Can ‘Ghostbusters 3’ Please The Purists?


Ghostbusters 3 is slated to arrive in theaters in the summer of 2016. Well, the third Ghostbusters film, at least. Whether it’s a sequel or a side story or a reboot still remains to be seen. Whatever road Ghostbusters 3 takes in story and look will either affirm that there will never be another movie quite like the original Ghostbusters, or that new interpretations can indeed supplement the legacy of the first film.

It’s taken so long to actually get a third Ghostbusters film. Now that it’s a sure shot to come out, fans will have to wager whether this unique take on the beloved team of four ghost catchers will inspire a new generation of Ghostbusters fans.

An appearance by at least two of the original Ghostbusters will add credibility to the new film. Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray are both making cameos, though they could be microscopic ones. Ernie Hudson is still an unknown. He could be the X factor for Ghostbusters 3. The other remaining original Ghostbuster, Harold Ramis, died last year at the age of 69. He co-wrote the first two Ghostbusters movies in which he played Egon Spengler.

The new Ghostbusters, featuring the all-female comedy team of Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Kristen Wiig, is already being derided by Ghostbusters purists. As reported by Yahoo! News, in further gender reversals, the secretary will be played by Thor actor Chris Hemsworth, instead of the female secretary of the previous films, played by Annie Potts.

Ghostbusters fans are also worried whether Paul Feig is the right director to recapture the feel of the iconic first film. His brand of comedy may imbue this film with a type of commercial humor not likely to impress. He’s directed such fluff humor masterpieces as Spy and Bridesmaids, and is no stranger to working with Melissa McCarthy. But that sort of humor may stand out and sit askew in the paranormal universe Ghostbusters inhabit.

Part of the reason a Ghostbusters 3 featuring the original cast was never made, wasn’t because it was never planned. Bill Murray never agreed to it. Only when a sequel not starring the original Ghostbusters actors was written did he finally give some love to the idea.

Whether you like this movie or not, it’s just the beginning. As Forbes reports, a Ghostbusters 3 sequel will follow, and it’s rumored to feature an all-male team. So if you don’t like the changes coming in Ghostbusters 3, you’ll have another chance to watch something relatively more conventional.

Hopefully the producers don’t spoil fan expectations. They’ll have the opportunity to redeem a disappointing Ghostbusters II, while competing with franchises set to put out new films, including strong showings expected from Avengers related films, DC Comics characters, and Star Wars. The different ways Ghostbusters 3 will tamper with the source material may lessen their ability to connect with older Ghostbusters fans, but it may be an ingenious plot to capture younger moviegoers.

[Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images]

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