With Halloween soon approaching, it seems as though this week we are overrun with new information regarding what the status is of Ghostbusters 3. While some of it may be new information, one has to sift through a majority of regurgitated old information as well as general speculation to find it. This week is no different as we bring you news (and rumors) on the status of our favorite paranormal exterminators from Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman.

We’ve got Reitman telling us that it’s “more positive than negative”, Murray saying that there’s no script and, for the first time, Aykroyd being less than optimistic by stating it’s all talk until they get green lit and are giving a production number.

There’s also this rumor that there’s no funding for Ghostbusters 3, but we’ll that we’ll get to later.

Our friends over at Bloody Disgusting are reporting that they have “confirmed, 100%, without a shadow of a doubt” that Ivan Reitman is attached to direct Ghostbusters 3. Now before all you “ghost heads” get excited about Reitman returning, there’s something else you should know, “he hasn’t decided whether or not he really wants to direct [it], yet.”

Reitman attached, but not committing to direct is not that surprising. Over the past 10 years, Reitman has only directed 2 films (Evolution & My Super Ex-Girlfriend), but since he’s one of the five members in the “infamous” Ghostbusters rights holders agreement (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman & Columbia Pictures (Sony) all have to sign off on anything Ghostbusters before it can happen), attaching himself to the project without deciding to direct could be more to prevent any delays in development due to the studio wanting a director attached to the project.

The long awaited and much speculated about Ghostbusters 3, has had a bumpy ride over the years. Rumors, speculation, interviews, fact and fiction have all been thrown around about a third movie in the franchise. Its “Maybe… at some point” status has been rather frustrating for fans who want to see the ghost busting team back together once more.

Director Ivan Reitman recently did a news conference in L.A. addressing the new Ghostbusters Blu-ray, video game and much anticipated sequel, Ghostbusters 3. News has recently come out that Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson have agreed do the film and reports of Alyssa Milano and Eliza Dushku as possible newcomers have surfaced as well.

Could it be that the planets are aligned just right and now is the time to move forward with Ghostbusters 3? Reitman, who directed Ghostbusters 1 and 2, seems to think so:

Occasionally Screen Rant receives some interesting information from our sources in Hollywood and when we do, we pass it along to our fantastic readers. This time we bring you a contest sponsored by Red Bricks Media in partnership with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Rumors, speculation and more rumors! For the past 20 years that’s all we’ve gotten from Hollywood regarding Ghostbusters 3, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying on Dan Aykroyd’s part. He wrote a script, came up with ideas, and pushed it around in hopes of getting it made. Nothing came of it and it seemed that Ghostbusters 3 was just never meant to be.

That has all changed in the recent months, Dr. Raymond Stantz (a.k.a. Dan Aykroyd) has been out in the movie publications and on web sites pushing the new Ghostbusters 3 movie hard. Last week Aykroyd revealed who he would like for the two female roles (Alyssa Milano, Eliza Dushku) and that Ramis would be directing instead of Reitman.

It’s been twenty years since we last saw Venkman, Stantz, Spengler, and Zeddemore don the gray jumpsuits, strap on the proton packs and kick some other-worldly butt. I vividly remember seeing both films in the theater when I was ten and thirteen. I also seem to vividly remember the Sigourney Weaver bathtub scene from Ghostbusters 2 (don’t act like you don’t know the one I’m talking about).

Talks of a third installment have been floating on the internet boards for years now and I for one, have been looking forward to it since the speculation began. For a while, the rumors were that Chris Farley was in talks to join the cast. Obviously with his passing that did not occur, but that was as close as anyone got to making Ghostbusters 3 a reality… until now.

Dan Aykroyd, the champion of the Ghostbusters franchise over the last fifteen years or so has spoken about the progress of the third film in the comedy-horror-sci-fi franchise.

Aykroyd talked to CHUD and Go Nintendo about the Ghostbusters game and film; he divulged information on Sigourney Weaver’s participation (she declined an opportunity to take part in the forthcoming game) as well as what the plot for the third film might entail.

If ever there were a movie franchise that we all want to see continue, whether that be admittedly or deep down, it would be Ghostbusters. In the fall of last year, it was confirmed that the third film was moving forward with Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky hired to write the script.

About five weeks ago, Internet rumors were abound that comedy man of the minute, Judd Apatow, was going to head the production of Ghostbusters 3 – possibly because of Eisenberg and Stupnitsky writing both that and the Apatow-produced Year One. As it turns out, Apatow will not be involved in any way with the film which might be a good thing since his style doesn’t really fit all that well with what Ghostbusters essentially is.

While internet rumors swirled earlier this week about Judd Apatow producing Ghostbusters 3, it appears those rumors are false.  The rumors took flight when Production Weekly claimed they’d obtained an official document listing Apatow Productions being in charge of the up and coming Ghostbusters film.

In order to clear up the rumors the LA Times went directly to Sony Pictures and questioned them about Apatow’s possible involvement in the production of Ghostbusters 3.  The president of Sony Pictures gave a statement indicating the rumors were bunk, “It’s not true… Judd isn’t involved.”

When you’re Dan Akroyd you get used to the fact that no matter what you promote, you’ll eventually be asked questions about the impending future of Ghostbusters 3.  Recently, while promoting the opening of The House of Blues in Boston, Akroyd did an interview with the Boston Globe and answered some questions from the online community.

So, of course, one of the first questions asked had to deal with the questionable future of Ghostbusters 3.  Ain’t It Cool reported:

Welcome to yet another jam-packed, news filled installment of the Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up.

This week: Kevin Costner may play ball again; Tim Burton may helm Pirates of The Carribbean 4; David Cronenberg is Bourne again (kind of); we check out the helmer of 28 Months Later and Bill Murray talks Ghostbusters 3 and you can see Prince of Peace – God of War for free.

There is an old expression: “never hurry a Murray”.

Who would have thought that the Murray in question was Bill Murray?

Twenty years after showing no interest whatsoever in another Ghostbusters movie, Murray now appears to have embraced his Proton Pack wearing days and shown his first signs of coming onboard Ghostbusters 3.

While at a screening of his forthcoming film City of Ember at Fantastic Fest, he had a few things to say about his love of  Ghostbusters.

As we all know, Hollywood is the epicenter of not only fads, but also ripping off copying what works from other studios. We’ve all seen this before many times. One studio puts out a successful movie in some genre and within 6-9 months we see a bunch of movies coming out trying to capitalize on the popularity of the first one.

[UPDATE: If you missed the live show, you can download it here or grab it over at /Film.com.]

I thought that today I’d give you more advanced notice (warning?). Tonight I’ll be joining the gang from /Film again for their /FilmCast Live.

You can join in on the show live or download it in a day or two when it’s online (but the live version is MUCH more fun, including flubs and outtakes that won’t be in the final version).

It will start at 7PM PST/10PM EST tonight (Monday, Spetember 8th).

We’ll be discussing the abysmal Nicolas Cage film Bangkok Dangerous, Ghostbusters 3 plus the Batman 3 and crazy Captain America casting rumors.

So if you’re a Screen Rant regular visitor and want to join in on the fun, head on over and give a listen: /FilmCast Live.

Did Hell just freeze over?

Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, co-executive producers and writers on TV’s The Office and the forthcoming Harold Ramis-helmed comedy Year One, have been officially hired by Columbia Pictures to write Ghostbusters III.

Take a minute and let that settle in.

This is not just another in a long-line of internet BS rumors started by over-zealous fanboys. No, this comes from Variety.