In this writer’s opinion, Ghostbusters 3 is another one of those long-in-development sequels that will probably be, at best, extremely disappointing. Remember Live Free and Die Hard? Remember Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? Has there ever been an instance of a twenty-year-old sequel that was as good or better than the original?
Still, I’m holding out hope for a miracle, which is precisely what it’ll take for Ghostbusters 3 to be better than Ghostbusters the first. According to Bloody Disgusting, Dan Aykroyd stopped by WGN Radio to chat about, amongst other things, the status of the second Ghostbusters sequel.
Aykroyd confirmed a number of rumors that have been making the rounds across the Internet over the past few weeks. First, yes, they are in the process of casting for the third film — specifically, those actors who will play the new generation of Ghostbusters? — and they’re open to the idea of casting new faces. Second, yes, they are interested in Anna Faris and SNL star Bill Hader, who Aykroyd referred to as “strong possibilities,” though he reiterated nothing was concrete as of yet. Curiously, Will Forte, another SNL veteran who has been rumored to be up for a part, was not mentioned.
This news comes hot on the heels of Entertainment Weekly claiming that the Ghostbusters rumors regarding Anna Fenris, Will Forte, and Bill Hader being cast are just that — rumors and nothing more.
A few things: I absolutely don’t want to watch a Ghostbusters movie sans the very reason I enjoyed the original. Sure, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Bill Murray, and even Sigourney Weaver have all, at the very least, tentatively agreed to be in Ghostbusters 3, but I don’t want to be teased with minor parts from some of my favorite characters ever. A glorified cameo for Bill Murray as Peter Venkman would be worse than no Bill Murray at all (at least in my opinion).
But — if the filmmakers are absolutely determined to pass the Ghostbusters torch to a new generation of human beings, why in the world would they cast members of the least hilarious SNL cast in the history of SNL (…plus Anna Faris)? Stacking Bill Hader and Will Forte, both of whom I generally like, against the likes of Dan Aykroyd and comedy-god Bill Murray only compounds the fact that there’s no comparison whatsoever.
As a matter of fact, there are only a couple ways I’d be fully onboard with the concept of a new generation of Ghostbusters.
- Cast the gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I’m not even talking about just casting the actors here, I’m talking about literally plucking the characters from It’s Always Sunny — Mac, Dennis, Dee, Frank, and, of course, Charlie — and making them the new Ghostbusters.
- Cast a bunch of pretty boys like the Jonas Brothers, Shia LaBeouf, and Justin Timberlake, have them screw the pooch something terrible as the twenty-something Ghostbusters, thus forcing the nigh-on-elderly Ghostbusters – -Egan, Ray, Winston, and Pete — to return in the last forty minutes to save the day.
Whatever happens with Ghostbusters 3, which may begin filming in May 2011, there’s not much we the fans can do but hope that it all turns out for the best. While you read this article, did you manage to come up with an example of a twenty-year-old sequel that was as good as or better than the original? Because I sure didn’t…
Sources: Bloody Disgusting & Entertainment Weekly
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Live Free Or Die Hard and Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull were awesome! And Ghostbusters 3 will be awesome!!
I agree those names probably won’t live up to the original cast, but who would? I have yet to see ANY “comedians” these days to be even the slightest bit funny. I don’t even watch comedy anymore b/c most of the funny comedians are all retired or have become stale.
Aykroyd just seems to talking things up to get things started.
I wont believe anything until they start shooting.
STARWARS….just kidding…
I liked Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull right up to the FLYING SAUCER ending. Indiana Jones doesn’t fight Aliens, Han Solo does. Live Free or Die Hard was good, not as good as Die Hard or Die Hard 2 but still was good.
A woman beat up John Mclane???? NO… Die Hard for. was Die Hard Lite… Or Diet Die Hard. Do not sit there and say that movie was good. Please.
I agree with you 100000%, Ben.
Really? Cast a bunch of pretty boys like Jonas Brothers, Shia LaBeouf, and Justin Timberlake? That is the worst idea I’ve heard yet; and if they did cast any one of those actors, I’d wait to watch GB3 on cable television.
I would be on board with the cast of “It’s Alway Sunny…”
Just add Bieb the Dweeb to that list, and I’ll condem this movie. Thanfully, they won’t go with that casting.
I think you missed my point, which was that the pretty boys would do a terrible job, thus necessitating the return of the original Ghostbusters. And yeah, I stand by that idea.
No, I got your point, and I still think it’s a terrible casting call.
Come on, you didn’t think he was serious, did you, notYOU?
The Jonas Brothers and Tristan Wilde from 90210 as the new Ghostbusters are fine, but the cast OF IASIP ? AND SHIA AND JT? GIMME A BREAK HERE!
Die Hard 4 was a good update and I really did like it. I am not sure what the problem with this movie was. As for Ghostbusters 3, it doesnt matter what anyone says on these forums. It will get made, some will like it, some wont. Live with it.
I am onboard with casting the gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. good call, they would be a great fit…LMFAO.
Or get the cast from Grown-Ups.
I still say, you bring Jonah Hill into this and give him some sort of Spicoli or uber-nerd and a decent straight guy to play off of and you have GOLD!
How funny would it be to see Hill freaking out over facing off against the supernatural with cohorts who just don’t share his manic sensibilities?!
Seeing him have a panic attack over meeting up with Slimer would be worth admission price alone!
Here’s my problem with your premise of this article, you’re stating that a sequel won’t capture the magic of the original. My counter to that is what sequel HAS EVER captured the magic of the original? The Godfather 2 possibly is the only one (I don’t consider Star Wars Episode V & VI sequels as they are more continuations of a miniseries than stand alone movies). The reason some movies are just so great is that everything comes together so well and when they (producers, studios, Hollywood in general) try to force that perfection through a sequel, it never works. That’s why I have little hope for The Hangover 2, some movies are just perfect for their time and need to be appreciated for that, not milked to death just for a few more bucks.
I’m not even talking about capturing the magic of the original, I’m talking about meeting or surpassing the quality of the original, which has happened time and again. A Shot in the Dark, For a Few Dollars Moore, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Aliens, The Empire Strikes Back–which, in my opinion, is a sequel regardless of whether or not it’s part of a story (you could argue the same for any sequel?)–etc. Frankly, these movies are better or as good as the original because they decided to do something wholly different and NOT recapture the magic of the original.
As long as SNL “so called funny man” Will Ferrel IS NOT IN IT I’ll check it out
any word on if Annie Potts & Rick Moranis are in GB3 ?
I vote for the Always Sunny cast. I love watching them in any capacity, really.
woody harrelson cameo on GB3 would be nice just like zombieland
Some funny actors that could play hilarious characters in my eyes? Not all are that young but have great comedic presence.
Micheal Cera
Jonah Hill
Aziz Ansari
Andy Samberg
Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Russell Brand
Jack Black
Tracy Morgan
Wow. That’s the worst list of “funny” people I’ve ever read.
Without giving any personal opinion on these examples, I would like to note that the newest Rocky and Rambo movies received pretty solid reviews …
Rocky was fairly well-reviewed, but no one, or at least very few people, would make the claim that it was as good or better than the original. Rambo, on the other hand, was very poorly reviewed: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/john_rambo/
Great movies with great sequels
Original: Frankenstein; Sequel: Bride of Frankenstein
Original: Terminator; Sequel: Terminator II
Original: Toy Story; Sequel: Toy Story II and III
Original: Alien; Sequel: Aliens
What you can see from this list is that to have a successful sequel you must have some of the same or equally creative people writing and directing the sequels. The actors are what you see on the screen, but it’s the writing and directing plus good actors that make a movie great. So, who’s writing and directing this?
First — I’m in agreement with you on those sequels being very good or great, but they’re also not twenty-year-old sequels. I would also add For a Few Dollars Moore, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, A Shot in the Dark, Aliens, The Road Warrior, The Empire Strikes Back, Spider-Man 2, and more to your list. By and large, these movies were as good or better than the original because they DIDN’T try to recapture what made the original so good; rather, they tried to do something completely different.
One more great movie with a great sequel:
Movie: Batman Begins; Sequel: The Dark Knight
Good actors are actually easy to find. It’s harder to find good scripts and directors.
I think that what you’re saying can be true, but bad actors, and especially when it comes to comedies, bad comedic-actors, can ruin a movie. Were it not for Bill Murray, Lost in Translation would not be remembered.
This movie would actually have been worth getting excited about, if they weren’t talking about killing off Peter Venkman. That ruined it for me. Right when I read that, any excitement I might have had was stamped null and void.
That was Murray’s choice because he want’s to be brought back as a ghost. Instead of getting slimed he wants to do some sliming. I am down.
I say screw those kind of comedians and get Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, and sure Jonah Hill. Now that would be a killer blockbuster. You could replace Jonah with Galifinakis too if u wanted. Come on, I’m right on this. Someone pay attention!!!
Who cares if it is as good as the original? Nothing ever is! Is it?
In the case of Ghostbusters, it only has to be better than part 2 to be worthy of the original. “Not hard to do”
I don’t get the obsessive need to cast Sigourney Weaver… In fact I think it was the insistence on her being the focal point that ruined the first sequel!
Yes, there are plenty of sequels that are better.
how bout havin the original ghostbusters in der retirement home dat gets attacked by ghosts
I think it will be amazing just like the first two. I saw Dan Aykroyd in this video with Mark Oldman and he looks ready to make a comeback! http://www.markoldman.com/videos/drinkbravely19
Rambo 4 was better than than Rambo 2 & 3.
Not that the critics are the be-all-end-all, but they don’t agree with you. Neither did the box office.
I hope they make Slimer part of the group later in the movie, as their mascot like he was in the animated series.
hm
I am 25 and i love the Ghostbuster(GB). I would like to see them past the proton packs to some new younger guys so the franchise can continue. i dont want to say what will work or what wont but i like Zach Galifinakis also like to be the new vekman. but focus on the movie and ghost and less on a weaver or anything else. i also like the idea of GB training the new guys new guys get over thier heads and the original GB come back and show em how its done. whatever happens as bad as it is. I will go to see it 1st weekend its in the cinemas wear my GB suit if its completed by then.
I think the Jonas Brothers would make excellent, cool , awesome and totally rad Ghostbusters!