One of the reasons why a third Ghostbusters movie never happened was the simple reason that Bill Murray never really wanted to do it. The actor had been vocal about how heavily the second installment had been altered before he pitched up on set, and it wasn’t something he wanted to put himself through again.
For 30 years we heard constant talk that the band would be getting back together, only for Paul Feig to interject himself and deliver one of the most polarizing blockbusters of the decade, one that saw every returning cast member play a completely different character to the one fans knew and loved.
That’s all set to change with next month’s Ghosbusters: Afterlife, which will see Murray suit up alongside Dan Akroyd and Ernie Hudson, with audiences hoping that bustin’ still makes them feel good. In a new interview with Empire Magazine, director Jason Reitman shared his emotions at what was a very special moment.
“I don’t think I was prepared for what it would feel like when the original guys walk on set in their flight suits. It’s like seeing superheroes. And it feels very special. It’s also very intimidating. And it is an immediate reminder of what we were so presumptuous to attempt, which is to make another film that is a chapter in this larger story. It’s one thing to direct all new characters, because at that point, you can almost say that you’re making fan fiction. When Bill and Ernie and Dan walk in wearing flight suits, it becomes very real, very quickly. This is a Ghostbusters movie.”
The early reactions to Ghostbusters: Afterlife have been encouraging, and it’s poised to become Sony’s second major box office hit in quick succession after Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Fans have been waiting 32 years for the movie, so the pressure is as sky high as the expectation.
