Dan Aykroyd has finally confirmed what’s been clear for some time: Ghostbusters 3 will be a Bill Murray-free zone, if it even happens at all now...
This is a story that’s going to come as little surprise to anyone who’s followed the progression of Ghostbusters 3 to date. For Dan Aykroyd has confirmed that Bill Murray will not be taking part in the film.
Despite earlier suggestions that the film wouldn’t even happen if Murray wasn’t on board, there are still efforts to get it going, but it’s looking a slightly longer shot. “I honestly don’t know”, Aykroyd admitted, when asked if he thought the film would ever materialise. “At this point it’s in suspended animation. The studio, the director Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis feel there must be a way to do it, but Bill Murray will not do the movie”.
“He doesn’t want to be involved”, Aykroyd continued. “He’s got six kids, houses all over America. He golfs in these tournaments where they pay him to turn up and have a laugh. He’s into this life and living it. I know we’d have a lot of fun [but] I can’t be mad at him. He’s a friend first, a colleague second. We have a deep personal relationship that transcends business and he doesn’t want to know.”
So is there a way to do the film without Murray? Possibly, but not for the sake of it, appears to be the answer. “We’re not going to do a movie that exploits the franchise. The script has to be perfect. I’m the cheerleader, but I’m only one voice in the matter. It’s a surety that Bill Murray will not do the movie, however there is still interest from the studio”.
Given Aykroyd’s enthusiasm for the project to date, that’s about the most downbeat interview we’ve read with him surrounding Ghostbusters 3. It might just be, at the very least, the film is going back to development hell for a bit. If not forever...
The Telegraph
Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here. And be our Facebook chum here.