Thursday, October 15

• Bill Murray Says Ghostbusters III Is "Just a Bunch of Talk"

  

  It's been 25 years since the original Ghostbusters taught us who to call when "paranormal activity" gets out of control. But after the poorly-received Ghostbusters II in 1989, it seemed that the franchise was officially dead, at least as far as features were concerned. This year, however, nearly every member of the original production has chimed in on the possibility of resurrecting the franchise.

  Dan Aykroyd, who starred as Dr. Raymond Stantz and co-wrote both Ghostbusters movies with Harold Ramis, announced in February that production on a third movie could begin as early as "late fall 2009." In June, Ramis, who starred as Dr. Egon Spengler in addition to his writing duties, said that he was working on a story for the sequel but that he didn't think that director Ivan Reitman was interested. That same month, Reitman responded that he had "never ruled out" returning for another Ghostbusters.

  Now, Bill Murray has chimed in on the possibility of reprising the role of Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters III to Absolute Radio (via the Latino Review).

  I'll believe it when I see it ... I don't want to do it yet. There's still no script. It's just a bunch of talk. It's just a wish list for someone. Until there's a really good script, I'll stay home and play snooker, or whatever you [British] do. It has to be a serious script before I'll leave the house.

  It's gotta be really good, you know? I'm not going to make one just to make another one ... you gotta be really fierce about it.

  
  
  

  Ghostbusters - Trailer

  They ain't afraid of no ghosts
  

  Ghostbusters II - Trailer

  Who you gonna call?

  Posted 10/15/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Bill Murray | Dan Aykroyd | Harold Ramis | Ivan Reitman | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters III

Saturday, June 20

• Will Ghostbusters Video Game Revive Film Franchise?

  It's been 25 years since "Who ya gonna call?" became a national catchphrase and 20 years since the bland sequel to Ghostbusters all but ended the franchise. Over the years, there has been sporadic talk about reviving the franchise, but the principals could never agree to terms and the franchise languished. Now, the possibility of a third film about New York City's favorite paranormal investigators seems a possibility, thanks to an unlikely impetus: the Ghostbusters video game.

  A couple of weeks ago, Harold Ramis, who co-wrote and starred in the first two Ghostbusters films, said he had written a story for a third film that The Office writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky were adapting into a screenplay. Now, with the Ghostbusters video game becoming the top-selling Xbox 360 game and second best-selling Playstation 3 game on Amazon.com, there is even more talk about the film franchise. As reported in Variety, Mark Caplan, VP of licensing at Sony Pictures said:

  For now, we're celebrating the 25th anniversary of the franchise. The game and the Blu-ray (release) will have a big impact on all of us. And we'll decide what to do from there.

  The Ghostbusters video game script, co-written by Dan Aykroyd and Ramis, contains more than 10,000 lines of dialgogue and features the voices of principal actors Ramis, Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson. Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis declined to participate for unspecified reasons.

  
  

  Posted 06/20/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Bill Murray | Dan Aykroyd | Ernie Hudson | Harold Ramis | Rick Moranis | Sigourney Weaver | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters III

Monday, June 15

• Jack Black Likens Year One to Monty Python's Life of Brian

  This morning, Jack Black and Michael Cera were on the CBS Early Show to promote Year One, which will be in theaters Friday.

  When asked about the plot, Black made good on his well-known arsenal of musical trivia and referenced a few notes from a Genesis song (get it? Genesis ... movie about prehistoric times?). He then likened the Harold Ramis-directed comedy to another well-known comedy from 30 years ago:

  So we're cavemen ... prehistoric dudes, and we're just sort of wandering through Biblical times. A lot like, you know, one of the old Biblical comedies like Life of Brian, in that flavor.

  It would probably be foolish to expect Year One to deliver the same level of hilarity as the 1979 movie. That's a tough act to follow. On the other hand, we have to admit that the costumes and set design look very similar.

  Compare the two trailers to see what we mean:

  
  

  Posted 06/15/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Harold Ramis | Jack Black | Michael Cera | Monty Python's Life of Brian | Year One

Friday, June 12

• New Year One Trailer

  Sony Pictures recently released this hilarious new movie trailer from the upcoming Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) film, Year One. The film stars Jack Black (Nacho Libre) and Michael Cera (Superbad) as two lazy hunter-gatherers who get banished from their village and set about on an epic quest.

  Year One also stars Olivia Wilde (Turistas), Paul Rudd (Role Models) and David Cross (Arrested Development).

  
  
  

  Year One - New Trailer

  Jack Black & Michael Cera Star - Releasing June 19, 2009

  Posted 06/12/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Harold Ramis | Jack Black | Michael Cera | Year One

Wednesday, June 10

• Ivan Reitman Not Against Ghostbusters III

  Harold Ramis needs to pick up the phone. When it comes to Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II director Ivan Reitman's return for Ghostbusters III, Ramis has said "I don't think he wants to," however Reitman has already said he might be interested in returning. Reitman told MTV:

  I've never ruled [directing Ghostbusters III] out. I certainly was responsible in every capacity for the first two movies so I certainly wouldn't wander away from the third one -- especially if it's something we all think is worth doing.

  Reitman agreed with Ramis that he thought the third movie would revolve around a younger group of characters, perhaps even a female or two. "That was certainly in the outline they proposed," said Reitman.

  Reitman claims the script, written by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg (The Office), should be delivered "in a month or so." At that time, who will be in and who won't be, will become a lot more clear.

  
  

  Posted 06/10/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Harold Ramis | Ivan Reitman | Gene Stupnitsky | Lee Eisenberg | Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters III

Tuesday, June 9

• Harold Ramis Talks About Ghostbusters III

  

  It's been 25 years since the birth of the Ghostbusters franchise and the original creative team is working on a new flick. In a telephone interview yesterday, Comingsoon.net talked to writer/director Harold Ramis (Year One, Analyze This, Groundhog Day) and received some info on the upcoming Ghostbusters III.

  Ramis and Dan Aykroyd wrote the scripts for the first two movies and both starred with Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, who are regular writers for The Office, are developing a first draft of the script and Ramis says he's optimistic that the new movie will feature most of the original cast:

  I wrote the story for the new movie with [Eisenberg and Stupnitsky], and Dan [Aykroyd] and I've been consulting. We're just waiting to see a first draft and where we are ... Everyone says they'll do it; they've all said they'll do it. No one has signed anything yet--we haven't signed anything either--but there's the spirit of willingness in the air.

  Ramis also talked about whether he or original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman will helm the new movie:

  I don't think he wants to; I'm not sure I want to. It's just a lot of open questions. Until we see a script, I don't think anyone really knows how they feel about it. Everyone's open to doing it, that's the main thing, that's what got it moving forward.

  .

  In addition, Ramis said that there will be a younger team of Ghostbusters this time around, with the original characters acting more as mentors.

  Ghostbusters III is currently scheduled for release sometime in 2012.

  
  

  Posted 06/09/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Bill Murray | Dan Aykroyd | Ernie Hudson | Harold Ramis | Ivan Reitman | Sigourney Weaver | Gene Stupnitsky | Lee Eisenberg | Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters III

Monday, May 18

• Two New Year One Clips

  Two new clips from the upcoming Harold Ramis directed Year One show the social dangers our ancestors faced in the past. In the first clip, Michael Cera is having trouble meeting the girl of his dreams:

  In this clip Cera and Jack Black try to talk their way out of death by stoning:

  
  
  Next Showing: Year One opens June 19

  Posted 05/18/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Harold Ramis | Jack Black | Michael Cera | Year One

Friday, May 8

• New International Year One Trailer

  A new international trailer for Year One has appeared. The comedy, about two hunter-gatherers (Jack Black and Michael Cera) who set out on a journey through the ancient world, was directed by Harold Ramis from a script by the writers behind the upcoming Ghostbusters 3. The movie looks hilarious, and hopefully won't be affected by a recent trim to make a PG-13 rating.

  
  
  Next Showing: Year One opens June 19

  Posted 05/08/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Harold Ramis | Jack Black | Michael Cera | Ghostbusters III | Year One

Friday, April 10

• Year One Trimmed for PG-13 Rating

  Jack Black's latest comedy, The Year One, was just too raunchy for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) as originally cut. After receiving a hard "R" rating, producer Judd Apatow (Pineapple Express) and director Harold Ramis (Analyze That) appeared before the MPAA appeals board to request that the film be granted a more lenient "PG-13" rating.

  Apparently, the MPAA was not moved by their pitch, because it refused to change the initial ruling. After the filmmakers made several cuts to the film, the MPAA has now revised the rating for the film, which will be released with a "PG-13" rating.

  
  
  Next Showing: The Year One debuts June 19, 2009

  Posted 04/10/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Harold Ramis | Jack Black | Judd Apatow | Year One

Monday, February 23

• Dan Aykroyd Ain't Afraid of No Ghostbusters III

  Stoners and geeks and inner children everywhere rejoice. Ghostbusters III may actually be happening. Talking cryptically on the subject to the Boston Globe while at a House of Blues opening (no comment), Dan Aykroyd said, "Script is commenced early summer. Hope to be in production by late fall 2009." Hmm...while that verb tense is vague, we'll take it to mean that a script is in the works. Here's what else we (kinda, sorta) know:

  Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky of The Office are listed as writers, while old Ivan Reitman looks to be on to produce, per usual. Chances are decent that along with Aykroyd, Bill Murray would be on board, and perhaps Harold Ramis. Chances are less good that Sigourney Weaver would come back, and even less good that Rick Moranis would come out of hiding for the film. For certain, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the first film, and the release of a new video game based on it, so if ever there were a time for another, now would be good, at least for marketing reasons.

  
  

  Posted 02/23/2009 by Hailey

  Related: Bill Murray | Dan Aykroyd | Harold Ramis | Gene Stupnitsky | Lee Eisenberg | Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters III

Sunday, February 1

• Super Bowl Trailer Half-Time Catch Up - Monsters vs. Aliens, Up and The Year One

  With seconds left till the half, Pittsburg has intercepted the ball and run it back for a 100 yard return touchdown--the longest in history! With the extra point, it is now 17-7 for the Steelers.

  Now that we're going into the half, I'm getting to play a little trailer catch-up for a couple previews that I haven't blogged about yet.

  First off, I just saw a trailer and 3-D promo for Monsters vs. Aliens -- the next computer animated offering from Dreamworks. This has the looks of a fun family favorite. When hostile aliens invade, only Earth's monsters can save us from annihilation. If it looks a little blurry, it's because you need 3-D glasses.

  For those of you with the 3-D glasses, here also is the SoBe promo featuring the Monsters.

  May I say, that as always, the commercials and trailers are way better than the half-time show. I'm re-living the 80's watching Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, and praying that there isn't going to be another wardrobe malfunction this time.

  Another animation that I didn't get to blog about earlier is the Pixar picture Up. While Pixar movies are never bad, this one, about an old man (named Carl Fredrickson) who ties a bunch of balloons to his house and floats away, just doesn't do it for me. Maybe I'm getting jaded in my old age, but does this storyline sound interesting to anybody? The trailer was cute, as they all are, but when I want to see funny old people, I visit the local rest home. But hey, I didn't think Wall-E sounded particularly interesting, and yet it has turned out to be one of my favorite Pixar flicks. So what do I know, huh?

  Finally, one I missed mentioning right at the beginning was The Year One, a comedy from Harold Ramis starring Jack Black and uber-nerd Michael Cera. You can't go wrong with this one. The trailer had a funny stoning scene that I couldn't find for you, but the below clip makes up for not finding the actual trailer

  
  

  Posted 02/01/2009 by Jim

  Related: Harold Ramis | Jack Black | Michael Cera | Year One | Monsters vs. Aliens | Up

Friday, September 5

• Who Ya Gonna Call (Again)?
  

  Another Ghostbusters sequel has been rumored ever since Ghostbusters II was released 19 years ago, in 1989. Like so many other franchises -- from Back to the Future to Indiana Jones -- stories have popped up over the years, only to be squashed or forgotten in time. At one point a new Ghostbusters cast was discussed, to be headed by Will Smith. It, too, fell by the way side.

  But today, according to Variety, Columbia Pictures has finally made the first concrete move towards a Ghostbusters III -- hiring Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, co-executive producers on TV's The Office, to write the script. The duo recently wrote Year One, directed by Ghostbuster Harold Ramis.

  Unlike other Ghostbuster sequels, which talked of a partial original cast or all-new actors, the plan here is to reunite original castmembers Ramis, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson.

  For now, no deals are signed other than the script. The actors won't be committing until they've read the script, but considering the high quality of the continually funny The Office, hopes are high.

  Ray Parker, Jr. -- time for a comeback!

  Source: Variety

  
  

  Posted 09/05/2008 by reelz

  Related: Bill Murray | Dan Aykroyd | Ernie Hudson | Harold Ramis | Ray Parker Jr. | Ghostbusters III | Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II