorority? Sony has been looking for the right director since Ivan Reitman told Deadline he’d decided no more ghost busting for him, that he would oversee the revamp as producer but that it was time to hand the torch. This was after the great Harold Ramis passed away.

Sony courted Cloudy with a Chance Of Meatballs helmers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (they also did The Lego Movie) and others, to no avail. Freaks & Geeks creator Feig is one funny dude, and he served up two female-driven comedies as raunchy as The Hangover. His participation in the Ghostbusters reboot is by no means set in stone; Feig has a rich deal at Fox, and plenty of R-rated comedies percolating there to keep him busy.

Nowadays, a conversation triggers trade stories. For purists, you never win when an attempt is made to reboot a classic comedy you love, especially in an era where franchise titles are at a premium and the entire business is driven by tent poles and giant opening weekends and little else. Casting with girl power is certainly a way to differentiate the new film from the old, while exploiting the financial benefits of an iconic title which shows up on some studio spreadsheet as a potential gold mine. It’s just going to take me awhile to wrap my arms around this one.

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

www.deadline.com/2014/08/ghostbusters-paul-feig-casting-all-female/

‘Ghostbusters:’ Not Just For Old, White Guys

My self-described Neanderthal colleague decried Sony‘s reboot of Ghostbusters using female actors as a way to ruin a good remake, but last I checked, we don’t live in the 1950s anymore. What does gender matter? I mean, come on, Mike, it’s time to stand upright and dust off your knuckles, if there’s any skin left on them. When I told Mike I was going to write this, he asked, “You mean you’re going to bitch-slap me?” He also told me to go “pro gal.” I feel like Dolly Parton working with Dabney Coleman in 9 to 5. Where’s the electrical tape and some rope?Not only would I like to see any great female comedic actors lead a Ghostbusting team — an idea, by the way, that was just being tossed around at the moment with nothing whatsoever set in stone — but wouldn’t it be fun to see the likes of Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Sofia Vergara, Teri Polo, Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, Negin Farsad or Jenna Fischer wading through the slime? And maybe taking down, oh, I don’t know, maybe a film chauvinist?

By the way, I’m of the belief that if a movie is good the first time around, you don’t need to remake it, but this is an era of remakes and reboots, so there is little hope this reboot won’t happen sooner or later. I hate to ask what they will try to remake next: Caddyshack? I shudder at the thought, and I’m sure there are some getting ready to roll in their graves right now, even as young development executives are busily looking up the movie on IMDB (‘Is that spelled C-a-d-d-i-e?”). But if a reboot of Ghostbusters is going to be done anyway and director Paul Feig (The Heat, Bridesmaids) is talking about doing an ensemble comedy that employs (gasp!) females in the leading roles, really, is this an issue?

The only question is if they can keep themselves from putting out more raunch. Give us a clean, quality film, which is what made the first one (rated PG) so successful to begin with and which drove repeat family business and ticket sales.

As for strong women roles, the industry has come a long way, but apparently not with some (cough, Mike Fleming, cough). When Linda Hamilton appeared in The Terminator as a ferociously tough and courageous woman, Hollywood left languishing those moviegoers hungry to see more women in strong roles. Instead, they got more of the same ol’, same ol’ for seven years until she emerged again in Terminator 2 as a superhero. Now, finally, we have Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johannson and Jennifer Lawrence kicking it in action roles at the box office.

So, what does it matter what gender leads Ghostbusters? We have an irreverent raccoon right now as the scene-stealer in this weekend’s biggest movie at the box office. I know this is a business, but there is an audience for a family-friendly film such as this — one that can bring in the 18- to 25-year-olds who love the shoot-em-ups — and still engage them for a weekend with something light (like humor).

Interestingly, when the original Ghostbusters came out in 1984, they targeted those same 18- to 25-year-olds by doing the first cross-promotion for a movie with an auto company, marketing the film to college students in a joint effort with Chevrolet that was trying to build is brand awareness and loyalty with males and yes, females, too. Wow, who would have thunk it? Females drove cars back then?

Yes, even the old, white guys that ran Chevrolet back in the 1980s knew that there is more in this world than old, white guys. Mike, at least come into the age of the microwave (he calls it the unmanageable scientific oven). Hey, someone has to be the gatekeeper … so who is Feig gonna call?

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

variety.com/2014/film/news/paul-feig-heat-ghostbusters-reboot-1201325054/

Paul Feig Re-Teaming with ‘Heat’ Writer for Female-Centric ‘Ghostbusters’

Sony’s female-led reboot of its “Ghostbusters” franchise is gaining momentum with “The Heat” writer Katie Dippold re-teaming with director Paul Feig.

Feig confirmed the news Wednesday on Twitter.


Dippold will write the script with Feig, who became attached to the project in August.

“Ghostbusters 3″ was initially supposed to be directed by Ivan Reitman, the director of the original “Ghostbusters” and its 1989 follow-up, “Ghostbusters II,” but he dropped out in March. Feig proposed that the franchise be rebooted with female leads.

Reitman is producing the new “Ghostbusters.” Feig and his Feigco Entertainment partner Jessie Henderson will executive produce.

Dippold has written a sequel to “The Heat,” which starred Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock. Feig is also re-teaming with McCarthy to direct her latest comedy “Spy,” which is slated for a Memorial Day 2015 release.

Dippold is repped by WME and 3 Arts Entertainment.

News about Dippold was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

variety.com/2014/film/news/ghostbusters-reboot-will-bill-murray-return-in-smaller-role-1201330132/

Paul Feig is working on an all-female reboot of “Ghostbusters” for Sony Pictures, but that doesn’t mean the new film won’t include Bill Murray. According to insiders, the studio would jump at the chance to sign Murray for either a cameo or supporting role. The real challenge will be convincing Murray, who for years has resisted making another “Ghostbusters.”

“The studio gets really crazy about it,” Murray told Variety during a sit-down interview for this week’s cover story. “What they really want to do is resurrect a franchise. The first one was a spectacular movie, one of the greatest movies. The second one was”–Murray makes an unimpressed sound. “It had some moves. It had a few good scenes in it.”

Murray is one of the few actors in Hollywood who can’t be bought. “People say, ‘Bill, you could get so rich!'” Murray says. “I’m ok.” He looks down at his red pants and plastic watch. “I don’t look it, but I’m doing ok.”

Over the years, Murray has looked over several treatments for a third film. “I read one that Danny [Aykroyd] wrote that was crazy bizarre and too crazy to comprehend,” Murray says. And then there was the script where his character died and returned as a ghost. “It was kind of funny, but not well executed,” Murray says. Sony was interested, and director Ivan Reitman (who made the first two films) tried to get Murray onboard. “It was clear he just didn’t want to engage,” Reitman says. “His head was in a whole different place as an actor. He wanted to do smaller roles where he didn’t have to take on the weight of the lead.”

Aykroyd recalls a similar conversation with Murray. “He said to me, ‘I’ve done the character,'” Aykroyd says. “I totally understand. The studio knew in their hearts that without Murray there may be nothing there. Plus, ‘Ghostbusters’ needs a shot of youth. It’s got to be handed to the new generation.”

Still, that doesn’t mean Murray couldn’t be there to pass the baton. During his interview with Variety, Murray left the door open–by a hair–indicating that he’d consider another “Ghostbusters” if the idea felt fresh. Feig and Katie Dippold (“The Heat”) are now working on the new script. “Those guys, Danny and Harold [Ramis], were at the top of their game,” Murray says. “They were burning nitro at that moment. Unless you have a really clear vision, you’re always trying to recreate that.”

Murray says he’s happy right now with the trajectory of his “Ghostbusters”-free career. He’s starring in the Weinstein Co.’s “St. Vincent,” and he’s wrapped a new Cameron Crowe film (out in May 2015) and the Barry Levinson comedy “Rock the Kasbah.” “I got like three in a row that could be really great,” Murray says. “I could be sitting in a different chair in a year. If all three of these are as good as I think they are, it could be easy. I won’t have to think about ‘Ghostbusters’ all the time.”

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

www.dreadcentral.com/news/82052/potential-ghostbusters-3-cast-revealed-jennifer-lawrence-aint-afraid-no-ghosts/

Potential Ghostbusters 3 Cast Revealed; Jennifer Lawrence Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts?

Just a couple days after learning that Rebel Wilson is potentially on board for the upcoming Ghostbusters 3, which looks to be a total reboot rather than a sequel, an interesting tidbit has leaked that suggests possible involvement from a handful of pretty big Hollywood names. So read on for the latest.

The Daily Beast reports on a leaked series of e-mails between Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Ivan Reitman, director/producer of the original Ghostbusters film.

The e-mails reveal the names of several actresses allegedly interested in answering the call, and they also spill some key details about Paul Feig’s reboot.

“Agree that everyone is way too nervous about this issue and how we present it, but it isn’t a sequel to the 80s movies and it is gonna be totally original with completely different characters and our job is to find a clever way to connect the movie to the original franchise so that we can use all the assets and everything that is great about the original franchise,” the email read.

“Paul’s movie is gonna be the first one and from what I’m hearing Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone and Melissa McCarthy and Amy Schumer and Lizzy Kaplan, just to name a few, have already said they wanted to be in.”

All we know for sure is that Paul Feig is officially going to be the man to bring Ghostbusters back to the big screen in the form of an all-female reboot written by Katie Dippold (The Heat). As stated earlier, it appears that his film will be taking place in a world where the events of the previous two films never happened, thereby ensuring that it’s not going to be any sort of sequel.

“I love origin stories,” said Feig, when asked about the general direction he was going with the story. “That’s my favorite thing. I love the first one so much I don’t want to do anything to ruin the memory of that. So it just felt like, let’s just restart it because then we can have new dynamics. I want the technology to be even cooler. I want it to be really scary, and I want it to happen in our world today that hasn’t gone through it so it’s like, oh my God, what’s going on?”

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/report-channing-tatum-wants-to-star-in-a-ghostbusters-spin-off-with-chris-pratt-20141215

Channing Tatum Wants To Star In A 'Ghostbusters' Spin-Off With Chris Pratt

Who you gonna call? Not just Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, Rebel Wilson & co, apparently. After years of false starts, Sony's development of a third "Ghostbusters" movie took a new lease of life this year, as "Freaks & Geeks" and "Bridesmaids" mastermind Paul Feig signed on to develop a new reboot of the seminal '80s supernatural comedy that would focus on a team of female "Ghostbusters."

Almost every comedy-minded actress in Hollywood has expressed interest, with reports in recent days that the likes of Stone and Lawrence are being targeted by Feig for the project, while Ryan Gosling is said to be interested in playing the male lead. But Gosling might not be the only A-list dude to be slapping on a backpack, as The Daily Beast's picking at the bones of the Sony leak have revealed that there might be a second "Ghostbusters" project on the way.

The idea comes, reportedly, from Channing Tatum, along with producing partner Reid Carolin and The Russo Brothers, directors of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," who have apparently come up with a mythology-heavy approach reminiscent of Nolan's "Batman Begins," namechecked by Tatum in a hilariously-phrased email along the lines of this one...

The idea would be for Tatum to star alongside freshly-minted A-lister Chris Pratt, who's been looking to do a movie with his friend C-Tates: the pair worked together on "Ten Years" a little while back. The email, dated from August, suggests that the pair were willing to develop the movie alongside Feig's female-heavy version, sharing the same universe, with the Russos (who are apparently close to Feig, presumably from their shared TV directing days on "Arrested Development") suggesting that the "The Heat" helmer could direct both projects while they produce.

Sony apparently reacted warmly, as you might imagine given the A-list team they'd been handed. That said, it remains to be seen how Feig responded -- it's possible he could have shut down the Tatum/Pratt project, and as enticing as that pairing is, we'd rather see Feig's fresher take move forward, at least first. So is there fire where there was smoke? Or is this another spitball that the Sony leak has made public at its earliest stage of gestation? We'll see...