Open Forum Friday: Who Should Direct Ghostbusters 3?
With today’s big news about a Ghostbusters sequel/reboot (I’m not sure which title is more appropriate), I can’t help but wonder what may be in store for us if such a thing does indeed come to pass. The involvement of the original cast and director Ivan Reitman sounds reassuring, but if they are going to be there to “pass the torch” onto a new group, I wonder if it would be better to simply distance themselves from it completely. A mix of old and new just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen (Star Trek: Generations anyone?).
Now, while Sony has appointed Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky as the screenwriters for this project, we still have no idea who might be in mind to direct. I guess the most obvious choice would be Ivan Reitman, who directed the first two, or perhaps Harold Ramis, who would star in the movie, and who also directed this Year One movie that Eisenberg and Stupnitsky wrote. But let’s get hypothetical for a minute here… if you could have any director in the industry take on Ghostbusters 3, who would it be? Someone quirky and artistic like Wes Anderson? The current king of comedy Judd Apatow? How about someone with an established comedy/horror edge, like say… James Gunn? Who is the right director to reinvent Ghostbusters without alienating the existing fans? Give us your thoughts here on Open Forum Friday.
Comments (38)
It would be cool if James Gunn and Judd Apatow, actually worked on the movie together. Caring is sharing.
Posted by Derek on September 5th, 2008I’m not really interested in seeing the Ghostbusters torch passed on. First of all, the torch is essentially burned out, isn’t it? Second, if a new movie is inevitable, I’d rather just see a new film about the original four guys, in which case, why not get Reitman back to direct it?
The idea of seeing Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, and Romany Malco or some such cast taking over for Murray, Akroyd, Ramis, and Hudson makes me want to cry. I don’t necessarily have anything against the current comedy superstars, but these are characters (and a property) that I’d rather not see handed over to someone else. Why can’t we all just re-watch the original Ghostbusters film again and be happy with what we’ve got?
Posted by Rian on September 5th, 2008Edgar Wright!! And it should have Simon Pegg in it!
Posted by Mike on September 5th, 2008I would choose any director that would forbid any of the original cast or talent to be involved…then fuck it up completely…that way I can easily dismiss it unlike say…Indy 4 where its hard to dismiss because you have all the the originals involved so it just hurts all the more that it sucked hardcore.
I agree with Rian…just watch the original…fuck…just rerelease it…its amazing…I dont want to see seth rogan and the NOW ANNOYING apatow players ad libbing for 20 minutes per seen about how a ghost looked like a pile of gravy at thier jewish grandma’s house…
I have an even better idea…one that is shared mutally with intelligent geeks with integrity worldwide…ahem…cough…ok…
CREATE SOMETHING FUCKING NEW FOR CHANGE AND LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE!!!
hundred of thousand hopeful writers, directers, and actors just dieing with overflowing passion to get thier original talent and ideas out there and all we do is shit liquid poison over stuff that was great…good job everyone who doesnt get nearly mad enough. The biggest problem (no offense sean, i love ya) is the people who hear news like this and say “It could be ok, or not, I’m open to it…we shall see…”
god, if only I was smart enough to care about politics or science this much…to bad I’m an idiot…an idiot that love Ghostbusters.
Posted by Bob the Slob on September 5th, 2008You are all nuts. Dan Akroyd should direct it. It’s a shame he didn’t write it. Fuck James Gunn.
Posted by Rick Iaeger on September 5th, 2008Sorry typo nerds: dan aykroyd.
Posted by Rick Iaeger on September 5th, 2008I have way too many typos above…I was typing in anger.
Posted by Bob the Slob on September 5th, 2008I hart bOB the sLob
Posted by Rick Iaeger on September 5th, 2008Another Ghostbusters movie? Why bother? Wasn’t the draw of the original movie to have a fresh and exciting idea brought to us by the time’s funniest comedians? And by now isn’t the ghostbusting idea old and stale, and the cast & crew old and washed up? (Maybe not Bill Murray) But everybody else for sure. I mean come on. Bob is right. Come up with some new material and don’t make Bob angry.
Posted by Matt on September 5th, 2008i hart rick!
Posted by Bob the Slob on September 5th, 2008Listen to matt…don’t make me angry…then I might be forced to make bad incredible hulk references…and no one wants that…
Posted by Bob the Slob on September 5th, 2008Chris Columbus could do a good job (right, Jay?) and (don’t shoot me)… Stephen Sommers when he’s on top-form (like in the better moments of the first mummy)?
Posted by Bas on September 5th, 2008I’m totally down with Jay’s suggestion of Wes Anderson.
“First of all, the torch is essentially burned out, isn’t it?”
Yes. It fell in an ectoplasm sewer long ago.
“CREATE SOMETHING FUCKING NEW FOR CHANGE AND LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE!!!” Won’t happen. Wish it would.
Posted by Ryan M. on September 5th, 2008It could be ok, or not, I’m open to it… we shall see…
Posted by Sean on September 5th, 2008Sean…stop being awesome!
Posted by Bob the Slob on September 5th, 2008Reed Farrington and I are digging up the remains of Ernst Lubitsch and taking them to The Genesis Planet to resurrect him to direct Ghostbusters 3. The film must have the Lubitsch Touch!
Posted by ProjectGenesis on September 5th, 2008Isn’t it obvious
Bob Saget
two words: Dirty Work
Posted by Jason on September 5th, 2008Tarantino.
Posted by Mitch on September 5th, 2008the guy who made oldboy would be nice. bill murray taking on 20 ghosts all by himself? awesome
Posted by stan on September 5th, 2008Ghostbusters is 100% nostalgia. That works in favor of this remake that it would be its own thing in terms of creativity and filmmaking, and against it in terms of nobody would want to see it.
Ghostbusters was good if you were 7-13 I bet, but I know few people who think it’s anything beyond that.
Posted by Henrik on September 5th, 2008Ok. Tarantino should direct. They should also recruit Sylvia Browne. John Edward, & James Van Praagh as the Ghostbusters. At the end of the movie, all of the Ghostbusters are fucking steamrolled by a pissed off ghost driving a gasoline truck.
Posted by Section 31 on September 5th, 2008I’d pay to see that.
But you already know the ending. ^^
Posted by Mitch on September 5th, 2008I’m going to have to toss my hat in with the Edgar Wright group.
He’s got the right mix of comedy/action/horror. It’d be good. I don’t, however, think Simon Pegg is an absolute necessity.
Posted by Jon Rocks on September 5th, 2008First off, fuck whoever said Chris Columbus. Seriously, fuck that.
How about Terry Gilliam? He’s got a really inventive visual style and we’re well aware of his comedic background with Monty Python.
Posted by Alex on September 5th, 2008ProjectGenesis, I just remembered. The Genesis Planet doesn’t exist anymore. It fell apart. We’ll have to find another way to create an ersatz Ernst Lubitsch.
I’m currently watching Ivan Reitman’s last film that he directed: My Super Ex-Girlfriend. So far, it’s kind of ordinary IMO.
Not that I was a big fan of Juno, but I wonder if Ivan’s son, Jason, has any interest in making a Ghostbusters III to do his dad proud. He surely must have some clout.
Posted by Reed Farrington on September 6th, 2008The cohen brothers could make for a decent helmers of what some ( not me sorry
consider to be one of the best franchises of the last 50 years or so. the two brothers are great at suspense,comedy and editing and I’m sure they could figure out horror along the way.
Posted by Guy Law on September 6th, 2008Take it easy, Alex.
Posted by Bas on September 6th, 2008Henrik, gotta disagree…Ghostbusters 1 is not pure nostalgia…its a great classic comedy film…it still holds up even now.
Posted by Bob the Slob on September 6th, 2008Sorry, Bas. I was in a bad mood last night, and I hate all things Chris Columbus. I shouldn’t have taken that out on you. No hard feelings?
Posted by Alex on September 6th, 2008
No hard feelings, but I do think Columbus & Ghostbusters are a match: he does comedy (Home Alone), scary (Gremlins - which he wrote) and effects (Harry Potter 1 & 2). I’m playing devil’s advocate a bit, but I would be surprised if he isn’t being considered for this.
Posted by Bas on September 7th, 2008How about Joe Dante? Or John Landis? They haven’t done anything great in ages. Maybe even David Gordon Green, Greg Mottola or Judd Apatow himself. I doubt Wes Anderson would be interested.
Posted by James on September 7th, 2008Ghostbusters was never really horror so I’d leave out like John Carpenter or Gunn. I think it would be great fun to see Anderson do one since he has that style that seems to complement Murrays humor. I think the key has to be to stay away from somebody that’s going to give it some kind of overstylized modernism. A ghostbusters movie shouldn’t have a blue filtered look. It should look like a movie not a car commercial. I guess I’m thinking of the disparate look of Die Hard IV from the first 3 (1 and 3 esspecially).
Posted by Ian on September 7th, 2008why not just make gb into an hour tv show that would be really awsome as in the scope of buffy they can be dealing with all sorts of undead badies besides ghosts.
Posted by paulie on September 8th, 2008Sorry, but Wes Anderson has destroyed two of my favorite movie franchises and I will be forced to challange anyone to a thunderdome cage match who thinks he would be a good choice ;-p
Personally I’d go with Paul Verhoeven. Ghosthunting would be twice as fun if you add insane amounts of violence and a some really explicit sex scenes, to shock audiences maybe a human/ghost shag with an exctoplasmic money shot? Add on a subversive sub-plot about global corporations and you got yourself a renewed franchise =))
Posted by Sebastian on September 8th, 2008“Sorry, but Wes Anderson has destroyed two of my favorite movie franchises and I will be forced to challange anyone to a thunderdome cage match who thinks he would be a good choice ;-p”
Huh?
Posted by Jay C. on September 8th, 2008Sorry, was thinking of Paul W.S. Anderson… LOL Thumbs up for Wes, although I’d still vote for Verhoeven
Posted by Sebastian on September 8th, 2008How about…….. Michel Gondry! He can go crazy with weird effects when the ghosts call the shots!
(sidenote: Verhoeven is pronounced as Verhooven and Das Boot as Das Boat, although I do like the mispronunciations better, especially calling a submarine a boot)
Posted by Bas on September 8th, 2008I personally welcome ghostbusters in any incarnation it will come in. i grew up on this shit. even though ghostbuster 2 was to ghostbusters, as freedom is to george bush jr, i would love to see a proton pack in the near future. the fact that bill murray is even thinking about possibly considering to take on venkman again is absolute evidence to me that it is a good idea. i think the only way this could make a horrible movie is if they cast kel mitchell as the black ghostbuster and let a crippled monkey with adhd direct it.
Posted by Vega on October 10th, 2008Leave a Reply