Dust off your proton packs, you might need them… According to Entertainment Weekly, there’s a new Ghostbusters film in the works. But that’s not all: it’s being directed by Jason Reitman, the son of Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989) director Ivan Reitman, and will take place in the same universe as the first two films.
“I’ve always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan, when I was a 6-year-old visiting the set. I wanted to make a movie for all the other fans,” Reitman says. “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.”
Reitman co-wrote the script with Gil Kenan. The film is being produced by Sony Pictures and is expected to reach cinemas in Summer 2020. Shooting will begin in a few months. The film is currently untitled, but we’re guessing it will be called Ghostbusters III.
It’s currently unclear whether any of the original Ghostbusters cast members will return for the film. But it seems likely that at least a few will appear, seeing as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts all appeared in Paul Feig’s 2016 Ghostbusters film, and that wasn’t even set in the same universe.
“I have so much respect for what Paul created with those brilliant actresses, and would love to see more stories from them,” Reitman added. “However, this new movie will follow the trajectory of the original film.”
The new film will definitely feature a host of new characters, though. “This is very early, and I want the film to unwrap like a present. We have a lot of wonderful surprises and new characters for the audience to meet.”
The untitled Ghostbusters film will be in cinemas in the summer of 2020. Get all the latest sci-fi news with every issue of SciFiNow.