There's Going to Be an All-Male 'Ghostbusters' Reboot, Too
In an apparent sign that boys and girls can never share, Sony has announced plans to stage an all-male "Ghostbusters" reboot in addition to its upcoming all-female flick.
In an interview with Deadline, original "Ghostbusters" director Ivan Reitman revealed the studio's plans to form a production company focusing exclusively on furthering the 'busters brand -- and that includes a brand-new movie with an all-male cast, much like the first two films. Reitman said that Ghostcorps (the name of the new company) is something he and Dan Aykroyd dreamed up when the first flick hit theaters in 1984, and was in development as recently as last fall with former Sony chief Amy Pascal, who's since been replaced as studio head and is now producing Paul Feig's all-female reboot.
Reitman and Aykroyd's new film is eyeing Joe and Anthony Russo, of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" fame, to direct, and writer Drew Pearce ("Iron Man 3," "Mission: Impossible 5") to pen the screenplay. Channing Tatum and producing partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan are already onboard to produce, according to Reitman, with the hope that Tatum will play one of the four new Ghostbusters. All three parties have reportedly discussed the project and are developing it together, Deadline reports.
Deadline's report describes this new macho reboot as a counterpart to and continuation of Feig's film, which stars Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon. Reitman told the trade that the second reboot would build on Feig's story, and would aim to shoot in summer 2016, with a release tentatively planned for summer 2017.
"We want to expand the 'Ghostbusters' universe in ways that will include different films, TV shows, merchandise, all things that are part of modern filmed entertainment," Reitman told Deadline of the Ghostcorps mission. " ... My primary focus will be to build the 'Ghostbusters' into the universe it always promised it might become. The original film is beloved, as is the cast, and we hope to create films we will continue to love."
We're skeptical about the studio's motivations to launch yet another reboot so soon after the announcement of Feig's film (was there really such a negative reaction to females taking on this classic franchise that they had to double-down with a masculine interpretation?) but hopeful that in Reitman's and Aykroyd's hands, the "Ghostbusters" name won't be tainted by too much meddling. Stay tuned -- it seems there's a lot on the horizon for Ghostcorps.
[via: Deadline]
Photo credit: Associated Press