It's been reported Hollywood studio Columbia is planning to revive its hit 1980s franchise Ghostbusters with a third film that could reunite stars Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.
At this stage, the second sequel to the massivley popular franchise is planned to be a computer generated animation, similar to recent releases Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and 2007's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Columbia has assigned The Office executive producers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky to write a script for the third installment – designed to reunite the original cast of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson.
The prospect of a third film has been talked about since the release of 1989’s Ghostbusters II – with several attempts made at a third flick bogged down with developmental problems and negotiation issues.
Dan Aykroyd, who co-wrote the original 1984 blockbuster smash hit, said in 2002 he had written a script entitled Ghostbusters III: Hell Bent – and intended the movie to be computer generated.
The script was dismissed by IGN, who described it as “too technical” – with a new generation of Ghostbusters haphazardly busting ghosts with no discernable leadership base.
Co-star Bill Murray had initially voiced his reluctance to involve himself with a third chapter to the Ghostbusters story, due to his dislike of sequels – however, Aykroyd confirmed that Murray would be interested in doing the film if it was computer generated.
Co-writer Harold Ramis and co-star Ernie Hudson have both confirmed their interest in the project.
No deals will be made with the original cast until the script is completed, and considering previous negotiations, it puts some doubt into the actual fruition of a movie.
Co-stars Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis have not confirmed inclusion in a possible movie. Moranis has pulled away from the movie business in recent years.
The original Ghostbusters cast worked together recently for the upcoming Ghostbusters video game - with the plot line contained in the game considered by Aykroyd to be "essentially the third movie".
The first two Ghostbusters movies were a smash hit - grossing more than $US500 million worldwide.