An open letter to whomever is involved in Ghostbusters 3
I am a die-hard fan of Ghostbusters. Die-hard. This means that, because of my love for the franchise, I cannot be killed by conventional weaponry.
My pseudo-immortality aside, let’s discuss the goings-on of a possible GB3.
Now, everyone I know has, at one time or another, come up to me and mentioned “Hey, did you know they’re making a Ghostbusters 3?!” or “I heard Bill Murray IS/ISN’T (seriously, pick one) going to be in it!” because, apparently, my undying love for the busting of ghosts is fairly apparent to anyone I cross paths (…or streams?) with. And that’s totally fine! I love being that guy who’s madly in love with the films and cartoons (and novelizations, and toys, and play-doh, and…) based off of a group of scientists and blue-collared workers running a business that’s based on using electrifying science to trap nightmares in a box in their basement. I love it! I have been watching GB1 since I was 4 years old, and I saw GB2 in theatres. That being said, I already know what you’re going to tell me about GB3.
I don’t mean this as a gripe, I really don’t. I’ll just save you some time! Believe me (as “I am ready to believe you”), during my internet surfing, if the G-word pops up ANYWHERE, I click on it. I don’t care if I’ve read it before, I read it again, dammit.
So, with that being said, do I want a 3rd movie? Yes, and no.
Yes. I want more Ghostbusters. Who doesn’t? I want them to be in the public eye again, like Transformers and G.I. Joe are (though I’d rather not go down THOSE routes). I want toys to be sold again, I want new references dealing with spooks, spectres, and ghosts to permeate every facet of media as we all get caught up with ghost-fever once again, 30 years later (holy crap… 30).
But how are ya gonna do that, guys? Aykroyd, Ramis, and Reitman… those are actually the only 3 guys I personally would require to be involved. EVERYONE seems to believe that a 3rd movie hinges on whether or not Bill Murray’s in it. Don’t get me wrong, Peter is very important, but that’s just it… Peter Venkman is important. That levity, that casual, ongoing sarcasm, even the face of the some prehistoric bitch or Carpathian asshole is absolutely necessary, but there ARE others on this planet who can (and should) bring that to a new film.
No, I don’t want Galifinakis in there being all… Galifinakisy (nothing against him, if he can play someone other than all of the characters he’s already played, sure!). I don’t want Seth Rogen spewing loads of inappropriate (for a GB film) language because he’s today’s “it” comedic actor; I want a good mix of horror, special effects, and well-timed comedy. Comedy in the face of danger, comedy that’s not really sure whether or not it WILL “see you on the other side, Ray.” Don’t mix a bunch of sex into the whole thing, like Apatow usually does. Nothing against Judd, that works fine in his movies, but this wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) be “his” movie. Make a film that makes adults laugh in earnest, and makes younger movie-goers desperate for a proton-pack of their own. Give children the IDEA that, somewhere, there are cool guys ready to stand up and laugh in the face of whatever is hiding underneath your bed, and they don’t need to be as afraid anymore.
I don’t want a retread of the first and second films. Even though I love GB2 despite it being a LOT like GB1 (though not as much a carbon copy as Home Alone 2 is of its predecessor… seriously, those are the same movies), it still offered something different. If GB3 can offer something DIFFERENT, in terms of plot, I’m all for it. But holy shit, keep the chemistry the same, even if you get new guys. Yes, Aykroyd and Ramis (and Murray!) are WAY too old to be busting, but that doesn’t mean that no one else can, because I firmly believe that there is a combination of writing, directing, and acting that can truly break out the spirit of the first two films from the containment unit of creativity.
Please do it. Please don’t screw it up. I’m ready to believe it can happen.
