Not content with having just one Ghostbusters reboot, Sony Pictures is reportedly looking to create a "male-driven action-centry comedy" that, while sounding a bit closer to the original series, almost seems like a slap in the face to the Paul Feig-directed film that will star an all-female Ghostbusters group.
According to Deadline, the studio is forming Ghostcorps, a new production company led Dan Akroyd, who played Ray Stantz in the original two films, and Ivan Reitman. The two will have offices at Sony and will look to broaden the Ghostbusters brand.
Joe and Anthony Russo, who directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, are in line to direct and produce the film. Drew Pearce, who wrote Iron Man 3 and Mission: Impossible 5, will reportedly write the script. Channing Tatum and his partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan are on board to produce, with the hope that Tatum will play one of the Ghostbusters in the film. Tatum has made quite a name for himself with films like 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike, and just might be the perfect cornerstone in another Ghostbusters series.
“We want to expand the Ghostbusters universe in ways that will include different films, TV shows, merchandise, all things that are part of modern filmed entertainment,” Reitman told Deadline. “This is a branded entertainment, a scary supernatural premise mixed with comedy. Paul Feig’s film will be the first version of that, shooting in June to come out in July 2016. He’s got four of the funniest women in the world, and there will be other surprises to come. The second film has a wonderful idea that builds on that. Drew will start writing and the hope is to be ready for the Russo Brothers’ next window next summer to shoot, with the movie coming out the following year. It’s just the beginning of what I hope will be a lot of wonderful movies.”
It sounds to me that Sony Pictures will premiere both films separately, but has possible plans to build towards a bigger film that could potentially feature both sets of Ghostbusters. It just seems a little odd that the company would almost cannibalize its own market with two films. Sure, it's possible that fans of the series could see both, but honestly, why couldn't they just feature a cast that had both male and female Ghostbusters? It's almost as though Sony is drawling lines in the sand, suggesting that only women can see the all-female cast, while men the all-male cast. It just seems a bit odd to me.
The all-female Ghostbusters cast was revealed last month. The film, which will start production in June of this year with a release date of July 22, 2016, stars Bridesmaids actresses Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. Joining them are two SNL cast members not as well known, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon.
