About a month ago I caught the end of Ghostbusters 2. It was brilliant. I found myself reciting key lines and getting excited about seeing moments that I don’t think I’d watched since I was at leat a teenager. The Ghostbusters were a huge part of my childhood. I loved both films, the tv show, I had books, toys, bedsheets and wallpaper. I was (and still am) a huge fan. So any news about a new Ghostbusters film should be met with unbridled joy and excitement… but no. I think it is a terrible idea. Here’s why;
1. No Bill Murray
It was announced about a month ago (maybe two) that Bill Murray would definitely not be appearing in a new Ghostbusters film. Stop then! How can you make a film about the further adventures of the four Ghostbusters when (arguably) the most popular character from the movies won’t even be appearing. Can we really have the Ghostbusters without Peter? It would be like having the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles without Raphael or a new Jurassic Park without the T-Rex. I want them all involved or not at all!
2. I don’t want to see this guy trying to bust ghosts.
Ghostbusters 2 was made in 1989. The actors playing the parts were “getting on” then. I know the Ghostbusters were never supposed to be action heroes and part of their charm were that they were the ultimate everyman. They were made up of a geeky nerd, an overweight scientist, a blue-collar bloke and a sarcastic, pessimistic, obnoxious but witty “creep.” I still want them to be able to run or get thrown about a room or comfortably slimed. I don’t want them to get their hips broken or have to “sit down and rest” after busting ghosts.
3. I don’t want “New Ghostbusters.”
I can already guess that this is the new idea for the film. It will be a “pass the baton” style movie. I could almost guess who’d they draft in. Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson or maybe Seth Rogan. They would probably mix it up by adding Amy Adams too. Why don’t we get Judd Apatow to direct? I don’t want that. The Ghostbusters are Ray, Winston, Egon and Peter and they are played by Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Harold Ramis and Bill Murray.
4. It would be too “new.”
Part of what made the Ghostbusters films so brilliant were their “special effects.” For their time they were amazing. The ghosts have their own distinct style. The photon rays did “jump” and weren’t perfect CGI. In fact none of it was and it didn’t matter. That first time you saw the Statue of Liberty move through New York or the Marshmallow Man was still amazing, even if it looked slightly “fake.” How would you explain brand new effects? How would be able to make the link between the films in the 1980s and now if the effects are improved (which they definitely would be.) If a new Ghostbusters was made, I would want it to be made with exactly the same effects as the originals and I know that no studio would let that happen.
5. It would never be good enough.
There is nothing they could do. It would be set up to fail by people like me, who want far too much from it. Ghostbusters was a huge part of my childhood and I’m sure I view the films through rose-tinted glasses so how are they actually going to top what I think is already perfect? Especially if you put together all my reasons above? At the moment they have two films that stand together as a perfect package. Why ruin it with a third that could never really live up to expectations?
6. Has it already been done?
This is a weird reason but bare with me. There is a film being released this summer called Neighborhood Watch starring Ben Affleck, Jonah Hill, Vince Vaughn and (brilliantly) Richard Ayoade. They are four everyman, family guys who run the neighborhood watch and end up fighting aliens. It is going to be comedy/sci-fi. How is this not Ghostbusters? Okay, it’s aliens instead of ghosts but couldn’t those four actors be definite contenders for a new Ghostbusters line-up? Watch this film instead. If it’s brilliant, then great, we may have the beginning of a Ghostbusters rivalling franchise. If it’s rubbish, be glad it wasn’t Ghostbusters 3.
The solution;
A new Ghostbusters cartoon. It solves all the problems I have explained above. It could be done without Bill Murray. Age wouldn’t matter so we could stick with original characters and it wouldn’t instantly be compared to the two brilliant films that have already gone. The original Ghostbusters cartoon was fantastic and if they can revive other childhood classics like Thundercats or Turtles, then why not Ghostbusters?
Overall, a cartoon seems the best idea to try to revive this series. Too many things are stacked against a third film that I can’t ever see it being good enough. That being said, I’m sure the moment they release that first trailer I’ll get giddy with excitement and when it is finally is released I’ll be first in line, forgetting everything I’ve already said here… that is until those final credits roll.
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