Friday, July 31, 2015

'Ghostbusters' Producer Issues (Confusing) Clarification on New Movies

All this back and forth about a possible "Ghostbusters" franchise beyond the upcoming reboot has gotten really confusing. It's dogs and cats living together -- mass hysteria! We know the Paul Feig movie with Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth is now filming for a release next year, and there were rumors that a second movie was coming with a male cast (possibly including Channing Tatum and Chris Pratt). But that second movie may not really be happening. Unless it is happening? See if you can follow along...

Here's part of what "Ghostbusters" producer Ivan Reitman told Deadline back in March:

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. This is a branded entertainment, a scary supernatural premise mixed with comedy. Paul Feig's film will be the first version of that, shooting in June to come out in July 2016. He's got four of the funniest women in the world, and there will be other surprises to come. The second film has a wonderful idea that builds on that. Drew will start writing and the hope is to be ready for the Russo Brothers' next window next summer to shoot, with the movie coming out the following year. It's just the beginning of what I hope will be a lot of wonderful movies."

That "Drew" is writer Drew Pearce, and Channing and his partner Reid Carolin were meant to produce with Channing maybe playing one of the upcoming Ghostbusters and Joe and Anthony Russo looking to direct and produce.

But not so fast!

In late June, Reid Carolin shot down the "Ghostbusters" idea for himself and Channing, telling Screen Rant, "We're not doing that anymore. I think it's too complicated. There's a lot of things going on with that brand and I just feel like it's over-saturated." And starring in the movie was apparently news to Chris Pratt, who told GQ, "No one has ever even spoken to me about that. Never. I've even seen Channing a couple times. As far as I know, that's complete bulls-t."

So, perhaps because of that, Ivan Reitman returned with a new statement to try and clear up all the talk:

There has been a lot of excitement recently about what is happening with the 'Ghostbusters' franchise. As the producer of the new 'Ghostbusters' film, I feel the need to clarify. There is only one new 'Ghostbusters' movie and that is the Paul Feig directed version coming next July, presently filming and going fantastically. The rest is just noise."

As Coming Soon noted, along with that statement came a message from the Montecito Picture Company clarifying that "before Feig's reboot was greenlit, several writing teams were engaged by Sony to present different pitches, with the Pearce/Russos/Pratt/Tatum venture likely one of them, although no formal conversations ever took place."

But here's where it gets even more confusing. Writer Drew Pearce just talked to MTV about the second "Ghostbusters" script in a new July 29 report:

I've finished my work on that in the last couple weeks. Obviously it's top secret, but there's a gigantic bold idea that I came up with, and the Russo brothers - who did 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' and are doing 'Civil War' at the moment - and Ivan Reitman, who did the original movie, are going to take that and run with it. Obviously I cannot tell you what it is, but hopefully in one year's time you'll know!"

He also discussed the rumored leads, Chris Pratt and Channing Tatum:

That's definitely the cast we've been thinking about as we approach the project. Whether that happens or not is very much above my pay grade. It's just my job to give them something exciting that maybe they'll do."

So maybe the clarification is that nothing is solid yet on a second movie, and maybe Chris Pratt hadn't even been asked because it was too soon to even make that call. Channing may not even do "Gambit" so "Ghostbusters" could be off his acting table too. We'll see.

Do you hope they do go ahead with another "Ghostbusters" movie after this new one? Too soon to say?

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