When Ghostbusters 3 was officially announced in January, long-time fans of the franchise were ecstatic. Rumors of a third movie in the original universe have been swirling ever since Ghostbusters II came out 30 years ago. And now, those rumors are well on their way to finally becoming reality.
Jason Reitman, the son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, will helm the new movie, which he is also co-writing with Monster House scribe Gil Kenan. The film is slated for a summer 2020 release date and will be a direct sequel to 1984’s Ghostbusters and 1989’s Ghostbusters II. While details are still fairly sparse, here's everything you need to know about Ghostbusters 3.
The Ghostbusters 3 Teaser Trailer
The day after Ghostbusters 3 was announced, a brief teaser trailer was released to build off of the hype. In the clip, someone is seen working on a machine in a rundown barn. As the camera draws closer, music from the original Ghostbusters swells. Ectoplasm is seen on a nearby fence as the machine powers up in a flood of colorful lightning. In the final moment of the trailer, the surge of energy lifts a tarp that's covering the iconic Ghostbusters car, Ecto-1.
The teaser reveals little about the actual plot of the upcoming film. However, it make the connection to the original 1980s movies abundantly clear. Since this teaser was released, we have learned a little bit more information about the film's story and who all will be involved.
The New Ghostbusters 3 Cast
As of this writing, three actors have been cast in Ghostbusters 3: Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard, Captain Marvel’s McKenna Grace, and The Leftovers’ Carrie Coon. While we don’t know the names of the characters they’re playing, they will play a family. Coon will play the mother of Wolfhard’s and Grace’s characters, and Jason Reitman tweeted a photo of the three actors announcing the news. According to character breakdowns for the film, Ghostbusters 3 will center on two teenage boys and two teenage girls. Presumably Wolfhard and Grace will play two of those characters.
While no further casting details have been announced yet, a brief synopsis of the film reveals the plot will involve “a family [moving] back home to a small town where they learn more about who they are and the secrets of the town itself.” It seems likely that Coon, Wolfhard, and Grace are that family. Since the 1980s Ghostbusters movies took place in New York City, it’s not totally clear how the small town of the synopsis ties to the original universe.
Will the Original Ghostbusters Return in Ghostbusters 3?
As of now, the only original Ghostbusters cast member who has officially confirmed their appearance is Sigourney Weaver, who will reprise her role as Dana Barrett. Weaver also indicated she’ll be reuniting with original cast members Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray on the project, but that hasn’t been officially confirmed. Akroyd and Murray played Raymond Stantz and Peter Venkman, respectively, in the original films.
When news of the sequel originally came out, Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore, indicated the surviving Ghostbusters would be reprising their roles in the new film. However, he later walked back those comments. In addition, Bill Murray has said he would be willing to appear if he were asked. One way or another, Jason Reitman recently confirmed that the original cast have all read the script for the new film.
If Ghostbusters 3 does include most of the original cast, an open question will be how the movie will tackle the absence of Egon Spengler, who was portrayed by the late Harold Ramis. Ramis, who passed away in 2014, didn’t just star in the original movies, he also co-wrote them with Dan Ackroyd.
Ghostbusters 3 Will Ignore 2016's Reboot
Of course, the new sequel isn’t the only recent Ghostbusters outing to hit the big screen. In 2016, a remake featuring an all-female team was released. The movie starred Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy and was directed by Paul Feig. Many of the original cast members, including Murray, Ackroyd, and Weaver, appeared in that film in new roles. However, multiple sources have confirmed that Reitman’s sequel won’t acknowledge the 2016 movie.
While Jones took to Twitter to express her anger at the snub, both Feig and McCarthy have been supportive of the new film. Feig recently said that he'd be open to making another film in the reboot series if demand warranted it.
When Will Ghostbusters 3 Be Released?
Fans will get to see the newest Ghostbusters film in about a year, on July 10, 2020.
While filming on the sequel was reportedly set to being on May 13, 2019, it’s unclear if production is actually underway. However, in order to make the summer 2020 release, filming will likely take place at some point in the summer of 2019.