Following the death of Harold Ramis, Ghostbusters 1 & 2 Ivan Reitman has decided that he won't direct the upcoming Ghostbusters 3 (not the official title), which is going to be a reboot of the thirty-year old comedy/horror franchise. As such, the search is now underway to find his replacement, so that production can (for real this time) get started by the first quarter of 2015, at the latest.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but a report has emerged that Phil Lord and Chris Miller - the team behind the lucrative (and critically-acclaimed) 21 Jump Street movie reboot as well as this year's even more-successful LEGO Movie - have begun early talks for them to call the shots on the Ghostbusters reboot, which is currently based on a script draft written by Etan Cohen (Men in Black III).
Listeners of the Screen Rant Underground Podcast know that the idea of Lord and Miller directing the third Ghostbusters movie - which could actually happen according to Nikki Finke - is one that our editors threw out there a while ago. It sounds pretty great in theory, seeing how the duo are generally considered to be 3-for-3, when it comes to the pair's feature-length directing efforts thus far. (We'll see if their winning streak stays alive this June, when 22 Jump Street hits theaters.)
More importantly, Lord and Miller have shown a real knack for being able to take established properties that appear to be past their expiration dates - and/or are seemingly being pulled out and dusted off for the sole purpose of making an easy buck - and infusing them with newfound creative life.
Similarly, the pair have proven more than willing to mock and satirize the current state of the Hollywood industry (and themselves) with their films, whether it's through the many digs made towards Warner Bros. cash-cows in LEGO Movie or self-effacing jokes peppered throughout 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - the kind that almost (but don't quite) break the fourth wall.
Such qualifications feel appropriate (and, in turn, desirable) for a pair of filmmakers who are wanted to instill new (after)life into the Ghostbusters brand. Previous installments in the series thrived not just on their irreverent humor, but also their anti-authority attitude - often portraying figures in positions of power (EPA reps, governmental PR figures) as the human antagonists for the poltergeist-catching blue-collar heroes - something that Lord and Miller could likewise bring to the table.
As for potential casting: Jonah Hill (who's collaborated with Lord and Miller three times now) was still rumored to be a possibility late last year, so if the LEGO Movie helmers do join the project, that could increase the likelihood of Hill being one of the newbies who dons a proton pack in the movie. Our podcast team also came up with an extensive fantasy cast roster - we'll see if THAT ideas pans out, too...
Be sure and let us know if you're down with that idea, or if you would rather see Lord and Miller work alongside some different comedic talent on a Ghostbusters reboot - should a deal be struck, of course (knock on wood).
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We'll keep you up-to-speed on Ghostbusters reboot news as we hear it.
Source: Nikki Finke