Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Ghostbusters

  • Sony Pushes Back its Fall Slate Instead of Paying Writers and Actors Fairly

    Sony Pushes Back its Fall Slate Instead of Paying Writers and Actors Fairly

    It seems like Sony is the first to cave. Hollywood is currently going through one of its most significant strikes as the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have decided to strike as no fair deal was made by any of the studios to make their life actually livable. Now, the trend continues as instead of coming back to the table to discuss the industry’s future, it seems Sony has decided to push back the major releases of their fall schedule.

    The big push comes with Kraven the Hunter, which has now shifted to a release on August 30th of 2024, which was initially set to release this October. It seems they were mostly banking on Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s press tour to push the film; uncertain if that would actually help their next Spider-Man spinoff without the webhead’s involvement. Surprisingly, Madame Web is getting released two days earlier on Valentine’s Day of 2024.

    That’s not all, as the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel has also been pushed further back to March 29th of 2024. It initially was going to have a Christmas release and had the lesser push even with the hope to wait it out until Paul Rudd is able to promote the project once the strike ends. They also postponed the Karate Kid reboot that was going to release in June next year to a December release.

    There are also some films that have now ended up in limbo. Blumhouse’s They Listen lost its August release date from next year. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse has lost its March release, which was hinted at when reports pointed to a troubled production (even if the released film is quite a visual feast). Though, they surprisingly gave Venom 3 a release date, as it stopped production during the strike, as the film is slated for July 12th while Bad Boys 4 will release on June 14th. Gran Turismo is still set for its August release.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Adds Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt and More

    ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Adds Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt and More

    It looks like the cast of the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel is continuing to grow, as they have now added Kumail Nanjiani of Eternals and Obi-Wan Kenobi fame, Patton Oswalt, comedian James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind. They will be joined by the previous cast which included Paul Rudd, McKenna Grace, Ernie Hudson, and Carrie Coon. The biggest new direction is that the franchise is returning not only to the New York City setting of the original, but will also feature the iconic Firehouse.

    Jason Reitman was responsible for directing Ghostbusters: Afterlife but has passed on that duty to Gil Kenan. Reitman is still involved with the project, as he’s the producer and co-writer alongside Kenan and Jason Blumenfeld. The film just recently started production and is on track for a December 2023 release. Fittingly, the production is working under the title “Firehouse” which was revealed by Reitman back in 2022 on Ghostbuster’s Day.

    There’s no word on who else might join just yet, but the cast is certainly full of some comedic talent, fitting given how the original used the comedic talents to offer an iconic cinematic experience. Afterlife continued that legacy and felt like the franchise truly returned to its roots. Now, they have an opportunity to fully dive into this modern take on the franchise while also revisiting some familiar locations in the process.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Kicks Off Production

    ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Kicks Off Production

    2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife had a strong launch at the box office in November 2021, taking in $44M in its first weekend on the way to a domestic total of $129M. The film’s $204M global gross more than offset its moderate $75M budget and while it wasn’t a critical darling, an A- CinemaScore meant it resonated with audiences. It didn’t take long for Sony to announce a sequel and in December 2022 they announced that Oscar nominee Gil Keenan was on board to direct and co-write with producer Jason Reitman, who directed the first film. Since then, things have stayed pretty quiet around the project but development must have gone well because Keenan and Reitman have revealed that production has begun.

    The screenwriting duo took to Twitter to reveal that they were “Back in the Firehouse” on the first day of principal photography for the untitled sequel. The project’s working title, Firehouse, was revealed by Reitman on Ghostbuster’s Day in June of 2022 and is obviously a nod to the HQ of the original group of Ghostbusters. Ghostbusters: Afterlife saw the return of original Ghostbuster Winston Zeddemore to the gang’s firehouse and teased big things for the future of the franchise.

    Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd and McKenna Grace are all expected to be returning for the sequel, as well as Ernie Hudson. The untitled sequel is currently slated to hit theaters on December 20, 2023.

  • ‘Ghostbuster: Afterlife’ Sequel Lands Director; Jason Reitman Returns to Co-Write

    ‘Ghostbuster: Afterlife’ Sequel Lands Director; Jason Reitman Returns to Co-Write

    Earlier this year, Sony slated a sequel to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife for a December 20, 2023 release. Right on time, the studio has now found a director for the film in Oscar nominee Gil Kenan. Afterlife director Jason Reitman, whose father Ivan created the franchise with 1984’s Ghostbusters, will produce and co-write the sequel with Kenan, who also shared script duties for the first film.

    In a statement published by Deadline, Kenan confirmed his involvement with the film:

    It’s an absolute honor to pick up the proton pack and step behind the camera for the next chapter of the Spengler family saga. I just wish I could go back to 1984 and tell the kid in the sixth row of the Mann Valley West that one day he was going to get to direct a Ghostbusters film.”

    Gil Kenan

    Kenan’s directorial debut was 2006’s Monster House, which was nominated for 2007’s Best Animated Feature Film. Kenan also directed the 2015 Poltergeist reboot as well as one episode of Scream: The TV Series. The Afterlife sequel will be the second film on which Kenan will serve as both writer and director, joining 2021’s A Boy Called Christmas.

    The trade report indicates that Afterlife stars Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon are expected to return and that the sequel will make good on the post-credit scene that saw Ernie Hudson’s Winston Zeddemore returning to New York City hinting at the future of the franchise.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Set For Late 2023 Release

    ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel Set For Late 2023 Release

    Fans of the Ghostbusters franchise can rejoice as a fourth installment in the franchise is indeed on its way and even closer than you may think. Fans of the third installment will be delighted to hear that the story will be making a holiday release next year on December 20th, 2023.

    The film is reportedly set to return to Manhattan and the famous firehouse that the Ghostbusters once called their headquarters. Fans will remember that at the end of the previous film, the Ecto-1 is seen pulling into the garage at the fire station with Winston Zeddmore there to greet it.

    It’s currently unknown if Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Paul Rudd, and Mckenna Grace will return for the sequel but something paranormal seems to be brewing in New York and the Ghostbusters are gonna need all the help they can get.

    Source: THR

  • Ghostbusters Day: ‘Afterlife’ Sequel Title, New Comic and Animated Movie Announced

    Ghostbusters Day: ‘Afterlife’ Sequel Title, New Comic and Animated Movie Announced

    As part of Ghostbusters Day, Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman announced the “code name” for the sequel to his 2021 film. The sequel, which will seemingly pick up right where Afterlife left off, is in development under the working title “Firehouse.”

    Reitman’s return to the franchise his late father, Ivan Reitman, began in the 80s comes as no surprise. Recently, Sony chairman Tom Rothman indicated the company’s interest in continuing to develop the franchise following the moderate success of Afterlife, which made just around $200M at the box office, with about two-thirds of that coming from U.S. audiences. While no plot details were released, the post-credit scene for Afterlife saw original Ghostbuster Winston Zeddemore return to the firehouse that served as headquarters for the original team. “Firehouse” looks sure to capitalize on that nostalgia and continue the story of the Spengler legacy.

    In addition to “Firehouse”, an in-universe limited comic series from Dark Horse Comics and an animated movie were also announced. Jennifer Kluska, who recently directed the fourth installment of the animated Hotel Transylvania franchise, will co-helm the animated film with Chris Prynoski (Motorcity).

  • New ‘Ghostbusters’ Animated Series Heading to Netflix

    New ‘Ghostbusters’ Animated Series Heading to Netflix

    It looks like Netflix isn’t quite done with acquiring as many iconic IPs as it can. Variety has broken the news that a new Ghostbusters animated series is heading to the streaming service. Not only that but Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan of Ghost Corps, Inc. are joining as executive producers. They just recently worked on the live-action Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which Reitman also directed.

    As is usual, there are no exact details given on what the plot will be about or even who it will focus on, as there’s no word if it might pay tribute to the ABC animated series The Real Ghostbusters that ran from 1986 to 1991 or be its own thing. There was also the sequel, Extreme Ghostbusters, that had a completely new lineup of characters.

    It does seem likely that the new series will be its own thing with new characters. The announcement was also timed with the annual Ghostbusters Day, where rumors have it we’ll get more announcements regarding the future of the iconic franchise from Reitman and Kenan. So, we’ll see if we might even get a first look at this new series or even a tease of what to expect from its live-action ventures with no official sequel announced yet for Afterlife.

    Source: Variety

  • Sony is Working on More ‘Ghostbusters’ Films

    Sony is Working on More ‘Ghostbusters’ Films

    If you’ve been wondering if Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the last entry in the franchise, you don’t have to worry any longer. In an interview with Deadline, Sony Chairman Tom Rothman discussed the future of their focus on keeping theatrical releases alive with their entries. He highlights that they’ve produced a good number of original productions that aren’t sequels or caped-focused while also confirming that more entries in the Ghostbusters franchise are in development.

    He didn’t go into any detail or reveal if this will see a single sequel, or even a build-up into a larger franchise. In a world where many well-known IPs try to build their own cinematic universes, it’s not uncommon to assume that is the approach going in. Ghostbusters has many untapped stories to explore, especially with its surprising history as with only two films in its filmography. The franchise found a second life in a variety of animated series and even video games.

    While the female-centric Ghostbusters film didn’t quite pick up, Afterlife gave the franchise an extra jolt of energy and is potentially going to set up a new generation of Ghostbusters to carry on the torch. We’ll see if we get some kind of announcement in the coming months and if some of the creative team, as well as the cast might return as well. Still, it’s great to know that there will still be someone to call.

    Source: Deadline

  • New ‘Ghostbusters’ Film is in the Works at Sony

    New ‘Ghostbusters’ Film is in the Works at Sony

    Sony is calling the Ghostbusters again. A new film was announced in the closing sizzle reel during Sony Pictures’ CinemaCon presentation. The fifth film in the franchise is coming hot on the heels of the largely successful Ghostbusters: Afterlife which was released in 2021.

    No talent or other details were given. It currently remains unknown if this will be a sequel to Afterlife, another reimagining like 2016’s ill-fated Ghostbusters, or some sort of spinoff. While the 2016 film was panned by critics and fans alike, Afterlife finished its opening weeks just behind the viral Disney film Encanto at the box office. Ghostbusters: Afterlife received a decent reception, hopefully allowing the franchise to breathe again after many considered it to be dead. While we still don’t know much about the new movie, it would make a lot of sense for Sony to try and improve and capitalize on the formula that finally found them some success. Whether that means we see the new recruits step up and lead the franchise into a new future, or once again relying on fan service is anyone’s guess.

    Ghostbusters: Afterlife, directed by Jason Reitman, and released in 2021, received $204.6 million at the global box office on a $75 million budget. The film was released on November 19, 2021. It was the 10th highest-grossing film of 2021.

    Source: Deadline