With so much high-end horror hitting theaters this summer and beyond, one might be fooled into thinking the lineup of upcoming horror TV shows isn’t up to snuff. That’s certainly not the case, though, and Ghostbusters fans will be heading back to pre-clean-up New York City for a 2027 series that I can now finally get fully excited about, thanks to some fun new details from franchise overseer Jason Reitman & Co.

Ghostbusters: Night Shift will be available to stream via Netflix subscription later this year, and we now know a lot more about the vibes, the humor balance, the setting and more. To the point where my innate base-level glee for the project has blossomed into a full-on “gimme gimme gimme” desire to watch the whole thing immediately. In part because the series isn’t attempting to strike out into unfamiliar territory, but is rather a bridge of sorts connecting the OG films to the modern era. Jason Reitman told THR:

Reitman is executive producing the animated Night Shift series alongside Afterlife and Frozen Empire co-writer Gil Kenan, who also helmed the latter. Dan Aykroyd is also an EP, with animator Ben Hibon and Daily Show vet Elliott Kalan serving as showrunners. The animation team behind Stranger Things: Tales from '85 was tasked with putting this series together as well, and the first-look images appear very crisp.

As far as the impetus behind the new project, Jason Reitman said it was birthed during the creative process for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which helped save the franchise when it was released in 2021. Essentially the same question that sparked that movie's existence was broadened, and thus opened up a new chapter in the timeline that's ripe for exploration. As he put it:

Interestingly enough, Reitman and Kenan seem to purposefully avoid getting into specifics when it comes to who the characters are that we'll be watching. It's confirmed that the main group are "in their early 20s," which presumably means they're the second wave of Ghostbusters who were trained by the core foursome of Peter, Ray, Egon and Winston. One has to assume that one or more of that group will be in the mix, even if the O.G. actors may not be voicing them. (Also, more Janine, please!)

While The Real Ghostbusters animated series was an inspiration for the creative team for Frozen Empire and the Night Shift series, they still made sure to lean more into tone of the classic ‘80s movie rather than the toon's more surreal storytelling. But the size and scope of that series will be reflected in the new one. As Reitman says:

No part of my brain actually thinks that anything on display in Ghostbusters: Night Shift will effectively spook me or creep me out. However, that isn't stopping me from being 100% more excited about the show than I was previously. Bring on the new proton pack toys!

For now, it's still unclear when in 2027 Ghostbusters: Night Shift will debut on Netflix, but hopefully more details are hauntingly close.

The Ghostbusters franchise has continued to be popular since the original film debuted in 1984, despite the fact that it has been dormant for the majority of that time. The franchise delivered two movies in the ‘80s, but fans spent years hoping to see a Ghostbusters 3 materialize that never really happened. While it’s been often reported that Bill Murray holding out on Ghostbusters 3 was one of the big reasons it never happened, it appears he wasn’t the only one.

Jason Reitman, the writer and director of the two recent Ghostbusters movies, and the son of original franchise director Ivan Reitman, recently revealed that his dad had little love for the concept of sequels in general, which also led to one of the strangest parts of the entire franchise: the one time he did actually make a sequel.

Ghostbusters Director Ivan Reitman Hated Sequels

Jason Reitman recently appeared on the Blocks Podcast with Neil Brennan, where he talked over his entire film career. In discussing Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Reitman the younger revealed that his dad didn’t understand why so many movie fans wanted to go backward. Apparently Ivan Reitman was a fan of the more original ideas introduced in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but less so of the parts that specifically dealt with plot points from the original movie. Reitman said…

It’s easy to see that Ivan Reitman didn’t love sequels. Ghostbusters II is the only one he ever directed. He also once told our own ReelBlend podcast that he wouldn't have directed Ghostbusters 3 if the movie had ever happened. While another popular Reitman movie, the aforementioned Twins, has had fans hoping for a sequel for decades, the closest the director ever got was making Junior, another comedy that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, but with a completely original story, which sounds exactly like the sort of thing Jason Reitman is talking about.

The Ghostbusters II Logo Appearing In The Film Was “Probably A Mistake”

It’s fine to say that Ivan Reitman didn’t like sequels, but there is also evidence that proves that point unequivocally. One of the strangest things in Ghostbusters II is the fact that the logo on the side of the Ghostbusters car is actually the movie’s logo, a point that makes zero sense within the context of the film. It turns out Jason Reitman once asked his dad about that, and the answer indicates how little thought he gave it at the time…

Ivan Reitman may not have loved sequels, but it seems Jason Reitman has no problem with them. While there is no indication yet if we will see a sequel to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, a third Ghostbusters film in this era of the franchise seems much more likely to happen now than it ever did in the ‘80s.

Making a movie about the institution that is Saturday Night Live has to be challenging. For starters, the audience comes to the movie with its own preconceived notions about the show. Then, director Jason Reitman spent years trying to find the ideal actors to play legendary comedians Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, and more. Does he worry if those cast members watched the movie? And is he concerned what they think of it? Well, when it comes to Chase, Reitman need not worry, because the Fletch and Vacation star told him exactly what the thought after watching the comedy… and he didn’t hold back.

Jason Reitman appeared as a guest on the excellent Fly on the Wall podcast, hosted by Saturday Night Live alums Dana Carvey and David Spade. The pod has become a great spot for former cast and guests to stop by and share memories of creating iconic moments on the sketch comedy show. Jason Reitman makes for an obvious guest, having spent several years working on the movie Saturday Night. But when they got around to Chevy Chase, Reitman told the hosts what the notoriously difficult Weekend Update comedian thought of the film. Said Reitman:

That dry reaction apparently made David Spade and Dana Carvey die laughing. Because Chevy Chase is known for being such a condescending jerk, it’s hard to tell if he was being serious – shooting Jason Reitman down immediately after a screening of Saturday Night – or if he knew that delivering a crushing blow is exactly what would be funniest in that moment.

If you are going to hang out with comedians, you need to have a thick skin.

While Carvey and Spade tried to assure Rietman that Chase probably was being funny in his own vicious way, the director still confessed:

Perhaps that’s one way that a Hollywood legend like Chevy Chase can stay guarded, and protect his own image. He knows that he can’t do anything to control the way that he’s portrayed in Saturday Night by Cory Michael Smith. And truthfully, I thought Smith’s portrayal of Chase was one of the better turns in Reitman’s film. But what, am I going to argue with Chevy Chase about it? Not very likely.

Saturday Night is still a very fun watch, and a movie that was good enough to make CinemaBlend’s collective Best Movies of 2024 list. Catch up with it soon if you haven’t seen it yet.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away several pivotal moments from Saturday Night, so proceed with caution if you have not yet seen the dramedy.

As a lifelong fan of Saturday Night Live, I had a feeling that Saturday Night would be one of my favorite 2024 movies, and I was correct. However, there were also several moments throughout Jason Reitman’s dramatization of the first SNL episode when I found myself wondering, How much of this is real?

As it turns out, while there are many embellished details in Reitman and Gil Kenan’s screenplay, there is a fair amount of truth behind the 90-minute whirlwind of backstage chaos that is Saturday Night. Take a look at these facts from the history of the groundbreaking sketch comedy TV show to learn what is real and what is merely based on reality in the biopic.

John Belushi's Bee Costume Protest

To die-hard SNL fans, it is no secret John Belushi (portrayed by Matt Wood) indeed hated dressing up as a bee for the show, which was then called NBC’s Saturday Night. However, one-time Studio 8H bandmate Paul Schaffer recalls in his book We'll Be Here For The Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Showbiz Saga that the costume eventually led to the creation of the Blues Brothers. Belushi and Dan Aykroyd debuted as Jake and Elwood while dressed as the insects before later donning their signature look and eventually inspiring one of the best moves based on SNL characters in 1980.

Lorne Michaels Almost Hosted Weekend Update

Showtime is just minutes away when Saturday Night creator Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) passes the responsibility of hosting “Weekend Update” to Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), who would retain the gig until he left SNL not long after completing one season. In 2014, Michaels told Deadline he was the original host, but Chase was ultimately selected much earlier and, in fact, before he was added to the cast, having originally been hired as a writer.

NBC's Tonight Show Back-Up Plan

The film sees Saturday Night under the threat of being replaced with a rerun of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (which is what NBC normally played during Saturday’s 11:30 p.m. timeslot at the time) if it does not make it to air. As mentioned in the acclaimed book Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests, it was actually Michaels himself who pushed for a backup plan, asking executives to have a movie ready in case things did not go according to plan.

Romance Between SNL Cast Members

It is implied in Saturday Night that Laraine Newman (played by Emily Fairn) was romantically linked to Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), who later played her father in the “Coneheads” sketches. The SNL stars did share a fling, as Newman recalled in her memoir May You Live in Interesting Times, but, as the film also subtly hints, Aykroyd had an additional affair with producer Rosie Shuster (played by Rachel Sennott). That juicy detail comes from the firsthand testimony of Paula Davis (an assistant from those days), according to the Los Angeles Times.

Hiring Alan Zweibel

A Saturday Night moment I was especially skeptical of is when Michaels stops by a comedy club, meets Alan Zweibel (Silicon Valley cast member Josh Brener), and hires him on the spot with roughly 30 minutes to spare. While the Emmy winner was not added to the SNL writing staff so soon before the premiere, Zweibel (as he shared with Variety) did make a living writing for stand-up comedians prior. In fact, the joke he hands Chevy Chase to read on “Update” in the film is the joke that got him hired and was actually used in the segment.

The Writers Bullying Jim Henson

In addition to playing Andy Kaufman, Succession cast member Nicholas Braun also portrays Jim Henson, who discusses with Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris (no relation) that the writers rebelled against his Muppet-starring segment, “The Land of Gorch,” by hanging Big Bird outside his dressing room door. Alan Zweibel recalled in Live from New York that the writers did hate “writing for felt,” as then-head writer Michael O’Donahue famously proclaimed. In fact, while Tommy Dewey’s portrayal of O’Donahue sarcastically apologizes about Big Bird on the writers’ behalf, Zweibel claims it was him who performed that very "lynching" using a Venetian blinds pull string in the writers’ room.

Cutting Billy Crystal's Segment

Before Billy Crystal spoke some of his best quotes as an SNL cast member in the ‘80s, he was scheduled to appear on the first episode. However, he was ultimately cut, just as Saturday Night depicts with Nicholas Podany delivering a pitch-perfect impersonation of the then-up-and-coming comedian. As he recalled in Live from New York, Crystal was initially upset he could not perform his safari-inspired bit, while fellow comedian Valri Bromfield (Corine Britti) was allowed a few minutes to show her material.

Laying Bricks On The SNL Stage

According to Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad’s Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live, the bricks that made up Studio 8H’s “home base” arrive a day before the premiere and had to be laid overnight – a detail that Jason Reitman told ScreenRant largely inspired his approach to making the film. While home base was not single-handedly constructed within an hour of the premiere broadcast, much of the set still was. So the image of production designer Akira “Leo” Yoshimura (who once made Chris Pine laugh in a Star Trek sketch, and is played here by Abraham Hsu) is a semi-accurate reflection of the painstaking work done that night.

John Belushi's Late Contract Signing

John Belushi causes trouble in Saturday Night in a number of ways, including waiting until the last minute to sign his contract with the show. According to Live From New York, while not depicted exactly as it happened, this is one of the film’s more accurate details. Bernie Brillstein, Lorne Michaels’ manager at the time, said in the book that he had to agree to be Belushi's manager in order to get him to sign the contract literally five minutes before air.

George Carlin's Alexander The Great Sketch Refusal

The premiere of Saturday Night Live was hosted by George Carlin – whom you will notice, if you watch the episode with a Peacock subscription, does not appear in any sketches. Saturday Night explains that he was set to play Alexander the Great in one segment until it was dropped when the comedian (played by Matthew Rhys) decided, between the dress rehearsal and the live broadcast, that he did not want to do it. Despite some clear dramatic exaggeration in the film, that is exactly what happened, as recalled in Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live.

Milton Berle Flashing Chevy Chase

While Milton Berle was not even at Studio 8H the night of the SNL premiere, there is some truth to the scene when the comedy legend (played by Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons) whips out his member in front of Chevy Chase. Alan Zweibel claimed in Live From New York that on the night of Berle’s 1979 hosting gig, he made a joke about the comedian's size and he responded by exposing himself to him on the spot right as Gilda Radner walked in.

Well, it looks like even when this film is stretching the truth, it is not too far off from it either. In some cases, this sort of approach results in the most fun kind of biopic and I believe that the critically acclaimed Saturday Night is a lively example of that.

The celebration of Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary isn’t merely limited to the world of TV, as the 2024 movie schedule is also honoring the occasion with the movie Saturday Night. Co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, the real-time drama depicts the chaos before the first broadcast of NBC’s landmark sketch show.

In an act of cosmic coincidence, a poignant scene involving actor Matt Wood’s John Belushi saw him rushed to the hospitalma as it was being filmed in the iconic Rockefeller Center Ice Rink. The event would force Reitman to become a last minute stand-in on camera, and in turn would give Saturday Night co-star Ella Hunt a moment with one of her favorite directors that only enhanced her performance.

Why Saturday Night’s Ice Skating Scene Force Jason Reitman To Stand In For Matt Wood

As part of our Saturday Night interviews, Sean O’Connell got to speak with various cast members, including Ella Hunt, one of Wood’s scene partners in the scene in question. Playing the on-screen representation of original cast member Gilda Radner, Hunt was present to discuss an intriguing wrinkle in filming what’s a subtly heartfelt moment.

When it comes to Jason Reitman having to step in as a physical double, the story is pretty simple. In fact, here’s how Ella Hunt recounted that tale for CinemaBlend:

If that moment had occurred at any point of a normal film shoot, it’d be an interesting story. Then again, Saturday Night isn't a normal film, as its tight knit action required precision so fine, rehearsals were actually run for each scene before shooting even began.

Not to mention, for this specific picture to run into this sort of challenge on the first night is practically an omen that this cast and crew were making the right movie. I mean, this is the story of how SNL pulled it together out of nowhere on night one, and made every pitfall and pratfall work to its advantage.

I can only talk about Matt Wood's accident in such a context for two very important reasons, one of which is knowing full well that the actor was promptly sent for medical attention, and to my knowledge did not suffer any major injuries from the incident. The other is that another silver lining of this unfortunate wipe out was technically called for, as John Belushi's attempt to do a triple axel in this scene goes wrong in a similar fashion.

What makes this seem even more fitting is the fact that the cavalier and improvisational nature of this dramatized first night was reflected rather ingeniously by Jason Reitman, who was briefly an SNL writer himself. So if anyone could understand the run and gun nature that comes with making both that show, and a movie reflecting its genesis, it's him.

Also, if we're being honest here, landing Rockefeller Center's Ice Rink for a night shoot was probably something so strictly permitted that this night in particular was the only time they'd get that shot. Which is an interesting metaphorical gun to be under, especially as the show had to go on due to production freshly starting.

With Jason Reitman literally lacing up his skates, he gave Ella Hunt the scene partner she needed and played the moment like a champ. The Ghostbusters: Afterlife director’s quick thinking landed one of my favorite moments from the film in the can, and it also managed to give Hunt an experience that only enhanced her performance further.

Why Ella Hunt Feels Her Saturday Night Switch Up Was ‘Uncanny’

What makes this Saturday Night scene so special to me is the dialogue that it contains and the SNL cast members it’s shared by. While Matt Wood’s John Belushi is skating around in an act of trademark oppositional defiance, Ella Hunt’s Gilda Radner asks him about being nostalgic for a moment you’re currently living.

As two legends from the shows cast who’d be taken away before their time, it’s a scene that lands a subtle gut punch for fans of either Radner, Belushi or Saturday Night Live as a whole. But on the more lighthearted side of things, Ella Hunt told CinemaBlend that those “uncanny” words resonated with her in this pleasant manner:

2024 has certainly been a wild year for both Matt Wood and Ella Hunt, even if you’re only taking into account their Saturday Night experience. As this marks Wood’s first major motion picture role, and Hunt has this credit sitting right in-between installments of her time in the Horizon: An American Saga cast, reenacting a watershed moment in American TV history is definitely something to be proud of.

Saturday Night Live fans, you have some celebrating to get back to, which can be helped along with the extensive catalog of reruns that are available to stream through a Peacock subscription. That naturally includes the very episode that this motion picture takes its inspiration from, and also includes some fun easter eggs to other SNL hallmarks.

Don’t forget that Saturday Night is currently in theaters in a ready for prime time depiction of those Not Ready for Prime Time Players. Also, don’t forget to check out Jason Reitman’s ReelBlend interview, in which he discussed the process of making Saturday Night, as well as other notable stories from his filmography.

One of the buzziest 2024 movies to hit cinemas this weekend is Saturday Night, and it just received some major praise from the perfect source. Dan Aykroyd, who is portrayed by Dylan O’Brien in the movie about the preparations that went into the first SNL episode in 1975, has called it “a stand-alone masterpiece” that he hopes is on the way to Oscar glory.

Now that audiences can experience Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night for themselves, Aykroyd took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) page to share his thoughts on the movie. In his words:

Whoa, this is a huge stamp of approval for Saturday Night! As Dan Aykroyd expressed, and as shown in the movie itself, he was there for the premiere episode of SNL alongside other comedy icons like Chevy Chase, Gilda Radnor, John Belushi and Garrett Morris. If you're an audience member who goes into the movie feeling skeptical that it's anywhere close to the true story, someone who lived it has now shared that it's “pretty accurate.”

Aykroyd sounds like he truly enjoyed going back to memory lane over the history-making day that Saturday Night immortalizes. The movie specifically takes viewers through the nonstop 90 minutes right before the first episode of the beloved sketch show began. Dan Aykroyd’s presence on the premiere of SNL would turn into four years of his life (1975-1979) where he was part of some of the funniest recurring characters on the show, like The Coneheads, The Festrunk Brothers (with Steve Martin) and Irwin Mainway.

His time on SNL fed directly into his Hollywood career, working with John Belushi on The Blues Brothers, Bill Murray on the Ghostbusters movies, and Eddie Murphy on Trading Places. Aykroyd and the Ghostbusters cast were directed by Ivan Reitman, who is the father of Saturday Night’s filmmaker, Jason Reitman. (Jason Reitman also worked with Aykroyd on the two recent Ghostbusters movies.)

At the premiere of Saturday Night, Bill Murray introduced the movie as well. Actors from the early TV show giving this movie its props is a great sign, but Saturday Night is also getting great reviews from critics and audiences alike.

It sounds like the perfect tribute to the sketch show as it recently began its 50th season on NBC. Check out the SNL movie in theaters now and check out our Saturday Night exclusive interviews here on CinemaBlend.

Over on NBC, the late-night sketch comedy staple Saturday Night Live is celebrating 50 years of entertainment. Singer and Wicked star Ariana Grande will be hosting the October 12 episode, followed by Michael Keaton on October 19. As we are starting to learn, however, none of that would have been possible if Lorne Michaels and his initial cast of hooligans didn’t get the show off the ground way back in 1974… an act of rebellion that’s currently being celebrated by Jason Reitman’s upcoming 2024 film Saturday Night.

The original cast of Saturday Night Live included some heavy hitters in the comedic world, and the strength of Jason Reitman’s new movie lies in the cast he found to portray these icons in their early stages. Succession star Nicholas Braun – hilarious as Cousin Greg – all but steals the show playing both Jim Henson and Andy Kauffman. I thought Lamorne Morris and Ella Hunt were spectacular as Garrett Morris and Gilda Radner, respectively. But the standout is Cory Michael Smith as a young Chevy Chase. He’s cocky. He’s confident. He’s so damn good as young Chevy Chase, I basically want him to start remaking old Chase movies so he can keep doing this impersonation.

During a recent Saturday Night press day, though, when I asked Cory Michael Smith which classic Chevy Chase movie he’d love to remake, he didn’t go with Vacation or Fletch. Instead, the actor told CinemaBlend:

See if you can spot some of those moments in the Foul Play trailer, from 1978:

Two years after Foul Play, Chevy Chase would be part of the all-star ensemble of Caddyshack, one of the best golf movies ever made (and also the funniest). And there would be no looking back, leading to Chase becoming one of the most successful Saturday Night Live cast members to break into Hollywood. Chase would go back to television over the years, notably as part of Community, and also returned to SNL on anniversary celebrations.

But Saturday Night will show you where Chase, and several others, got their start when the movie opens wide in theaters on October 11.

Jason Reitman returns to discuss the making of Saturday Night, his new film spanning the 90 minutes leading up to Lorne Michaels' first episode of Saturday Night Live. The film is at the front of the pack for this year's best ensemble featuring Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith and many more taking on the parts of Lorne Michaels and his motley crew of writers and comedians.

Reitman talks about creating the film’s score live on set with Jon Batiste, interviewing everyone at the historic taping before writing the script, the real rush of going live on SNL and more.

After the interview, stick around for our review of the film, as well as Kevin’s thoughts on Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis and our thoughts on Gladiator 2’s new trailer.

Timestamps

• 00:00:00 - Intro
• 00:07:48 - Jason Reitman Saturday Night Interview
• 00:37:54 - Saturday Night Review
• 00:49:09 - Megalopolis Reaction
• 00:59:36 - New Trailers!
• 01:16:17 - Outro

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As the Saturday Night release date approaches this October, writer/director Jason Reitman showed the movie to the world for the first time at the 51st Telluride Film Festival last month. The world premiere was an especially sweet moment for one of the latest upcoming 2024 movies because he got Bill Murray on stage to help present the movie. As it turns out, there’s a sweet story behind how it happened.

Bill Murray Made A Surprise Appearance At The Premiere Of Saturday Night

If you wanted to see how Jason Reitman and Bill Murray presented Saturday Night while at the Colorado film festival, you can take a look below. Check out this TikTok via Variety editor Clayton Davis:

Jason Reitman had some sweet things to say about his time as a Saturday Night Live writer before talking about the making of the movie that embodies the chaotic nature of the sketch show’s first time on the air. Then, he introduced Bill Murray, who very kindly said his three seasons on the show was his “greatest work experience” before showing a lot of love to Reitman and his late father Ivan Reitman, with whom he made Ghostbusters, Stripes and Meatballs.

The Sweet Way The Saturday Night Premiere Moment Came About

So how did Jason Reitman nab Bill Murray for the premiere moment? As it happens, Murray was already at the festival for his drama The Friend. Here’s what happened, per Reitman:

While speaking to Deadline, Reitman shared that the moment actually happened on accident given the two Ghostbusters: Afterlife collaborators were both at the festival at the same time. Reitman also said this:

While Bill Murray is not portrayed in the movie given that he didn’t join until Season 2, his buddy Dan Aykroyd is portrayed by Dylan O’Brien, along with Lorne Michaels, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, John Belushi and more being portrayed in the film. As Reitman continued:

Reitman also shared with the publication that the premiere was a tough moment for him because he realized that it's the last script of his his father read and the first movie of his he’ll never see. Ivan Reitman died at the age of 75 back in 2022 just months after he saw his son bring back Ghostbusters with 2021’s Afterlife. Amidst the bittersweet emotions Jason Reitman was feeling that night, what an amazing moment to be introduced by Bill Murray!

You can look forward to reliving the first night of SNL when Saturday Night hits theaters on October 11.

Saturday Night Live’s history is long, storied and well-documented, plus many of the comedians who worked on the show – including members of the original 1975 cast – are still working. However, when it came time for Dylan O’Brien to prep his take on Dan Aykroyd for the film about SNL's origins, he did basically nothing. But, that’s actually exactly what director Jason Reitman wanted the cast of Saturday Night to do.

As the highly anticipated film Saturday Night prepares to drop on the 2024 movie schedule around the same time the 50th season of SNL premieres on NBC, the cast and creatives behind the film are chatting about what it was like embodying comedy icons. However, when O’Brien was asked by Variety about how he prepared to play one of SNL’s legendary cast members, he said:

In the same interview, other cast members talked about going against Reitman’s wishes. Rachel Sennott talked to Rosie Shuster, Ella Hunt spoke with one of Gilda Radner’s close friends and collaborators, and Lamorne Morris met Garrett Morris. Meanwhile, while Gabriel LaBelle only met Lorne Michaels very briefly, he did read a ton of books and interviews. Cory Michael Smith – whose Chevy Chase impression is on point – also said he “compulsively” watched the comedian he played to prepare.

However, when it came to O’Brien he didn’t do a lot in the lead up to this shoot. I’m sure it’s possible that he maybe watched some sketches or some of Aykroyd’s classic ‘80s movies. However, on the whole, he simply came in ready to perform, and that’s what Saturday Night’s director wanted, as Jason Reitman explained:

Admittedly, out of all the big SNL stars they could have brought in for this film, Dan Aykroyd seemed like the one who would be at the top of that list. He worked with Jason’s dad Ivan Reitman on Ghostbusters, and then he collaborated with Jason on the reboot of that franchise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. In an interview with ET at the premiere of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Blues Brothers star also said he speaks with Jason frequently, so that connection is very strong.

However, when it came to chatting about Saturday Night they didn’t talk much about it, as Aykroyd said:

When it came to the Teen Wolf actor's casting, Aykroyd said he was just glad “the young actor got work.”

So, while he didn’t have much say in the film, it does sound like Dan Aykroyd is excited about it, and he understands why Jason Reitman wanted to keep his movie in its own bubble.

And I understand it too. Saturday Night is about the 90 minutes that led up to the premiere of SNL’s first episode. That time isn’t something that was documented on film, and the people who were on the show then are different and a lot older now. So, it was important to Reitman that his cast focused on the task at hand and their own takes on these legends. Clearly, the worked too, because Saturday Night's cast is being praised for their performances left and right.

To see Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd in Saturday Night, you can catch the film in theaters starting October 11.

This is a big year for Saturday Night Live on two fronts. Along with the monumental 50th season premiering on the 2024 TV schedule in just a couple weeks, the origins of this small screen institution will be explored in Saturday Night, which drops in theaters next month on the 2024 movies schedule. Of course, you can’t tell the story of how SNL came to be without dpeicting Lorne Michaels, who created the comedy sketch series and is still produces it to this day. While opening up about his buzzy new movie, which chronicles the night the program’s first episode aired, Saturday Night director Jason Reitman discussed what it with like working with the “genius” Michaels.

But let’s get something out of the way first: no, Lorne Michaels has not seen Saturday Night yet. Reitman addressed this in an interview with Deadline, saying:

Well, at least that’s been settled. As Jason Reitman went on to say, he may never learn if Lorne Michaels sees Saturday Night given how private he is, though that’s just indicative of how forward thinking Michaels is when it comes to what he works on. The director explained:

After hanging around SNL for its first five years on the air, Michaels departed to pursue other professional endeavors, but he retuned in 1985 and has remained there ever since. Of course, comedy changes as the years pass, so the only way SNL could stay on as long as it has to make sure that the material also evolves with audiences. Reitman complimented Michaels for effectively handling this:

Jason Reitman capped off this segment of the interview by saying that he looks forward to the day that Lorne Michaels sees how Saturday Night turned out, although when that will be is a mystery. In his words:

Lorne Michaels is played in Saturday Night by Gabrielle LaBelle, who rose to fame in 2022 as the lead actor in Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans. Other notable cast members include Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shutter, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase (who particularly shines in the Saturday Night trailer), Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd Emily Fair as Laraine Newman, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris and Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, among many others. In addition to his directorial duties, Jason Reitman cowrote the script with Gil Kenan.

Saturday Night begins playing on the silver screen in Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto starting on September 27, will expand to more cities the following week, then be released nationwide on October 11. Saturday Night Live Season 50 premieres on September 27, and episodes can be streamed afterwards with a Peacock subscription.

We’re fast approaching Saturday Night Live’s Season 50 premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, and I can’t think of a more appropriate time to take a look back at how it all started. In the upcoming biographical dramedy Saturday Night, Jason Reitman aims to recall the events (both raunchy and chaotic, it seems from the trailer) of the 90 minutes leading up to SNL’s first episode in 1975. The film premiered at Telluride Film Festival on August 31 ahead of its October 11 debut on the 2024 movie calendar, and critics have a lot to say about the actors portraying some of SNL’s most famous stars.

Jason Reitman has assembled an ensemble of his own to portray the OG Saturday Night Live cast and crew members, including Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase and so many more. Pete Hammond of Deadline credits that ensemble of more than 80 speaking roles with helping to create a film that isn't just a comedy, it’s a suspense thriller. In the critic’s words:

Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist gives the movie a B+, calling the writers’ choice to focus on just 90 minutes “ingenious.” The most impressive part may be that even though 50 years of history tells us how everything turned out, Jason Reitman et. al. create such significant tension over whether or not SNL will make it to air. None of it would be possible, though, Ellwood says, without the “stellar” casting. The critic writes:

Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch also grades Saturday Night a B+, praising Jason Reitman’s smart direction and Gabriel LaBelle’s performance of Lorne Michaels, as LaBelle's shoulders hold the weight of the entire movie. McQuade notes the similarities between the film and an episode of Saturday Night Live, writing:

David Fear of Rolling Stone calls the film “part sloppy and overly reverent tribute, part hilarious 1970s gross-out romp,” writing:

Stephen Farber of THR, however, says that while Saturday Night is fresh with a strong concept, it ultimately disappoints in frustrating fashion. Farber writes:

The cast and direction is getting a lot of positive feedback coming out of Telluride, and it’s starting out with an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes (though only from 11 critics, so that will change). The film is set to hit theaters 49 years to the day of SNL’s first episode, so mark your calendars for October 11 if this sounds like one 90-minute chaos adventure you can’t miss.

There’s nothing quite like working on Saturday Night Live. That’s a recurring theme you hear from current and former members of the cast and crew. They tend to talk about it with a mix of reverence and trauma, like it was a dangerous mountain they climbed. They’ll flippantly run down how it was stressful and overwhelming and demoralizing, but they’ll also speak about the highs like they’re amongst their greatest memories and accomplishments. It’s very different from how Hollywood insiders speak about other jobs, and it only took Jason Reitman one week to get that.

The Oscar nominated director of Up In The Air and Juno apparently told his agent he grew up wanting to write for the show; so, his agent called longtime showrunner Lorne Michaels, who invited him to guest write for a week. He jumped at the chance, and gleefully did it all. He wrote until 4 in the morning, stressed while his sketch was being performed at the table read and anxiously waited to hear if it would make the show. Reflecting about it ahead of a screening for his new SNL based movie Saturday Night, he compared the experience to being a “test pilot” or a “heroin addict.” You can read a portion of his quote below, per Deadline…

All those feelings never fully left Reitman, and he spent a long time trying to figure out if he could translate them into a project. He eventually settled on Saturday Night, which chronicles the 90 minutes leading up to the show’s premiere in 1975. By all accounts, the first screening of the movie went very well, and SNL fans are stoked to able to see it when it hits theaters on October 11th.

Fortunately, we all won’t have to wait that long for the real show to come back. SNL will return for its landmark 50th season on September 28th, and fans are pumped about what surprises could be in store. We know former cast member Maya Rudolph will be making recurring appearances to play Vice President Kamala Harris, and we’ll be getting a three hour special to celebrate the anniversary in February. Exactly who might show up or what we might see is anyone’s guess, but as Reitman would tell you, that uncertainty is what makes the show so special.

Right up until October 10, 1975, no one knew what Saturday Night Live was… or what it could become. The following evening, producer Lorne Michaels launched a 90-minute live sketch comedy program that introduced the world to some of the best performers who helped to create the most memorable skits in network history. Decades later, the idea of Saturday Night Live seems obvious. Almost inevitable. But the first trailer for Jason Reitman’s upcoming Saturday Night suggests that NBC itself wanted Michaels and his crew to fail. As if these players weren’t ready for prime time.

Above you can see the full for Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, which has an outstanding cast that are doing impressions of beloved SNL alums. And while there are plenty of strong performances in this first sneak peek, Cory Michael Smith's Chevy Chase impression is perhaps my favorite. And I can't wait to see the movie when its released later this year.

The concept, as you can see, traces the 90 minutes leading up to the airing of the first episode of Saturday Night Live. As such, Reitman’s movie features fascinating portrayals of the legendary early cast: Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), and Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith). But the movie seems to be told through the POV of Michaels, portrayed in the movie by Gabriel LaBelle, who last played Sammy Fabelman in Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical awards winner.

As you watch the trailer, you start to feel the extreme urgency that comes with putting on the historic live program. Creating Saturday Night Live helped burn out so many performers, notably Jay Mohr. But the fun part of this first trailer is spotting legends who were there on night one. Looks for unconventional performance artist Andy Kaufman, the legendary Jim Henson (Nicholas Braun), Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany) and more.

I also really love the look of Saturday Night. Jason Reitman and his cinematographer Eric Steelberg (Up in the Air, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) have shot on film, creating the appearance of canistered film that was captured in 1975 and archived until now, giving the period comedy an authentic and visceral feel.

Saturday Night Live continues to be a relevant (even vital) contributor to the culture, and expects to be even more influential as we head into a volatile presidential election season. Fans of the show expect to see Maya Rudolph back in the spotlight as Kamala Harris when the show returns for its historic 50th season. So it’ll be interesting to see how Reitman captures the long-running show in its earliest moments, bringing legendary cast members to life and showing a curious audience exactly what happened right before the announcer said, for the very first time, “Live from New York. It’s Saturday night!” While we wait for its release, check the 2025 movie release dates.

SNL fans have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months. Not only will Season 50 premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, but the sketch comedy series is getting its own biopic! It’s about time the NBC series finally got a movie treatment of its own considering how many films we have based on SNL characters, and the project's cast and crew is excited to celebrate it. So, as Saturday Night’s crew promotes the flick with llama pics, you might be asking- what’s the deal with that? Now seems like the perfect time to tell the story behind the infamous visual gag.

We know Saturday Night is a biopic that follows the events leading up to SNL's first episode, with some favorite cast members and crew from the famed series reenacted by stellar talent like Dylan O’Brien, Cooper Hoffman, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard, and more. Plus, Juno director Jason Reitman co-wrote and directed the film, and his father Ivan Reitman worked with many former OG SNL cast members.

Many of them celebrated the film with llama picks recently, and I don’t think we all want to wait until the movie premieres in October to understand the connection. So, now seems like a good time to see what the deal is with SNL’s long-running visual gaga.

The Origin Story Behind SNL’s Backstage Llama

If you look back at SNL seasons, and by back, I mean backstage, there are a lot of unusual things you’ll find. How unusual? Saturday Night Live’s production designer Eugene Lee told Vanity Fair what exactly you’ll find when a camera goes behind the scenes:

Seeing this wooly mammal may not have been so apparent looking back at the ‘80s and ‘90s of SNL. Unless, of course, you count a couple of Eric Idle episodes from 1979 and 1980. If anything, you can thank long-running Saturday Night Live cast member Seth Meyers for keeping the gag going since he started as a writer on the Emmy-winning sketch series in 2001. The llama was very prominent in Season 38 when hosts like Martin Short and Kristen Wiig took us backstage. And lo and behold, there was no hiding that adorable animal. 

It’s an incredibly hilarious form of writing to go backstage and see something as random as a llama hiding back there. The only time a llama made an appearance in an actual sketch was when Kevin Hart was a Season 43 host, and a llama played the part of a camel in the “Nativity Play” sketch. At least we know for sure they had one. The visual gag is still ongoing, but Eugene Lee jokingly admitted he had no idea why:

Now we know that a llama is a very important mascot for the SNL cast and crew to have. In the future, we know to look more closely backstage to see if the llama is having some downtime back there.

Saturday Night Promotes New Movie With Some Llama Photos

With the origin of SNL’s llama story clarified, we can see the true significance the mammal plays on set. So, why not commemorate the SNL biopic with some cute llama photos? One of the film’s stars Andrew Barth Feldman sure did in this Instagram photo below of him petting the famed llama:

I can’t get over how cute and calm that llama looks as the No Hard Feelings actor pets him in a hallway. Compared to the llama staying cooped up backstage, Feldman confirms we’ll actually see the furry creature in the movie which is making me all the more excited. Another social media pic from Finn Wolfhard shows this llama is ready for its closeup:

With so many comments asking for this dear llama’s name, it proves the precious animal is getting folks excited about the movie. Just like Pixar has the desk lamp and MGM has the lion as mascots, clearly, the llama is the unlikely furry mascot the sketch comedy series needs. 

Along with the cast, this Instagram post from Saturday Night shows that the llama is ready for their close up:

Even Jason Reitman’s post couldn’t help promoting the mammal's star quality for his project on the 2024 movie schedule. It looks like this llama is gonna need an Instagram page of their own now once the new film releases.

Saturday Night’s promotion has been a series of llama photos to represent the visual backstage running gag that Seth Meyers helped keep going, and we love it! Now, I can’t wait for the upcoming movie to show us the llama, and possibly its origins, when it hits theaters on October 11. Also, while we're on the topic of the legendary sketch comedy series, make sure to add Season 50 to your list of things to watch as it premieres on NBC on September 28. Who knows, maybe we'll see a llama in the hallway?

In its nearly five decades on the air, Saturday Night Live has seen some amazing casts, but the show's most memorable, iconic, and influential batch of performers remains its very first ensemble. Their work was historic, it makes you wish you could experience what took place backstage at Studio 8H all those years ago. Curious fans will receive that chance when Saturday Night comes out.

The Not Ready for Primetime Players (who made a huge impact on SNL in just five seasons, or less), executive producer Lorne Michaels, and others involved with the origins of the sketch comedy series — when it was still called NBC’s Saturday Night — are the subjects of this upcoming biopic from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Jason Reitman. In anticipation of the film, let’s take a look at all that we know about it so far. Not live and from wherever you are reading this right now, this is Saturday Night.

What Is The Saturday Night Release Date?

The first episode of Saturday Night Live aired on October 11, 1975. Jason Reitman's Saturday Night is hitting theaters on Friday, October 11, 2024, meaning the upcoming 2024 movie is releasing on the legendary series' 49th anniversary. What a perfect time to commemorate that historic event!

Saturday Night had its premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival in Colorado to great critical acclaim. It is set to have its international premiere at TIFF on September 10.

What Saturday Night is About

Indeed, it was nearly 50 years ago when we first heard the phrase, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” as said by SNL one-season wonder Chevy Chase in the sketch comedy series’ premiere episode. What happened backstage at Studio 8H that very night will serve as the basis of Saturday Night.

According to Deadline, the film — which is being distributed by Sony Pictures — will be a dramatization of that night, chronicling the moments leading up to the historic broadcast in real time. The script is based on first-hand testimonies of the events by surviving cast members, writers, and people who worked in the crew.

The Saturday Night Trailer Proves That Making SNL Was No Laughing Matter

We cannot even begin to imagine the pressure that Lorne Michaels and co. must have felt when they were preparing for the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. However, the first Saturday Night trailer seems to do a pretty good job of putting us into that mindset. Watch the clip here:

On one hand, there is a lot to laugh at in this trailer — such as Cory Michael Green's unbelievable Chevy Chase impression or announcer Don Pardo's struggle to pronounce Dan Aykroyd's name. On an even bigger hand, there is plenty to get your heart racing — such as Lorne Michaels' heated discussion with Dick Ebersol, David Tebet's discouraging speech about the production's laundry list of issues, and, finally, a rig of set lights crashing just a few feet from the cast on stage. Overall, for a movie about the making of a comedy show, it looks like a real thriller of a time.

The Saturday Night Cast: Who’s Playing Who In The Saturday Night Live Biopic

For many die-hard fans, the original Saturday Night Live cast is simply irreplaceable. However, Sony has managed to put together an ensemble of actors who have both the looks and the talent to make the comedy legends they are portraying proud. See for yourself by taking a look at who is playing who in the Saturday Night cast:

Lamorne Morris (Garrett Morris)

Emmy nominee (for FX's Fargo Season 5) Lamorne Morris is portraying Garrett Morris in Saturday Night. There is no actual blood relation between the former New Girl cast member and SNL’s first Black regular performer, but their shared last name did inspire Garrett to joke that he was not entirely convinced he was not his father.

Dylan O’Brien (Dan Aykroyd)

As Dan Aykroyd — one half of the Blues Brothers and the star and creator of hilarious SNL sketches like “Super Bass-O-Matic ’76” — we have Dylan O’Brien. While he is best known from MTV’s Teen Wolf cast and the Maze Runner movies, the actor also does have previous experience portraying real-life people — namely oil rig worker Caleb Holloway in Deepwater Horizon.

Ella Hunt (Gilda Radner)

Gilda Radner — famous for such characters as the hard-of-hearing Emily Litella and the obnoxious over-sharer Rosanne Roseannadanna — will be played English actor and musician Ella Hunt. Best known for playing the title role of the 2017 horror musical comedy, Anna and the Apocalypse, and portraying Sue Gilbert on Apple TV+’s Dickinson, the Horizon: An American Saga star told Fox News that she prepared for the role by spending months watching videos of the late comedic icon, talking with those she knew well, and trying to "get silly."

Emily Fairn (Laraine Newman)

One of the younger SNL cast members of the 1970s era (not to mention one of the more underrated Not Ready for Primetime Players), Laraine Newman is best known as the Coneheads’ teenage daughter, Connie. She will be portrayed by English actor Emily Fairn, who made her debut on the BBC crime drama, The Responder, and later appeared in one of the best Black Mirror episodes from Season 6, “Demon 79.”

Kim Matula (Jane Curtin)

Playing Jane Curtin — who became the first woman to host "Weekend Update" — is Kim Matula, who is nearly a dead ringer for the future 3rd Rock from the Sun star during SNL’s early years. Curtin is the second real-life person that the former The Bold and the Beautiful cast member and Fighting with My Family star has played, following her portrayal of Laura Ingraham on Season 3 of American Crime Story. 

Cory Michael Smith (Chevy Chase)

SNL’s original “Weekend Update” anchor and resident pratfall expert, Chevy Chase, will be played by Cory Michael Smith. While the Gotham cast’s Riddler actor has certainly proven he has the acting chops with his performance in the Oscar-nominated May December, among other roles, he probably could have gotten the part with his chin alone.

Matt Wood (John Belushi)

Also bearing a close resemblance to his Saturday Night role is Matt Wood, who stars as John Belushi — the late, legendary comedic force who went on to star in films like Animal House and the aforementioned The Blues Brothers. This film marks the major motion picture debut of Wood, whom some might recognize as Officer Kenneth on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit or from an episode of Difficult People as “Drunk Santa” — a type of role he and Belushi actually have in common. 

Gabriel LaBelle (Lorne Michaels) 

Taking on the role of SNL’s creator and current executive producer, Lorne Michaels, is Gabrielle LaBelle. The closest that the young actor has previously come to portraying a real person is his breakthrough performance as a young aspiring filmmaker in The Fabelmans, which is inspired by the early life of co-writer and director Steven Spielberg.

Cooper Hoffman (Dick Ebersol)

NBC’s then Director of Weekend Late Night Programming, Dick Ebersol, played a pivotal role in Saturday Night Live’s development and would eventually take over the show as executive producer from 1981 to 1985. He will be played by Cooper Hoffman, the son of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who made his acting debut as Gary Valentine in Licorice Pizza in 2021.

Rachel Sennott (Rosie Shuster)

Rosie Shuster — who served as a writer for SNL in its infancy and was also married to Lorne Michaels at the time — is played by Rachel Sennott. The actor rose to fame in recent years for her lead role in Shiva Baby, her stand-out performance in the A24 horror movie favorite, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and 2023’s coming-of-age comedy, Bottoms.

Tommy Dewey (Michael O'Donoghue)

One of the unsung heroes of the Not Ready for Primetime Players is Michael O’Donoghue – SNL’s original head writer who spoke the first line of the series and was credited as a cast member for the first three episodes. Deadline reports that he will be portrayed by Tommy Dewey, who previously worked with Jason Reitman in The Front Runner and is also known for Hulu’s Casual.

Nicholas Braun (Jim Henson/Andy Kaufman)

For some time, there was confusion regarding whether Nicholas Braun was playing Jim Henson like the trades had reported or Andy Kaufman as leaked behind-the-scenes material suggested. It was later confirmed that the former Succession cast member tackles both the role of the Muppets creator, who worked on a puppet-heavy recurring sketch called "The Land of Gorch," and of the cutting-edge comedian. 

Nicholas Podany (Billy Crystal)

Before Billy Crystal officially joined the SNL cast for one season in 1984, as the 2015 edition of the book, Live from New York, recalls (via SlashFilm), he was scheduled to perform on the first episode but was ultimately cut. Portraying the future When Harry Met Sally… star in Saturday Night is Nicholas Podany, who had a major role on Apple TV+’s Hello Tomorrow!

Kaia Gerber (Jacqueline Carlin)

Actor Jacqueline Carlin appeared in several episodes of SNL (including the first), but was best known as Chevy Chase’s wife at the time. She will be played by model and actor Kaia Gerber, who recently worked with SNL vet Kristen Wiig on Palm Royale for Apple TV.

Andrew Barth Feldman (Neil Levy)

Young theater sensation Andrew Barth Feldman made a cinematic breakthrough in 2023’s No Hard Feelings, opposite Jennifer Lawrence, having previously landed a recurring role on Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. He will star in Saturday Night as Lorne Michaels’ cousin, Neil Levy, who wore many hats at Studio 8H – from acting to writing to producing – and revealed on the podcast, SNL Stories, that he was responsible for Eddie Murphy getting an audition to join the cast. 

Finn Wolfhard (NBC Page)

Having previously worked with Jason Reitman on Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Finn Wolfhard reunites with the filmmaker to play a page at NBC in Saturday Night. The Stranger Things star told People that Dan Aykroyd helped him prepare by sharing insider stories while on the set of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Willem Dafoe (David Tebet)

Working with Jason Reitman for the first time as part of the Saturday Night cast is Willem Dafoe, known for roles like Spider-Man movie villain Green Goblin or an eccentric scientist in 2023’s Poor Things. A Deadline exclusive details that the four-time Academy Award nominee is starring as David Tebet, who worked at NBC as VP of Talent Relations when the show premiered.

Jon Batiste (Billy Preston)

According to THR, Jon Batiste is pulling double duty for Saturday Night. Not only is the Academy Award-winning musician (for collaborating on the music for Soul) composing the score for the film, he is also portraying one of the musical guests from the series’ first show: Grammy-winning artist Billy Preston.

Naomi McPherson (Janis Ian)

Also serving as musical guest that night was Janis Ian, who will be portrayed by Naomi McPherson, as THR exclusively broke. The singer-songwriter and guitarist for the band Muna, which was featured in Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, is making their acting debut as the Grammy-winning queer icon.

J.K. Simmons (Milton Berle)

Oscar winner J.K. Simmons has been a staple of Jason Reitman’s career since his 2005 directorial debut, Thank You for Smoking. The partnership has yet to end, as Reitman cast the Juno actor in Saturday Night as legendary comedian Milton Berle, as Deadline reported. 

Matthew Rhys (George Carlin)

The very first host of Saturday Night Live (who only performed monologues and never appeared in any sketches) was celebrated stand-up comic George Carlin. Filling his shoes in Saturday Night is Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, who is known best for his Emmy-winning role on The Americans and, more recently, playing the title role of HBO's Perry Mason reboot.

The sizable Saturday Night cast is even bigger than we have already shown you. The following are the rest of the names confirmed to star:

• Joe Chrest (Herb Sargent)
• Taylor Gray (Al Franken)
• Mcabe Gregg (Tom Davis)
• Billy Bryk (TBA)
• Paul Rust (Paul Schaffer)

What Is Saturday Night Rated?

We have a while before the MPA will have a chance to review Saturday Night and give it a proper rating. However, considering the amount of F-bombs in the trailer, an R rating seems certain.

Jason Reitman Co-Writes And Directs Saturday Night

At the helm of Saturday Night is Jason Reitman — the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker behind such acclaimed dramedies as Thank You For Smoking and Juno, who first tried his hand at biopics with 2018’s The Front Runner. The director actually has a personal connection to the variety show’s legacy as the son of the late Ivan Reitman, who worked with several of the show’s stars on films like National Lampoon’s Animal House and Ghostbusters. In fact, Jason revived the horror comedy franchise as the director of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which was also the last film his father produced before his death in 2022.

Reitman’s co-writer on Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Gil Kenan — who directed the 2024 follow-up, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire — is also his co-writer for Saturday Night. The duo personally conducted extensive interviews with those who witnessed what took place backstage at Studio 8H on the day of NBC’s Saturday Night’s premiere to prepare.

How To Watch The First Episode Of Saturday Night Live

Before you bear witness to what went on during the night of SNL’s first live broadcast when Saturday Night hits theaters, it might help to refresh your memory — or discover it for the first time — by giving the show a watch. The episode is available to stream with a Peacock subscription.

Stream the first episode of Saturday Night Live on Peacock.

There have been some great Saturday Night Live movies, but it is truly exciting to finally see a film that is actually about the show itself.

Thankfully for fans, one of Hollywood’s biggest supernatural franchises just won’t die, as the sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is rising up the firepole as one of the most anticipated upcoming 2024 movies. The follow-up to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife looks like it’ll be a more rambunctious and delightfully evil adventure than its predecessor, and it sounds like audiences can expect a change in authority where Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson’s Ray and Winston are concerned.

Though the titular group of haunting thwarters was co-founded by Aykroyd’s Ray Stantz alongside Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman and Ivan Reitman’s Egon Spengler, it sounds like this sequel is finally giving Hudson’s Winston Zeddmore a bigger and much-deserved spotlight. As it was set up in Afterlife’s ending, Winston now has the funds to bring ‘Busting back in a big way, which apparently causes a bit of professional strife with Ray.

Speaking with Empire, Dan Aykroyd offers an update for his paranormal-minded scientist, and how his own goals and intentions may run up against some friction from the Ghostbusters’ new benefactor. In his words:

I love this possibly game-changing shift in roles and duties for the O.G. Ghostbusters. With Afterlife’s story going so hard on honoring the late, great Ivan Reitman, the sequel will understandably give its living heroes a bigger tribute, with Winston seemingly earning the more lucrative status. 

So unless Ray wants to sit on the sidelines as New York City falls prey to sub-zero threats, he needs to figure out a way to convince Winston he’s still got what it takes. Even if it’s just taking on more of a mentor role for Finn Wolfhard’s Trevor and the younger generation. 

Don’t expect Winston himself to have turned into a hands-off corporate shill, however, as Ernie Hudson confirmed that his character will be playing as active a role as anyone when the ectoplasm hits the fan. As he put it:

Having Winston become a more active and foundational role in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was very important to Ernie Hudson, is “very happy” that his character will move the story forward after years of being viewed as an add-on. I can't wait to see three different generations of actors suiting up and facing off against the mysterious Death Chill serving as the sequel's big threat. 

No big details were shared about Bill Murray's Peter Venkman, beyond Jason Reitman confirming that the comedy legend will indeed be back for the sequel. (He popped up in the first trailer, in case anyone thought he wouldn't be around.) The new movie is also set to bring back Annie Potts' Janine, as well as William Atherton's Walter Peck.

Check out the trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire below!

As one of many upcoming horror movies set to chill audiences to the core, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will hit theaters on March 22, 2024. 

While we’re still pretty early in the 2023 new movie releases calendar, the future is always something to keep a close eye on. Ghostbusters fans are certainly excited about the tail end of the year, as the follow-up to the franchise’s recent legacy-quel is slated to debut this December. That hype is about to shift into another gear, as co-writer Jason Reitman is celebrating the start of production on Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2. 

In a photo shared to Instagram, Reitman is posed with his Ghostbusters directing successor/co-writer Gil Kenan, holding one of the series’ most iconic props in his hand: a ghost trap. Meanwhile, Kenan has in his hands a clapboard for the film, which is still operating under its chosen working title. 

If you were hoping to have a new title to replace the previously selected code name “Firehouse,” you’ll have to keep the celebratory Ecto Cooler on ice for a little longer. But you should definitely check out that post, with the photo included, below: 

That word remains pretty important to Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2, as it’s also hinted at the sequel’s return to the original Ghostbusters HQ in previous set construction photos. Looking in the background, behind Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan’s smiling faces, one can see a set that looks like it could be part of the upper floor that saw the original cast saving the day from a great paranormal threat. 

So maybe it’s a good thing that no official title has been selected for Afterlife 2, as it isn’t easy to translate the importance of that location into a more marketable name. It certainly wasn’t easy to translate “Rust City” into Ghostbusters: Afterlife, yet the right title eventually presented itself.

As the production of this next film in this beloved sci-fi movie franchise is just getting underway, there’s plenty of time for such answers. The unfolding action will for sure present a title that encapsulates how the Ghostbusters legacy will be represented this time around. 

Just as one would expect with any sequel, us fans are back to square one in terms of what to expect out of Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2. The only real clues we have are what was presented in the post-credits scenes for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and those moments circle back to the same word we’ve been discussing throughout this whole rundown. Maybe “Firehouse” can translate into something fitting like Ghostbusters: Resurrection, but for now, we’ll just have to be patient. 

We may not know the proper name for this new legacy-quel adventure, but what we do know about Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 is that it’s slated to hit theaters on December 23rd. Unless that date shifts, and that just might happen considering some of the competition heading to the movies around that time frame, we could get more information about this mysterious adventure in the near future. For now, fans can revisit Ghostbusters: Afterlife, provided they have access to an active Starz subscription at their disposal.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a welcome return-to-series form for many OG franchise fans, even though it didn't have any of the legendary set pieces from the original. While we here at CinemaBlend thought some things worked and some things didn't work with the reboot, we were excited to hear a sequel was greenlit by Sony at last year's CinemaCon. Production is now underway on Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2, and Jason Reitman just teased a return of a beloved location that will get hardcore Ghostbusters devotees super excited for the sequel.  

The first Afterlife director, Jason Reitman, shared an image on his Instagram showing him and fellow director Gil Kenan (who's taking over directorial duties for Afterlife 2) dressed in construction gear and hardhats posted up against a brick building that is under construction. The photo was accompanied by a simple one-word tease, "firehouse." You can check out the teaser image below: 

Including the iconic Ghostbusters' firehouse won't shock fans of the first Afterlife, considering it was teased in the post-credit scene. After the credits roll, we are treated to a look toward the franchise's future. We learn that Winston Zeddemore, played by Ernie Hudson, has repurchased the old firehouse in NYC, intending to reopen the company, which could be the focus of the follow-up to the 2021 adventure.

Reitman previously revealed that while work on his first Ghostbusters film was codenamed "Rust City" during production, the sequel is working under the codename "Firehouse." While the Ghostbusters filmmakers did not reveal the film's official title, the word "Firehouse" was shown in bold red letters alongside a drawing of the team's iconic base of operations to tease that it is a central location to the next chapter.

While the first Ghostbusters movie is one of the best New York movies, the 2021 reboot saw a welcomed change of scenery by setting the film's events in a rural town in Oklahoma. The firehouse's inclusion seemingly confirms early reports that the next movie would return to the Big Apple. 

It's an excellent time to be a fan of the long-running supernatural-horror comedy series because it was announced last year that Netflix is getting a new animated Ghostbusters series from Reitman's team as well. This will mark the first time in nearly 30 years that the team of paranormal investigators will grace the small screen. The Real Ghostbusters, which continued the adventures of the primary characters from Ivan Reitman's classic 1984 film, became a smash hit. It went on to run seven seasons, spawning truckloads of merchandise, before ending its run in 1991. An edgier sequel '90s series, Extreme Ghostbusters, premiered in 1997 before being canceled after one season. Now, along with the Afterlife sequel presumably returning to NYC, we'll also see the return of our favorite ghost hunters return in animated form as well.

If bustin' makes you feel good, mark your 2023 movie release calendars because we're returning to the ectoplasm-covered world and the firehouse sooner than you might think as the next movie in the Ghostbusters franchise is set to hit theaters on December 20, 2023. 

The last project that Jason Reitman got to work on with his father was Ghostbusters: Afterlife – where he served as director and his father was the producer. Sadly, Ivan Reitman passed away in February this year. He gave us excellent movies like the first two Ghostbuster movies, Stripes, Meatballs, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Junior, and more. It's hard when anyone loses a parent, and Reitman is lucky he has a great friend like Charlize Theron, as she was there for him after his father died.

It’s always a privilege to be surrounded by friends when you lose someone very important to you. Jason Reitman had that in Charlize Theron, and he recently told Harper’s Bazaar the sweet way she was there for him after his father passed. Said the filmmaker,

That must explain why Jason Reitman has a good working relationship with Charlize Theron. Some of her best movies came from their collaboration together, as he directed her in Young Adult and Tully. After Theron blew away audiences with her Oscar-winning role in Monster, Reitman allowed her to continue playing complex characters that audiences can relate to emotionally. The 47-year-old actress said to The National Board of Review that she never felt the need to hold back from him on set and hopes they keep making more movies together. She described Tully as her favorite working experience.

Charlize Theron wasn’t the only person to think of Ivan Reitman as soon as he passed. Arnold Schwarzenegger paid tribute to the famed director, with whom he collaborated on Kindergarten Cop and Junior, thanking him for using an Austrian actor like himself to be in his comedies. Jimmy Kimmell also remembered the Ghostbusters director by posting a photo of his young son dressed as Venkman from the supernatural comedy film. Jennifer Garner shared an emotional tribute thanking her Draft Day director for all of his work and recalling the many conversations she cherished with him. Based on all these tributes, it appears that Ivan Reitman was a director dedicated to his craft and will be missed by many who knew of his works and had the honor to work with him.

Jason Reitman wrote a tribute to his “hero” as well where he said “nothing would make him happier” than if people continued to enjoy his movies and remember who he was as a storyteller. When his father was alive, Reitman knew that he had to make a Ghostbusters movie all with his father in mind. The Juno filmmaker will continue to make his father proud as he plans on working with Netflix for a Ghostbusters animated series.

Charlize Theron helped Jason Reitman find laughter again while he was mourning his father. Hopefully, we can see the two of them collaborate again very soon. Be sure to take a look at CinemaBlend’s upcoming movie releases to be aware of when you’ll see the actor's next movie or Jason Reitman work again on the big screen.

The spirit of the original Ghostbusters returned (figuratively and literally) this past fall when Ghostbusters: Afterlife hit theaters and became both well-received critically and a surprise box office hit. Following that success, writer/director Jason Reitman plans to keep telling stories about the Spengler family with an officially announced Afterlife sequel is in the works, a script is in development and now we have more key details about what's to come.

CinemaBlend was present during Ecto-Fest, which took place on the Sony Lot in Los Angeles, California alongside major Ghostbusters fans and press. During the Wednesday evening event, Jason Reitman and Ghostbusters: Afterlife co-writer Gil Kenan took the stage to officially share that they are currently writing another Ghostbusters movie and it will continue to follow the characters established in the recent 2021 film. And in even more exciting news, the story will be officially moving to Manhattan next! 

As Reitman and Kenan shared, when they were making Afterlife they used the codename "Rust City" but for the upcoming sequel their codename will be "Firehouse." Get it? It will serve as a continuation to Afterlife's ending, where Ecto-1 was driving back to Manhattan, and as Kenan teased and reminded attendees is "the home of Ghostbusters." 

During the presentation, the Ghostbusters filmmakers did not reveal the film's official title, but the word "Firehouse" was shown in red bold letters alongside a drawing of the Ghostbusters firehouse to tease it being a central location to the next chapter. Ahead of their appearances, Ernie Hudson, who memorably plays Winston Zeddemore, also began the announcements with an appearance as well and hinted at what's next a bit, saying this: 

Back in April at CinemaCon, Sony officially confirmed that another Ghostbusters movie was on its way, but details were so thin it wasn't clear about what exactly this would entail. Now we know it will be a straight sequel, and most definitely connect the dots of the after credit scene involving Ernie Hudson, where he tours his latest purchase, the original Ghostbusters firehouse. At the end of the movie, he said, “I may be a businessman, but I’ll always be a Ghostbuster.” Perhaps, he'll really get back into it in the upcoming movie? 

Along with a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Reitman and Kenan also spoke about the Netflix animated series announced earlier today and a newly announced Sony Animation film in the works from a script writer Brenda Hsueh and directors Chris Prynoski and Jennifer Kluska. 

While speaking at the Ghostbusters Day event, the original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman also came up often, especially in the wake of the filmmaker's recent death at the age of 75 in February. At the event, it was announced that the late filmmaker officially has a section of the Sony lot named after him, "Ivan Reitman Way." Jason Reitman, who is the son of Ivan, shared how the future of Ghostbusters remains connected to the director who started it all. In his words:

No release date has been claimed for the next Ghostbusters movie, but it's certainly exciting to hear the Sony franchise is finally expanding in a big way. We'll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend with more exclusive news about movies and television. 

The Ghostbusters movies are easily some of the most iconic motion pictures of all time, though one must not forget that the series has had a storied presence on the small screen as well. At this point, it’s been quite some time since viewers have been able to watch the famous paranormal experts on TV, but that’s apparently about to change. Netflix is getting into the ghost-hunting business, as the streamer is reportedly working on a brand-new animated series. Not only that, but the production will also have Afterlife director Jason Reitman returning to work behind the scenes. 

This new cartoon will be executive-produced by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, who co-wrote the Afterlife screenplay with Reitman. According to Variety, details on the production are being kept on a need-to-know basis, and a writer is not currently attached. The series comes from Sony Pictures Animation, while Netflix and Ghost Corps. (a branch of Sony’s Columbia Pictures) are tackling things on the production side of things.

The fan-favorite franchise’s reign within the world of animation began in earnest in 1986 with the premiere of The Real Ghostbusters. The show, which continued the adventures of the primary characters from Ivan Reitman’s 1984 film, became a smash hit. It would go on to run seven seasons (and spawn a slew of merchandise) before ending its run in 1991. An edgier sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters, premiered in 1997, though it only ran one season before being cancelled.

There are a few things to ponder when it comes to this newly revealed production. First of all, what kind of visual style will it have? TRGB sported traditional animation as did Extreme, though many contemporary cartoons have opted to go the CGI route. That would be refreshing in this case, as the it would mark a first for the franchise’s TV fare. However, the nostalgic side of me somewhat hopes that Jason Reitman goes old school here.

Another major question is whether the show will somehow connect to the events of the latest movie (which is believed to have saved the beloved franchise). If it does, the obvious route would be to have it take place after the 2021 flick. Though with a sequel now officially confirmed, the producers may want to reserve any new developments with the new characters for the big screen. The producers could, however, be crafting an original story here, one that could still take place in the main continuity. Whatever the case, Jason Reitman will likely employ the creative sensibilities he utilized for Afterlife, which some would argue improves upon the OG flick.

Children of the ‘80s and ‘90s are sure to get a kick out of the Ghostbusters’ small-screen return. With it, they’ll hopefully be able to share new memories with their children, who make up the franchise’s new generation of fans. Should Jason Reitman and co. craft something special, we could be looking at another animated ghost-busting show with a lengthy run.

So that you can get in on the action if (or when) the new Ghostbusters series happens, be sure that you have a Netflix subscription handy. And right now, keep an eye on CinemaBlend's 2022 Netflix TV schedule for content that's heading to the streamer later this year.

The cinema community was faced with some sad news this past weekend, as it was reported that beloved filmmaker Ivan Reitman had died at the age of 75. Since then, numerous celebrities have taken the time to pay tribute to the late moviemaking titan. His family also spoke out on his passing via a sweet statement. Now, the late director’s son, Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman, is speaking out about his dad. And in doing so, he revealed the one thing his father would want most right now, saying that “nothing would make him happier.”

Jason Reitman opened up about his feelings for his father in a recent Twitter post. The filmmaker referred to his dad as his “hero” and went on to thank the public for their messages during this time. He also relayed a sweet request for fans, one I agree the late Meatballs director would indeed appreciate:

When it came to Ivan Reitman, one thing that was clear about him was his love of movies, and he definitely knew how to make them. While many film aficionados are probably familiar with the Ghostbusters movies, some may want to take the time to check out other Reitman-helmed classics like Stripes, Twins and Junior. Believe me when I say that you won’t be disappointed when you see them. Of course, aside from his reputation as a great filmmaker, he was also known as a loving father. The photo Jason Reitman included in his post sweetly encapsulates that notion: 

With his father’s reputation in the entertainment industry, Jason Reitman had a lot to live up to when he first entered the business. He, however, managed to make his own mark by helming notable films like Thank You for Smoking, Juno and Up in the Air. In the process, he’s earned a number of accolades and even scored a few Oscar nominations. But taking the reins of Ghostbusters: Afterlife must’ve been somewhat daunting for him, especially since the gig required that he work closely with his dad. The younger Reitman previously spoke about the work dynamic between him and his pop. All in all, he found the experience to be very “meaningful,” though he did note that both of them could be a bit “stubborn” at times. But this is only because they both cared so deeply about getting the long-awaited threequel right. 

The father-son team ultimately succeeded in delivering a solid film. Not only did it find success at the box office, but the movie also garnered mostly positive reactions from critics and general fans. In the midst of the hoopla, the pair actually stopped by CinemaBlend’s own ReelBlend podcast to discuss their work on the paranormal action-comedy. The older Reitman even shared some sweet details about his scrapped plans (including an idea for Bill Murray’s Venkman).

That fact that the two got to work on the production together is truly special and something that Jason Reitman is sure to cherish for the rest of his life. His father’s death definitely hits hard but, as the Afterlife director mentioned, you can still enjoy his body of work. And in the process, you’ll help to ensure that his legacy lives on.

We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our condolences to Ivan Reitman’s family and loved ones at this time.

Yesterday, the world lost another great talent in writer/director/producer Ivan Reitman who passed away at the age of 75. Reitman was best known for directing the first two Ghostbusters movies, and producing the more recent entries of the franchise. But Reitman has been a huge part of Hollywood for decades, and so a lot of people are remembering Reitman, not just those from inside the Ghostbusters franchise.

Ernie Hudson, who appeared in all the Ghostbusters movies, responded to the news that Ivan Reitman had passed away by sending his condolences to the family of the lost man, including his son, writer/director Jason Reitman, who recently worked with his father on Ghostbusters: Afterlife.  

Fellow Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd also made a statement to Deadline where he said he was heartbroken at the death of Reitman and you can feel that in the statement.

Ivan Reitman produced the most recent Ghostbusters film, which was directed by his son Jason. A couple of the key cast members who joined the Ghostbusters franchise with the newest movie also shared their thoughts. Carrie Coon, who played the daughter of Harold Ramis’ iconic Ghostbusters character  said it was an “honor” to work with Reitman and to become part of the film series loved by so many.

While Carrie Coon had some powerful things to say about Ivan Reitman, co-star Mckenna Grace had none. She simply posted a picture of herself and Reitman working together on the set of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and added a heart. No words were needed here. 

Love also came to Jason Reitman from Paul Feig, director of the Ghostbusters spinoff project Answer the Call. While that particular film in the franchise has always struggled, Reitman was apparently always supportive of it and those that made it.  

While Ivan Reitman’s name will be synonymous with Ghostbusters forever, he made many more memorable movies. He directed Meatballs, Stripes, Dave, Kindergarten Cop and Twins. He also had a profound impact on the careers of many other filmmakers. Joker director Todd Philips wrote a lengthy Instagram post about the influence that Reitman had on his career. Ivan Reitman produced Philips' earliest features, but also did a lot more… 

Phil Lord posted to Twitter on Ivan Reitman’s passing with similar comments, talking about how supportive he was of his work with co-director Christopher Miller. he was supportive, but he always tried to help them be better. Lord said…

Ivan Reitman clearly made a mark in Hollywood that will be remembered forever. He made great movies that will stand the test of time but he also inspired a generation of filmmakers that have already gone on to make their own mark. He will not soon be forgotten.

That major third-act cameo in Ghostbusters: Afterlife wasn’t just an example of reverent fan service. It also played a pivotal role in the defeat of Gozer and helped protagonist Phoebe Spengler get some closure with her grandfather. But just how did that legendary moment come to pass? Director Jason Reitman has given fans a peek behind the curtain. 

In a recent interview with Empire, Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman revealed the logistics behind OG Ghostbuster Egon Spengler’s shocking cameo. The first step? Getting the blessing of the late Harold Ramis’ family. He said: 

Once Harold Ramis’ family had given the cameo their stamp of approval, Jason Reitman had to create a digital recreation of the actor that wouldn’t appear glitchy or artificial. His main priority was believability: in fact, the entire film depended on it. He explained: 

Luckily for Jason Reitman, Egon Spengler’s brief but powerful appearance seemed to resonate with fans of the original Ghostbusters. The film has an audience approval rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and had a blockbuster opening weekend to boot. More importantly, however, the cameo gave fans the chance to say goodbye to a beloved character in an equally beloved franchise. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is now playing in theaters everywhere, with a digital release scheduled for January 4. You can also catch up on the original Ghostbusters on Hulu. 

Acting is stereotypically considered one of the more glamourous jobs that a person can have... but that really depends on the job. Putting the Jackass guys in a category of their own, the making of a sci-fi flick, a horror movie, or a blue comedy can see things on set can get downright gross at times. This was something that young star Logan Kim had to learn the hard way in the making of Ghostbusters: Afterlife – and to make matters worse, one of the grossest things he did during production didn't even make it into the finished film.

The young actor, who plays the talkative Podcast in the legacy sequel, participated in an Entertainment Weekly roundtable in promotion of the movie with a bunch of his co-stars and director Jason Reitman – and it was during the conversation that Reitman asked the group about the worst things they ever had to eat on screen. After Finn Wolfhard revealed that he used to have a big thing against drinking milk, Logan Kim mentioned that he was grossed out having to eat fake ectoplasm for a scene in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. He explained,

"Ectoplasm," as fans will remember, is the slime that ghosts leave as a physical trail, and anyone who has ever seen a Ghostbusters movie will recall that it looks far from appetizing. For Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the crew apparently had to make the stuff safe to eat for a scene with Logan Kim, but evidently they didn't go the extra mile and try and make it taste good for the actor. Instead, it sounds like it doesn't have any taste, and instead just a nasty texture.

If you don't remember a scene in Ghostbusters: Afterlife where Logan Kim's Podcast eats ectoplasm, you're no going crazy. With sympathy in his voice, Jason Reitman responded to the actor's comment with a semi-apology saying that the moment was edited out of the theatrical cut of the film. Said Reitman,

Having just started its run in theaters in the middle of last month, Ghostbusters: Afterlife isn't quite ready for the home video market, and bonus features have not yet been confirmed – but we should learn more about the physical media release at least somewhat soon. The movie is set to be released on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 1, and there will presumably be an official announcement between now and then regarding the special extras that are included in the set.

For now, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is still playing in over 1,700 locations around the country, and you can learn about the year of movies that is ahead by giving our 2022 Movie Release Calendar a look.

Theme parks have long been an especially immersive way for guests to experience the worlds of their favorite film and TV franchises through rides and other attractions. Walt Disney Parks and Universal Studios have transformed that idea into something massive in scale with many of their creations, such as through the recent addition of Avengers Campus in Disney’s California Adventure or the cutting-edge Velocicoaster at Universal. It regularly has us thinking about what other series could make great rides. How about Ghostbusters? 

The franchise that recently continued with the release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife last month is a Sony property, so it doesn’t fall immediately in the territory of our favorite theme parks. However, the film’s director, Jason Reitman, did recently share a great idea for a ride should it ever become possible. In the fillmmaker's words to Collider: 

Yeah… I’m sold and ready to get in line. A Ghostbusters ride could be an absolute blast, and there are so many ways it could be done. Of course, having the iconic Ecto-1 as the vehicle guests ride, as some ghostly nonsense occurs around them, would be especially awesome. Jason Reitman, who took on director’s duties for Afterlife after his father Ivan Reitman made the first two movies, even offered a great reference from Universal. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, is a great comparison and is, of course, one of the most awesome additions to the Orlando park in recent memory. 

Sony is actually getting into the theme park game with an amusement park coming to Thailand called the Columbia Pictures Aquaverse. The place had an opening delay due to COVID-19 but is expected to make a decision this month about when it will allow guests in. The water park includes a Ghostbusters-themed water slide, but that isn't anywhere near the possibilities a ride at Universal would take it. And it could technically happen considering other studios have worked before with Universal to get rides made. For example, there’s the tried-and-true Spider-Man attraction in Universal Orlando, and that’s a property also owned by Sony. Oh, and Warner Bros. owns the Harry Potter universe, yet it has a major presence in Universal. 

Afterlife serves as a sequel to the first two Ghostbusters movies that focuses on the grandchildren of Harold Ramis’ Egon Spengler, played by Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard, who move to a rural town in Oklahoma and begin to uncover the Ghostbusters past. It's a sweet film and one that's definitely ripe with theme park ideas,

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is still playing in theaters, and you can check out our interviews with the cast here on CinemaBlend. 

30 years after Ghostbusters 2 hit theaters, Ghostbusters: Afterlife proved to be the right vehicle to reinvigorate the media franchise. Keeping a steady box office over two weeks signaled a potential future for more Ghostbusters films. While there’s no official word on a sequel, a recent development may point toward that becoming more of a reality.  

According to Deadline, Ghostbuster: Afterlife co-writers Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan inked a lucrative overall deal with Sony Pictures. The Reitman-Kenan deal isn’t too much of a surprise given Sony serves as the home for the beloved franchise. The duo’s writing and Reitman’s direction proved to be the right combination for putting the franchise back on top. After all, the Ghostbusters reboot held strong in its second weekend with $35.3 million.

Sony roping in Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan for an overall deal showed a vote of confidence after the writing duo revitalized the Ghostbusters franchise. Studio head Sanford Panitch called Reitman a “dream producing partner” with a great vision for filmmaking. He even gave props to Reitman and Kenan for creating quality blockbuster films. The writing duo reciprocated Panitch’s sentiment in an official statement about the incredible deal:

Shifting from a partnership to a production company signaled Sony Pictures has faith in Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan’s visionary storytelling. Hopefully, this new deal will translate into more Ghostbusters sequels and other opportunities. Of course, the end credit scenes left things open to a follow-up. The deal pointed to an Afterlife sequel being closer to realization.

As with many filmmakers, Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan were all about keeping the theatrical experience going. For Reitman, that’s nothing new considering he grew up watching his father Ivan Reitman craft the original Ghostbusters films. Despite current circumstances, the younger Reitman wants to keep that legacy alive.

In keeping the Ghostbusters legacy alive, Reitman may bring back the OG Ghostbusters – Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson – once again. Ghostbusters: Afterlife allowed the new and OG fans to see the three actors strapping on the proton packs again. Maybe they’ll team up with Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace to fight the paranormal in New York City.

While the Sony deal is a move in the right direction, an Afterlife follow-up hasn’t been announced yet. Hopefully, the entire cast will be able to return if one comes to fruition. Fans will have to wait and see what project(s) will come from this deal. Until Sony gives the sequel a green light, moviegoers can watch Ghostbusters: Afterlife in theaters right now.

Writer-director Jason Reitman has a Ghostbusters movie in theaters at the moment, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. But he also has appeared in previous Ghostbusters movies -- one time when we could see him, and one time where he was cut. What?! Jason’s own father, Ivan Reitman, actually CUT him out of the original Ghostbusters? He certainly did, and it’s a story you really have to hear for yourself in the video above, thanks to the two filmmakers appearing as guests on CinemaBlend’s official ReelBlend podcast. The video is above.

The cool thing about this deleted footage of Jason Reitman in the original Ghostbusters movie is that the director was able to dig through Sony’s film archives and retrieve the scene… and then put it back into Ghostbusters: Afterlife! I’m not 100% sure where the scene can be found in Afterlife, as Reitman told us about the restoration after we had screened the movie. But I think it might happen at the moment when Paul Rudd’s teacher, Mr. Grooberson, shows Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Podcast (Logan Kim) laptop footage of the original Ghostbusters in New York City, because the Reitmans apparently were on a staircase of an apartment building and waving.

As Ivan Reitman explains to ReelBlend:

Jason Reitman knew the entire time that he planned to use footage from the original movie in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. And he knew that he specifically wanted to find the shot of his immediate family standing outside of a building in New York City as the Ghostbusters pull up. And he found it! So thanks to some miraculous restoration, the scene lives again in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Says Jason:

So now, if you are going to see Ghostbusters: Afterlife, or you checked it out and want to see it again, look out for a very young Jason Reitman cameoing in his own film, thanks to archived footage from 1984!

The following contains major spoilers for Ghostbustes: Afterlife. 

Making a movie like Ghostbusters: Afterlife was always going to be something of a challenge following the death of Harold Ramis. Without all four of the original Ghostbusters, any attempt to bring them together again would feel like something was missing. But writer/director Jason Reitman found a way by making Ramis’ character a huge part of the story, and the late actor’s daughter has nothing but praise for Reitman, saying perhaps only he could have made this movie.

While Harold Ramis is no longer with us, if you’ve seen the movie you know he does appear in the film. Egon Spengler is actually a huge part of the plot of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, as the character’s death in the film is the catalyst for the entire story. Ramis’ daughter, Violet Ramis Stiel, tells THR that she really thinks Jason Reitman honors everybody involved in the original movie. According to Steil...

While millions of us grew up with Ghostbusters, certainly few of us did so in quite the same way that Harold Ramis’ daughter and Ivan Reitman’s son did. The two have apparently known each other since they were kids. Even before Ghostbusters, Ivan Reitman produced National Lampoon’s Animal House, co-written by Ramis, and directed Stripes, co-written and co-starring Ramis, along with Bill Murray.

And Ghostbusters was also a movie-co-written by Harold Ramis, so he had a connection to it that went beyond simply being a player. It’s easy to believe that their kids would also see Ghostbusters in the near sacred way that many fans do. There’s little argument that Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a love-letter to the original film.

The way that Harold Ramis’ character is brought into the new movie will likely be a topic of debate going forward. For some it will be emotional, for others it might appear in bad taste. However, Violet Ramis Stiel is happy with the way it worked out, pointing out that the movie is about a character, not her father. She continues...

Still, for many people the Egon character is going to be just as special. There will likely be many opinions about how the movie included him. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is in theaters now.

There are a number of reasons that the Ghostbusters franchise has been widely loved for more than three decades. It features likable characters, packs on the thrills and delivers some great laughs. Despite its popularity though, there’s one question that’s been heavily debated since that original film hit theaters back in 1984. Is that first movie a comedy that has scares or a horror flick that includes jokes? There are arguments to be made on either side of the discussion but, now, director Ivan Reitman has shared his own thoughts on what he was going for with the classic summer hit.

If you’ve seen Ivan Reitman’s films, then you likely know that he’s a pretty thoughtful filmmaker when it comes to nailing a tone. You have to imagine, though, that it was initially tough for him to strike some kind of balance when it came to his ‘80s ghost flick. Both he and his son, Jason (the director behind Ghostbusters: Afterlife), recently appeared on our own ReelBlend podcast. And it was during the chat that the older Reitman set the record straight on the genre he envisioned for the franchise’s initial installment:

It’s definitely easy to see the touches of horror within the movie but, in many ways, the comedy truly does stand above the scares. I mean, when you have brilliant comedic actors like Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Rick Moranis in your film, chances are you’re going for big laughs. Still, what’s great about the flick is that when it does need to frighten its viewers, it does so in an effective way. 

Ghostbusters was a major swing for the director, who, at the time, had helmed notable comedies like Meatballs and Stripes. And of course, Sony also had a lot riding on the production as well. Though the first public screening included a cut with no special effects, it ultimately proved to be a hit with audiences. Who would’ve thought that over three decades later, we’d still be talking about a green ghoul named Slimer and a massive marshmallow man who caused chaos in Manhattan?

During his recent chat on ReelBlend, Ivan Reitman discussed a number of other cool facts regarding his two installments in the iconic film series. One interesting tidbit is the fact that Sigourney Weaver’s audition actually helped the filmmaker and his team craft the third act. Reitman also shed some light on his own unproduced version of Ghostbusters 3, which would have seen Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman meet his demise. I think fans are pretty grateful that such a plot point didn’t actually come to fruition. 

Jason Reitman seems to have carried his father’s sensibilities into his own installment. Like Ivan, he balances the horror and comedy very well, making for a comedic adventure that contains plenty of moments that will make some moviegoers jump. Even after these recent thoughts from the older of the twoReitmans, fans will likely continue to have their own opinions. Nevertheless, both sides can likely still agree that, however you classify it, Ghostbusters is a great movie. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is now playing in theaters, and the first two movies in the series are available to purchase and stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Jason and Ivan Reitman join ReelBlend for the release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, starring Paul Rudd, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard and Carrie Coon. Ivan shares some wonderful stories from behind the scenes of the original 1985 Ghostbusters, his reaction to Jason’s story for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and how he had to cut a scene from the original featuring his own family. Jason discusses working with his team to create an authentic Ghostbusters feel to the film, how they captured the magic of the original using a mix of modern effects and tricks used even in 1985 and more. 

Stick around to hear our reviews of the film, as well as our reactions to Spider-Man: Far From Home’s latest trailer. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

00:05:17 - Weekly Poll
00:15:40 - Jason & Ivan Reitman Interview
00:50:15 - Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Reaction
00:59:44 - C’mon C’mon Review
01:02:56 - Tick Tick…Boom! Review
01:09:28 - King Richard Review
01:16:41 - Ghostbusters: Afterlife Review
01:27:14 - Ghostbusters: Afterlife Spoilers
01:38:44 - Our Favorite Ivan Reitman Movies
01:57:33 - Outro

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Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon, Logan Kim, Celeste O’Connor, producer Ivan Reitman and director Jason Reitman discuss their new Ghostbusters sequel in this interview with CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell.

Video Chapters

• 0:00 - What screening Ghostbusters: Afterlife at Comic-Con meant to Jason and Ivan Reitman 
• 00:30 - McKenna Grace on channeling Harold Ramis’ Egon for her character 
• 01:40 - Carrie Coon on the family dynamic of Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• 03:10 - How Jason Reitman included references to the 1984 Ghostbusters
• 04:35 - Logan Kim was terrified the first time he saw the original Ghostbusters
• 05:20 - Ivan Reitman reveals whether Ghostbusters is comedy or horror 
• 06:15 - Finn Wolfhard on balancing nostalgia with something new in Stranger Things and Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• 07:30 - Logan Kim’s response to being an action figure 
• 07:50 - The Jason Reitman film that Ivan Reitman would direct a sequel to 
• 08:15 - What it was like for the cast having both Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman on set 
• 09:12 - Paul Rudd on balancing supernatural exposition with laughs 
• 10:32 - Did Paul Rudd ever try on one of the proton packs?

It seems like every Halloween you can spot at least one quartet friends dressed as the iconic squad of ghost hunters from Ivan Reitman’s 1984 film, Ghostbusters. The franchise has seen changes over the years and, now, Reitman’s own son, Jason, has created a true threequel of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. And as the film approaches, the younger Reitman is taking some time to thank Paul Feig and his 2016 reboot for the "big" way that it impacted his upcoming flick.

Paul Feig is a majorly successful writer, director, and producer who is known for his female-driven films. He’s worked with Melissa McCarthy a number of times, and his version of Ghostbusters was no different. He flipped the script by casting four female leads in the classically male roles. Ultimately, his take on the paranormal experts wasn’t nearly as successful as some of his other projects, like Bridesmaids and Zooey’s Extraordinary Playlist and received a fair amount of backlash.

Nevertheless, Jason Reitman gave credit to the filmmaker for changing things up, during a recent interview with Insider. Reitman believes that his colleague was able to shift the pubic perception of what a Ghostbusters film could look like. Here it is in his own words:

If anything, Paul Feig does deserve credit for attempting a fresh approach to the storied franchise. In the same interview, the Juno filmmaker seems to expel some major hopes and dreams for the franchise. And should his hopes come to pass, it could not only mean big things for the beloved IP but also some major strides for representation in massive blockbusters. Here's what he said exactly:

Instead of centering around a squad of professional ghost hunters saving the world, Afterlife tells the story of a single mom and her two kids discovering the legacy of the OG team of ghost chasers. This is very fitting, considering Jason Reitman is taking up his own father’s legacy with this film. The film will see Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson reprising their original roles as the first generation of proton pack-wearing heroes. And joining them will be Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts. All in all, this film should be filled with enough nostalgia to satisfy hardcore fans.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife will release to theaters in just a couple short weeks on November 19th.

Hollywood hates letting the past die. Nostalgia serves as inspiration fuel for the projects found on most studio slates, leading to new chapters in time-tested franchises like Halloween, Scream, Jackass, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and more. The laziest examples in this cycle trot out aging-yet-still-familiar faces, and then demands that they tap dance through a tired routine that screams, “Don’t you remember when you used to like this?” 

More ambitious projects – like Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife – try to push the narrative forward, employing beloved elements from the past, but using them to create something fresh and new. Reitman understands the family business (his father Ivan directed the first two Ghostbusters movies), so many of his creative choices work, even with tonal shifts that stem from the different directorial voices of the familial filmmakers. Some, however, do not land, and Reitman’s biggest swings are sure to create divisive and heated conversations amongst fans of all generations. Who ya gonna call? A mediator.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife fully passes a baton to the next generation, and offers a star-making turn by McKenna Grace.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife does follow the recent trend of sequels connecting to older films on the timeline, thereby ignoring the existence of less-popular entries in the same series. After Alan Taylor’s Terminator: Genisys and David Gordon Green’s Halloween each announced their intentions to completely ignore such in-canon stinkers as Terminator: Salvation and Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers, you could almost hear studio executives collectively questioning, “Wait, you can do that?” You can if the fans allow it, and I have a hunch Ghostbusters enthusiasts will embrace Reitman’s decision to branch directly off his father’s original Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel, leaving Paul Feig’s 2016 reboot in Ecto-1’s exhaust fumes.

The story in Ghostbusters: Afterlife is driven by the existence of the original four members of the Ghostbusters team, with the New York-based events from the initial two films being moments in history that characters in this movie remember. After a hurried prologue that establishes our new location and hints at the film’s larger threat, screenwriter Gil Kenan settles us into the plot as cash-strapped single mom Callie (Carrie Coon) moves her snarky son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and brainy daughter Phoebe (McKenna Grace) to their grandfather’s dilapidated farmhouse in Oklahoma.

Very little is known about the reclusive old man who once occupied the home. Residents of the town referred to him as “The Dirt Farmer,” and Callie provides no additional information as her dad left her at a very young age. But as Phoebe explores both the farmhouse and her new town, she, her newfound companion Podcast (Logan Kim), and an inquisitive science teacher (Paul Rudd) start to connect dots between recent strange Oklahoma occurrences and the historic events of New York City.

One should know going into Ghostbusters: Afterlife that Reitman’s film is almost exclusively about these new characters and how they come to interact with classic elements of the franchise. We don’t get to see Ecto-1 racing through the streets of Manhattan. Instead, Trevor discovers it under a tarp in the garage, conducts minor repairs, then tears through a cornfield as the signature siren blares. Rudd’s teacher is the one who recognizes a vintage Ghost Trap, while Phoebe gets the proton packs up and running so she and Podcast can conduct target practice. It’s endearing to see these props back in play, and refreshing to see how Reitman uses them in drastically different fashion than his father did.

McKenna Grace gives the standout performance in this new bunch. Once you realize which O.G. Ghostbuster she is channeling, her precise mannerisms, calculated sense of humor, and smarter-than-most attitude plugs directly into the unique atmosphere of the first two movies. Grace is confident and funny, stubborn, and practical. If the franchise wanted to move forward with her in a leading role, I’d say we were in good hands.

When Ghostbusters: Afterlife uses the original actors, it stumbles instead of soars.

One of the worst kept secrets about Ghostbusters: Afterlife is that surviving cast members Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver all return, and are playing their original roles. That, alone, makes Afterlife far more successful than Feig’s miscalculation, where he shoehorned the classic cast into uncomfortable and unfamiliar roles that were distracting, not endearing. But there’s no denying that when Reitman does employ the original cast members, it doesn’t land with the triumphant, celebratory note I was personally hoping to see. You won’t hear from me how Ray Stantz, Peter Venkman and Winston Zeddemore factor into the plot because of spoilers; all I’ll say on the matter is that their contributions to the overall story aren’t as emotional or significant as I hoped.

Additionally, Ghostbusters: Afterlife feels like it is painted into a corner by the reality of Harold Ramis’ death. As Egon Spengler and as a screenwriter, Ramis was a key contributor and powerful voice in the Ghostbusters franchise, and Afterlife has a chosen solution for how it honors his legacy. This will be a major talking point after the film has screened, and may be the dividing line between “loved it” or “hated it” for fans. I didn’t love it, but I definitely need to see it play out one more time to determine if I actually hated it, or if that’s too stern of a dismissal.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife does honor the spirit of the original two movies, so fans likely will appreciate Reitman’s efforts to resurrect the long-dormant franchise.

Behind the scenes, the story on Ghostbusters: Afterlife centers on a son attempting to live up to a major portion of his father’s professional legacy. If the son of the original Ghostbusters is going to try and make a Ghostbusters sequel, it damn well better be good. On screen, Ghostbusters: Afterlife flies highest when it’s drilling into the emotional elements of Egon’s estranged family: how they coped with his absence, and how they’re putting the pieces together the more that they learn important truths about him.

There’s actually enough story in the film to continue the grand tradition of Ghostbusters without returning the surviving titular team members, strange as that is to say. McKenna Grace makes the franchise her own, instead of borrowing a part in someone else’s game. Bustin’ might have felt better if the rest of the movie committed to that revolution, but for now, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a sometimes rousing, sometimes amusing, and sometimes unbalanced continuation of a beloved franchise that Hollywood doesn’t want to see die.

If you want to bring the Ghostbusters back, who are you gonna call? In the case of the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the franchise has been passed down from father to son. Ivan Reitman memorably brought audiences two classics with 1984’s Ghostbusters and 1989’s Ghostbusters II and, soon, Jason Reitman will continue the saga with a movie all about the continued lineage of the storyline. However, things weren't always easy between father and son, as they worked on the movie.

Over almost two decades, Jason Reitman has become a great director in his own right, making films including Thank You For Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air and most recently 2018’s The Front Runner. When speaking to Empire, Reitman shared his experience taking on his father’s famed franchise, saying this: 

Additionally, Jason Reitman said that making the movie was like “navigating the shadow” of his parents, which he feels can be a pretty universal experience between parents and kids even if yours didn’t helm one of the most iconic ‘80s movies. As he shared to the magazine: 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife will ignore the 2016 Paul Feig reboot of the franchise and pick up the story with the grandchildren of Egon, who was played by the late Harold Ramis in the original films. Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard and Malignant’s Mckenna Grace will be his grandchildren, and Carrie Coon will be their single mother and Egon’s daughter. 

After being evicted from their home, the Spengler family will move to a farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma left for them by the former Ghostbuster. When the kids notice a series unexplained earthquakes, they start to delve into the Ghostbusters’ history, with the help of their teacher, Paul Rudd’s Mr. Grooberson. 

And as we know, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts are in fact part of the film… somehow. It’s pretty cool that this particular story is going to be the next chapter for the Ghostbusters franchise, and it truly seems to have been a journey passed down from father to son. Ivan Reitman serves as a producer on the film, and one would assume that the slight differences in his and his son's creative sensibilities would cause them to occasionally bump heads while making Afterlife. 

Following a number of delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is finally set to be released in theaters on November 19. The movie found its first audience over the summer at CinemaCon, where CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell called it a “solid continuation” to the original films. Check out the full lineup of 2021 movie releases here on CinemaBlend.  

It can’t be easy following in the footsteps of a famous director father, which is precisely what Jason Reitman did when he kicked off his directorial career with Thank You For Smoking many years ago. This year, he’ll follow even further in his famous dad’s footsteps by bringing Ghostbusters: Afterlife to the big screen, several decades after the original Ghostbusters premiered back in 1984. It’s a franchise that has been a part of the younger Reitman’s life for almost as long as he can remember. Now, he’s explaining why he finally decided to take on a film in the franchise on his own.

Ahead of the first screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife at CinemaCon 2021, both the elder and young Reitman took to the stage to talk about the moving coming together and how much it meant for both of them. In particular though, for Jason Reitman, the new movie is going to be a culmination of years of getting asked about his father’s famous property and why he had never taken on the mantle himself. He told audiences, including CinemaBlend:

Those all seem like good reasons to move forward with a new movie in the Ghostbusters franchise, and those who saw the movie during its Las Vegas screening mentioned the movie is “loyal” to the original and is very much in keeping with what Ivan Reitman, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and the rest of the gang tried to do in the original run. Insofar as that “make a movie for my daughter comment,” Mckenna Grace in particular has been noted as doing great work in Afterlife. (Can confirm).

The story and the path the film ultimately took stems from the fact that director Jason Reitman doesn’t honestly feel as if it is his own movie but a movie that is on a path that other sets out on first. He also explained he wanted to create something for the whole family to enjoy.

We already know the movie will feature nods to the original, having seen the first footage from the film. This time around, the adventure brings in some new cast members in Paul Rudd, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon and more surprises. The first looks at the movie have also included Easter eggs, returning characters and more.

This week it was confirmed the film, like many before it over the last couple of years, has been pushed back. There’s a silver lining, though. Sony only pushed it back a week, so we’re still getting it in time for the holiday season this year. To see more upcoming movie release dates, take a look at our full schedule.

Here's an unfun fact: had the world not been plagued by a pandemic for the past 16 months, we would have celebrated the one year anniversary of Jason Reitman's Ghostbusters: Afterlife three weeks ago. The decades-later sequel to the original Ghostbusters movies was originally scheduled to hit theaters on July 10, 2020, and while there was a time when the film was put on the schedule for March and then June of 2021, we are now waiting for its arrival this November. Fans' patience for the movie has been certainly been tested, but this morning Sony Pictures has fed that particular appetite a nice appetizer in the form of the brand new trailer above. And it features the return of beloved original stars.

It was all the way back in December 2019 that we first got a look at the new sequel, providing a nice tease of what to expect from Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and since then all we have seen is the surprise clip starring the Mini-Pufts. There has been ever-building anticipation for the new movie, and this new preview does a nice job both addressing some questions and introducing new ones.

In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace, and Finn Wolfhard play Callie, Phoebe, and Trevor – a single mother and her two children who find themselves evicted from their home. With no other choice, they go to the Oklahoma house that was left to the family by the kids' grandfather, Dr. Egon Spengler. and try to start their lives anew. This would be challenging for anybody, but making things even harder is the fact that the town has been plagued by frequent earthquakes (despite not being anywhere near a fault line), and strange events have been reported tied back to an old mine previously owned by an alleged occultist. Phoebe winds up solving a puzzle that gives her access to all of her grandfather's old equipment, and the family together teams up to try and stop a dangerous supernatural foe.

The new sequel, which comes on the heels of Paul Feig's Ghostbusters in 2016, is bringing back original Ghostbusters stars Bill Murray as Peter Venkman, Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz), Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore, Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett, and Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz. The supporting cast of the Ghostbusters: Afterlife also includes Paul Rudd, Bokeem Woodbine, and Tracy Letts.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is currently scheduled to hit theaters on Thursday, November 11 – the weekend between the releases of Chloe Zhao's Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster Eternals (November 5) and Joseph Kosinski's Tom Cruise-starring Top Gun: Maverick (November 19) – and you can check out our 2021 Movie Release Calendar to discover all of the big titles that are set to come out between now and the end of the year.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is poised to be one of 2021’s biggest films. While moviegoers are anticipating the sequel’s release, some are still a little gun-shy after 2016’s female-led Ghostbusters reboot. But original Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd is here to calm fans’ fears. He knows first-hand that the director can handle the Ghostbusters franchise, and the Afterlife star recently explained why Jason Reitman is the right director for the job.

As a Ghostbusters vet and the co-writer of the original films, Dan Aykroyd knows the franchise better than most people. Aykroyd seems to have plenty of confidence in the new film, and his return to the multimedia franchise after three decades was a good sign of Ghostbusters: Afterlife's story and direction. In an interview with Cigar Aficionado, Aykroyd shared some thoughts regarding what franchise newcomer Jason Reitman brings to the franchise:

Dan Aykroyd’s approval of Ivan Reitman’s direction is a huge plus. But it shouldn't be surprising given the history between the actor and the director. Aykroyd practically has known Jason Reitman for years and has seen his love of the franchise. So Aykroyd knows Reitman would do the franchise’s legacy justice with the sequel.

When you consider Jason Reitman’s history with the Ghostbusters franchise, Dan Aykroyd is right on the nose. Reitman’s father, Ivan Reitman, served as the director and producer of the original Ghostbusters film along with its 1989 sequel. The younger Reitman even had a small part in the second film. So directing Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a full-circle moment for the younger Reitman. Another plus is that his father has also returned, though this time he's only serving as a producer. Making this long-awaited sequel has truly been a family affair.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the film also allowed the Oscar-nominated Reitman to reunite with his extended family. Including Ghostbusters alum such as Dan Aykroyd, Billy Murray, Ernie Hudson and more was a nice nod to the franchise his father helped to build. Given the fact that the sequel exists in the continuity of the original movies, it’s only right for him to bring the OG cast back into the fold. Original Ghostbusters Hudson and Murray also approved of Reitman’s work on the legacy reboot. The only bittersweet part of the movie is that the late, great Harold Ramis couldn’t be a part of it.

Hopefully, this throwback family feel will translate to the big screen once Ghostbusters: Afterlife is released. But it shouldn’t be too much pressure for Jason Reitman given his reputation as a filmmaker. All in all, Dan Aykroyd’s words will likely reassure Ghostbusters fans that the reboot will be worth seeing when it arrives in theaters on November 11.

There have been so many movies affected by the release-date shift of 2020, every once in a while I am reminded of a film and it makes me go, “Oh yeah, I’m excited to see that and I totally forgot it was supposed to come out months ago.” Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife falls into that category. Originally due to drop in the Summer of 2020, the sequel now eyeballs a June 11, 2021 release, and as such, is ramping up promotion. Empire shared this latest image of the younger members of the Ghostbusters: Afterlife cast, and their costumes really caught my eye:

Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard are sitting in Ecto-1 in this new image, and they are wearing the signature Ghostbusters jumpsuits. Now, are they just playing dress up, because Grace's character found equipment that once belonged to her later grandfather, Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis)? Or are the kids inheriting the “family” business, and getting ready to bust some ghosts?

Think back to the trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife that dropped oh so long ago. Carrie Coon plays a mom who moved her family to the Midwest, back to the farm that was in her family. Then, strange things started happening, and the audience learned that these people were Spenglers. Paul Rudd held up that Ghost Trap, and educated the kids on the exploitations of the Ghostbusters. Here, just watch it!

Speaking with Empire, Jason Reitman confirms that the movie he directed is set in the same universe as the first two Ghostbusters stories (which is different, then, from Paul Feig’s reboot). And he said that his father, Ivan, recently got to see a cut of the film, which led to this beautiful interaction:

That’s wonderful. And while it seems like we may see a young generation busting ghosts in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Jason Reitman has secured the appearance of surviving cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver, making this an official Chapter Three in the saga.

As Empire notes, “Nostalgia Sequels” are hot right now, with franchises from Mad Max to Star Wars tapping back into their roots to get fanbases fired up for new stories. Jason Reitman was an inspired choice to follow up on his father Ivan’s legacy, and that first trailer brought the right mix of fear and wonder. I, for one, can’t wait to see where this movie goes, and anticipate its arrival on June 11, 2021.

Among all the movies delayed due to current events, Ghostbusters: Afterlife couldn’t avoid the inevitable and had to face delays as well. Originally, it was scheduled for release on August 7, 2021, but that date has been moved to October 8, 202. However, this might prove to be a good thing, as the director reveals there’s a silver lining to this shake up.

While Jason Reitman has already followed in his father’s footsteps into directing, he’s now taken another step by helming a Ghostbusters movie in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. While talking with Josh Gad and the original Ghostbusters cast and crew on Josh Gad’s YouTube channel, Jason Reitman provided some insight on the project. Here’s what he had to say:

It definitely is a rare opportunity for a director to pause in the midst of filming and go over their movie footage without many distractions. In contrast, the schedule for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was so tight, they had to have the editor actively editing while on set. So with that in mind, hopefully Jason Reitman will be able to spot flaws and smooth out the movie for the better.

Forced delays helping making a movie better is not without precedent. Many directors in the past have noted the benefits of a delayed schedule. For instance, production for Mission: Impossible – Fallout had to stop due to Tom Cruise’s ankle injury. But Christopher McQuarrie said that allowed them to look over the script and fix any holes.

Even though Jason Reitman can’t provide any details about the movie at this point, that’s not to say we don’t know much about the movie. The first trailer that dropped late last year certainly provided us with a good look at a more nostalgic, connected-the-past take in contrast to Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters in 2016.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a direct sequel to the first two Ghostbusters movies and will also bring back a majority of the original cast, such as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver. Unfortunately for Louis Tully fans, Rick Moranis will not be returning. But even though they old cast is back, they seem to be taking a similar approach to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Namely because the story’s focus will be placed more on the next generation of characters, while also including the originals.

While the story may highlight younger characters, it’s been written to address the death of actor Harold Ramis as well. According to Bill Murray, the story they’ve written will not only acknowledge Dr. Egon Spengler’s absence, but also will heavily factor into the upcoming movie's story.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife looks like a promising addition to the franchise. Here’s hoping the brief pause Jason Reitman has will be enough to bring fans a sequel worthy of the Ghostbusters.

With each passing day, it feels like we are getting further and further from new movies opening in theaters. In a normal society, we’d have been ramping up anticipation for No Time to Die or the latest Marvel Studios effort, Black Widow. Instead, we hear of the latest delays, including Morbius, Uncharted and Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

The last one, in particular, his the fanbase hardest when the news broke that the summer blockbuster no longer was aiming for a summer release. Sony Pictures revealed that it was pushing Ghostbusters: Afterlife from July of this year to March 5, 2021. And social media flooded with disappointed Tweets.

That’s also how all of us will look and feel after the quarantines are over.

Damn, that’s a backhanded complaint, isn’t it? This person legitimately was sad, though.

Whereas, Irma kind of captures where all of us stand with regards to the movie’s delay.

Such is the new reality in this tenuous Hollywood landscape. No studio honestly knows when movie theaters will be able to open up and be back to running at full steam. So they play release-date roulette and aim for a target in the future, hoping that sometime between now and then, the current coronavirus epidemic subsides, and society figures out how to flatten that curve.

There were optimistic signs when China opened up some of its movie theaters… only, they country closed them relatively quickly, perhaps in fear of a second wave of the virus coming through.

There’s so much in life to worry about, and the state of a new movie opening (and when it might open) ranks low. But the shift for a movie like Ghostbusters: Afterlife – and all of the major blockbusters – raises an interesting conversation, at the very least, about how the studios will handle the release schedule when things do return to normal. And they will return to normal.

Will there be a massive vacuum of content that needs to be filled? Will a handful of massive, delayed movies suddenly move up? Which movie will be brave enough to lead the charge, and possibly deal with a trickle of cautious crowds making their way back to the multiplex? It will be fascinating to see play out, once we finally reach that anticipated point.

Following Paul Feig's 2016 reboot, the Ghostbusters franchise is getting back to canon this summer with the release of Jason Reitman's Ghostbusters: Afterlife. As seen in the recently released trailer, there will be many elements from the original films brought back in this new one, including the legendary Ecto-1 – but if you're an automobile aficionado worrying about the state of the classic vehicle, don't worry: the car fans will see in the new movie is not the EXACT same one that was used back in the mid-1980s.

USA Today has run a preview of some of the big films set to hit theaters in the next 12 months, and the quick bit about Ghostbusters: Afterlife primarily focuses on the new movie's connection to the larger legacy, and what fans can expect from the new Ecto-1 (including a new image of the vehicle from the film). In the piece, it's explained that the production opted not to use the original car from the first Ghostbusters, which is still safe in storage on the Sony Picture lot in Los Angeles, and instead tracked down a different 1959 Cadillac to convert into the titular team's favorite mode of transportation.

You can check out the new still from Ghostbusters: Afterlife below, featuring actress McKenna Grace as Phoebe sitting in the passenger seat of the Ecto-1 while wearing a Proton Pack. It's not terribly easy to tell who is sitting in the driver's seat, primarily because the windshield is so dirty, but based on the trailer the best bet is Finn Wolfhard as Phoebe's brother Trevor.

Written by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, Ghostubsters: Afterlife centers on Callie (Carrie Coon), the mother of Phoebe and Trevor, who finds herself evicted from her home and forced to move to a farm in Summerville, Oklahoma that she inherited from her grandfather. During their stay, they start to uncover the forgotten history of the Ghostbusters, primarily through a mystery surrounding on-going earthquakes that are rattling the town.

Per USA Today, both Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray are set to reprise their roles as Dr. Raymond "Ray" Stantz and Dr. Peter Venkman, respectively, but they aren't the only stars from the original duology that are set to come back. Fans will also see the return of Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore, Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett, and Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz. Also set to play new characters in the movie are both Paul Rudd, as a teacher named Mr. Grooberson, and Bokeem Woodbine as the local sheriff.

We still have quite a while to wait for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, as Sony has positioned the film to be their big blockbuster of the upcoming summer season with a July 10th release date. That's a fair amount of time for one to spend patiently tapping one's foot or twiddling one's thumbs, but the positive way to look at things is that the next few months will surely see the reveal of all kinds of new stills, posters, and trailers that fans can obsess over in the run up to opening weekend.

The Ghostbusters 2020 cast is all smiles after busting ghosts for 68 days. Filming just wrapped on the family oriented sequel to the first two Ghostbusters movies. Jason Reitman is directing from a script he co-wrote, with his father Ivan Reitman -- who directed Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II -- as producer.

Ghostbusters 2020 filming began in July under the working title "Rust City" and you can see that it just finished this week in October 2019:

As Jason Reitman says, 68 days and still smiling. Bustin' makes 'em feel GOOD. You can see Ivan Reitman to the far left in the photo, and clockwise from there we have newcomer Logan Kim at the bottom, back up to Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard, then my eternal The Leftovers queen Carrie Coon, an almost unrecognizable Mckenna Grace, and director Jason Reitman himself at the far right.

As far as we know, Ghostbusters 2020 will focus on two sets of teens -- one set older, and one younger. Carrie Coon is meant to play a single mother, with Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard as her kids. It's possible Logan Kim and another announced cast member, Celeste O’Connor, are playing the other young and older teens.

Captain Marvel's Mckenna Grace reportedly has a lead role, and when we saw the first photos of her new look for Ghostbusters 2020, it immediately got fans thinking her character might be related to Egon Spengler. As you probably know, we lost Ghostbusters' Egon actor Harold Ramis in 2014.

This new movie is meant to be closely tied to the original movies as a direct sequel to 1984's Ghostbusters and 1989's Ghostbusters II. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts are all said to be reprising their original characters.

Dan Aykroyd confirmed Ghostbusters 2020 follows "the actual descendants of the original Ghostbusters." So even though no characters have been confirmed, I have a hard time believing Mckenna Grace isn't going to star in this as an adorable mini Spengler. If Finn Wolfhard is her brother, then maybe they are Egon's kids or grandkids?

Don't forget that Paul Rudd will also be in Ghostbusters 2020, and Variety said he'll be playing a teacher. Fargo Season 2 -- aka the best season -- standout Bokeem Woodbine is also on board as Sheriff Domingo.

Ghostbusters 2020 has plenty of time to add supernatural goodness in VFX since the movie isn't scheduled to hit theaters until this coming summer, July 10, 2020. We're still on standby for more confirmed information about the movie, and of course the first trailer.

Are you as excited for Ghostbusters 2020 as the smiling faces above? Keep up with everything still heading to the big screen this year with our 2019 movie release date schedule. You can also prepare for next year with our 2020 movie release date schedule.

Ghostbusters 2020 director Jason Reitman casually shared a very intriguing cast photo from the set of his movie, which just started filming for its release this time next year. This Ghostbusters movie is a family affair in every respect. Reitman is the son of director Ivan Reitman, who directed the original 1984 Ghostbusters. Both Reitmans are in the set photo, along with cast members Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace. Meet the family:

If that bespectacled child collects spores, molds, and fungus, we'll know she's a true Spengler.

All we know about Ghostbusters 2020's cast is that Carrie Coon plays a single mother with Captain Marvel's Mckenna Grace and Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard as her kids. The main stars are reportedly two sets of teens -- one set older, one younger.

It's hard not to read into Mckenna Grace's new look in Jason Reitman's set photo. She's basically unrecognizable as herself, but very recognizable as an adorable mini Egon.

So that has fans taking the hint, and wondering if we're looking at Egon Spengler's kids, or maybe his grandchildren. We knew Ghostbusters 2020 would be honoring the late Harold Ramis, who died in 2014. Having his kids/grandkids -- or at least a mini Egon -- be the stars would be a loving way to keep his spirit alive in the movie. Apparently Mckenna Grace has a leading if not the leading role in Ghostbusters 2020, which would make sense if she's a mini Egon. But that's speculation right now.

Jason Reitman co-wrote the script for this movie, and he recently said he wanted to make "a love letter to the original movie." He also said the character of a 12-year-old girl just popped into his head, with a proton pack on her back. After picturing the girl, he saw her family, and he knew the movie he needed to make.

OG Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd has talked about how much this movie will connect to the original. The surviving Ghostbusters are all expected to return -- with Aykroyd joined by Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson, with Sigourney Weaver saying she's in as well.

On top of that, Paul Rudd is in the cast! Yes, Ant-Man himself will be in Ghostbusters 2020. I don't know what he'll be doing, but here's hoping he's like Louis Tully's son or something.

There are many reasons to be excited for Ghostbusters 2020. We're on standby for more official details on the plot and characters. Since the movie just started filming, it shouldn't be too long before we get that kind of information, and maybe more photos and -- eventually -- a trailer. The film is scheduled for release in theaters on July 10, 2020.

It’s official. Ghostbusters 2020 is on the way to the big screen next year and there is a whole lot to be excited about already. The biggest news so far is that the movie, scheduled for release on July 10th, 2020, is a straight sequel to the original two movies, not a reboot like the controversial 2016 version and it is almost certainly going to reunite many from the original cast and crew.

The original Ghostbusters, starring an all-star cast of Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, and Rick Moranis is one of the funniest movies of all-time. While its sequel wasn’t nearly as funny, it still has some great moments, like Bill Murray wondering if it is all you can eat rib night at Sizzler.

For decades, there have been rumors regarding a third sequel, and there have been forays into various other media, including cartoon television shows, more than a dozen video games -- some of which have included original cast members voicing their characters from the show -- and of course, the 2016 reboot. Yet a third sequel with the original cast remained elusive and with the tragic death of the co-writer and co-star of the originals, Harold Ramis in 2014, it looked like a third was (sadly) never going to happen. Now, Ghostbusters 2020 is happening and there are a lot of reasons to be psyched about it already.

It’s A Direct Sequel To The Original Ghostbusters Movies

The 2016 reboot, Ghostbusters: Answer The Call starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, was a bit of a bomb at the box office. After years of rumors and false starts of a reunion of the original cast for a third film, Sony finally went ahead with a complete reboot, including an-all female cast of new Ghostbusters. It didn’t work for a lot of fans. Despite some good reviews (and plenty of bad ones), the film flopped.

For the new Ghostbusters, the creators are going back to the original source. This isn’t a reboot, it’s a sequel, set in the same universe, so to speak, with new characters and old ones expanding on the events found in the first two hit films.

Paul Rudd Has Signed On To Star

Paul Rudd is one of the most charming and funniest people in Hollywood today. With the recent announcement that he would be a part of Ghostbusters 2020, we have a good reason to start getting excited for the project. Rudd is sure to bring that charm and humor and add a fresh face to the franchise, ensuring that it won’t just be a retread of the old jokes updated for a new millennium. He’s not the only new addition to be excited about either.

Jason Reitman Is Set To Direct

This is fantastic. Jason Reitman, being the son of Ivan Reitman, who produced and directed both the original Ghostbusters in 1984 as well as the first sequel Ghostbusters II in 1989, means that the franchise is keeping it in the family, so to speak. It also allows for a fresh, creative voice to update the property and bring new ideas to the franchise.

The younger Reitman is no novice of course, having directed hits like Juno, Up In The Air, and Thank You For Smoking. Having this new voice from someone related to part of the original creative team is like having your cake and eating it too. Oh – and Jason Reitman actually had a cameo as a snotty little kid at a birthday party in Ghostbusters II!

Stranger Things Star Finn Wolfhard Is In The Cast

Given Finn Wolfhard’s character’s Halloween costume in Season 2 of Stranger Things was Ghostbuster Peter Venkman, it’s pretty perfect that he will be one of the stars in Ghostbusters 2020. There is no word on what his role will be, but some rumors have said that the story will be center around four teenagers, which seems likely given the announcement of Wolfhard in the cast. Maybe they should just add the whole Stranger Things cast if that's the case!

Captain Marvel’s Mckenna Grace Will Also Play A Role

Speaking of up-and-coming child stars and fresh off her role as a young Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, McKenna Grace has also been announced as a cast member. While she seems a little young to be a junior Ghostbuster (she's 13 and Wolfhard is 16), her star is definitely rising and she’s a great addition to the cast.

Carrie Coon Will Play Mckenna Grace’s Mother

Another exciting addition to the cast is the star of the television show Fargo, Carrie Coon, who has been announced as Mckenna Grace’s mother. We don’t know much of anything about the story, but we do know the actress' career pretty well. In fact, she has most recently voiced and motion-captured the character Proxima Midnight in the last two Avengers movies.

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, And Sigourney Weaver Might Be Back Too

Ok, but there are strong indications that at least three or four of the cast members from the original Ghostbusters will be back in one way or another for this new one. So while there is nothing definitive about their possible appearances in Ghostbusters 2020 it does look promising.

Recently, Bill Murray, who made a cameo in the 2016 Ghostbusters as a character that was NOT Peter Venkman, has continually expressed interest in returning as the smartass doctor of psychology and parapsychology, so maybe this will the time. Sigourney Weaver has also made statements recently that she would be returning as the role of Dana.

Of the other cast members, including Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts, none have been announced as part of this project, but all have said in the past that they would be up for the idea. All have also participated in other Ghostbusters media, like past video games. One more intriguing thought is that if they all sign on to the project, could this be the film that pulls the great Rick Moranis out of retirement? THAT would something to get very excited about.

The Ghostbuster franchise has been a very interesting one for the last 35 years. It’s amazing that it has sustained as long as it has on only the two movies from the ‘80s, at least until the reboot in 2016. It’s even more amazing that it has obviously survived the box office disappointment of that reboot, but with the new flick on the way next year, the Ghostbusters are clearly still popular and the buzz, even a year out, is palpable.

After decades of rumors, hints, innuendoes, vague statements, and gossip, there finally is a continuation of the original Ghostbusters franchise. That news alone should be enough to ratchet up the excitement level to eleven on your P.K.E. meter.

“I love rumors,” Jason Reitman joked to a crowd of people gathered at a Ghostbusters fan event in Los Angeles on June 8. The fans were there to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original Ghostbusters film, and Jason Reitman was flanked by both his father, Ivan, and Paul Feig, who helmed a female-fronted Ghostbusters in 2016.

But largely, the crowd wanted to know details about the new Ghostbusters movie that Reitman is planning to release in 2020, and on this day, the writer-director was ready to share a few key details. Not all of them, mind you. He was still trying hard to protect as many plot details as he could, because he hasn’t even started filming the movie yet. But Reitman revealed some of his process, starting with the fact that the image of a little girl with a proton pack ended up being his inspiration for the new story.

Reitman told the crowd at the Ghostbusters fan event:

The 12-year-old girl who started the seed of an idea in the creative mind of Jason Reitman will be played by Mckenna Grace, the young actress who recently played young Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, and also acted alongside Chris Evans in Gifted. The larger family that he speaks of will be played by Stranger Things and IT star Finn Wolfhard, and Carrie Coon as the kids’ mom.

Their hiring has been reported on by the trades, and Reitman talked at length at the fan event about why he hired them for his new picture. Mckenna Grace, in particular, sounds like she is an enormous Ghostbusters fan, and Reitman told a touching story about her emotional reaction when he was able to tell Grace that she landed the role.

The “rumors” that Jason Reitman was referring to had to do with information shared by original Ghostbusters star Sigourney Weaver, who recently stated how excited she was to return to the franchise with original stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson.

Reitman would not confirm at the event that the four original actors will return – he wanted to retain some secrets – though he did confirm that each one of them has read his screenplay, and seemed to be hinting that the four actors would be back.

Jason Reitman also acknowledged the work that Paul Feig did with his female Ghostbusters. While the director took a lot of heat from so-called fans for his 2016 comedy, Reitman made it clear how helpful that movie was toward establishing the new world in which he wants to create and write Ghostbusters stories. Reitman said to Feig:

Back to the movie that he is trying to make. Jason Reitman opened up a little bit more on the family that will be central to his movie. He said that this is not building off of the existing two movies. But there are threads that will connect all of the films. He stated:

The idea of a “new location” really intrigues me for Reitman’s Ghostbusters movie. Then original two movies, as well as Paul Feig’s attempt, really leaned hard on New York City as its setting, but the supernatural exist everywhere. We are about to see another classic Sony property leap away from Manhattan when Men In Black International opens. Will this updated Ghostbusters follow a similar track?

It’s pretty amazing that, 35 years after the debut of the original movie, we are still talking about new Ghostbusters stories that are making their way to theaters. It speaks to the passion of the fanbase, but also to the loyalties of the group that played the team in the first place. Dan Aykroyd has never given up on getting new Ghostbusters movies into theaters. And Hudson, Murray and Weaver all showed up in Feig’s reboot, so the connections remain strong.

Now we wait to see what will come of Jason Reitman’s attempt to carry the baton passed from his father, Ivan, to a new generation of fans. We have a teaser trailer to chew on:

But after that, we only have a release date on Sony’s movie schedule to circle. The as-yet-untitled Ghostbusters movie will open in theaters on July 10, 2020. Are you ready to believe in the possibility of an exciting new Ghostbusters movie again?

It’s a famous line from the original Ghostbusters theme song. “I ain’t afraid of no ghost.” Because the ghosts in Ghostbusters, both the original and it sequel, were never meant to be scary. The guys were making comedies that happened to involve the supernatural, not horror thrillers with a few jokes mixed in. But with a new Ghostbusters story potentially coming to theaters, chills and scares may be on the menu.

Dan Aykroyd, an OG Ghostbuster, was out promoting his vodka and answering Ghostbusters questions for The Canadian Press (via 660citynews.com). When asked about the script that Jason Reitman has produced for a possible Ghostbusters sequel, Aykroyd opened up a little and explained:

The “quite scary” nod got us excited, because that would be a new direction for the franchise, and also for Jason Reitman as a director. Yes, he’s the son of the original director, Ivan Reitman. But nothing on Jason’s resume suggests that he’d be willing to tackle horror – though that doesn’t mean that he’s not ready to give it a try.

Also, with the reported casting of both Finn Wolfhard and Carrie Coon, the new movie might be leaning into a Stranger Things vibe, which taps into nostalgia by embracing ‘80s culture, but isn’t afraid to turn up the thrills when the story calls for it.

That first tease that Reitman filmed for this new Ghostbusters certainly set that mood:

But we don’t know a whole lot of details beyond that teaser, as the movie hasn’t yet gone into production. It is believed that the original stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson will return for this new movie, but we don’t know how they will be used in the story.

If Dan Aykroyd gets his way, however, the new movie will be the start of several new Ghostbusters stories, as he goes on to say in the interview:

Of course, those plans stop if the new movie can’t get the franchise back off of the ground. If the Paul Feig movie caught fire, the franchise could have continued in that direction. But for now, we are sitting back and anticipating a new Ghostbusters movie from Jason Reitman on July 10, 2020. Will you check it out?

After years of waiting and development hell, it seemed like there would never be another sequel in the original Ghostbusters franchise. But, as if rising from the grave like a specter, Ghostbusters 3 is officially happening. Jason Reitman, the son of the original Ghostbusters director, is on board as director, but not a lot about the film is known. We do know that it will feature several new characters who will strap on proton packs, and it looks like the lead actor has been found. McKenna Grace ain't 'fraid of no ghosts!

While technically a sequel to the comedy classic that starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson, there's no word on if any of those characters will return. Instead, four teenagers -- an older set and a younger set -- are taking over as our main characters, and it sounds like they will be led by Mckenna Grace.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mckenna Grace has been cast in the new Ghostbusters film. The report even goes as far as to say that Grace might be in the starring role, which would be a major get for the rising star. Grace joins the already cast Finn Wolfhard and Carrie Coon. Wolfhard will play her brother while Coon is their single mother.

Mckenna Grace should be a familiar face to many. She recently played the younger version of Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, which went on to break numerous records at the box office. Playing younger versions of a main character has become something of a specialty for Grace, having also done it in The Haunting of Hillhouse, I, Tonya, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The young actor also starred alongside Chris Evans in the drama Gifted.

Jason Reitman's Ghostbusters has been the subject of some debate ever since it was announced. Some saw it as a response to the sexist backlash that plagued the all-female Ghostbusters reboot, and this wasn't helped by the director's poor choice of words that they were giving the franchise "back to fans."

However, the casting of Mckenna Grace as the ostensible lead and the focus of an all-new, younger cast seems to put those criticisms to bed. After all, you don't make the lead of your legacyquel a 12-year-old girl if you are trying to appease the "Ghost Bros" who trolled an all female Ghostbusters movie.

All in all, the new Ghostbusters is shaping up with a really promising cast. Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard are rising stars and Carrie Coon is amazing in everything she's ever done her whole entire life. (I'm a big Leftovers fan). I'm curious to see who they will cast to play the other two teenagers or how involved the original cast will be. Until then, enjoy this tweet from Reitman celebrating his newly casted family.

There's no release date for this movie just yet, but be sure to keep checking in with CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated.

Recently, Jason Reitman, who is getting ready to direct a brand new Ghostbusters movie, spoke a bit about his upcoming project, but in doing so, appears to have put his foot squarely in his mouth. Some of the director's comments have been taken to be critical of the 2016 female-led Ghostbusters reboot, and Reitman has now taken to social media to insist that he never meant any insult. According to Reitman...

Earlier this week, Reitman appeared on Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast and spoke a bit about the history of the Ghostbusters franchise, his own place in it, as the son of director Ivan Reitman who helmed the first two movies, and teased his upcoming film, which will take the movies back to the universe of the first two films. He spoke about how the teaser for his new film was produced using similar techniques to the original movie, but then followed that up by saying the new film would "hand the movie back to the fans."

The idea that the new movie would hand the films back to the fans would seem to imply that at some point the franchise had been taken away from the fans, leading many to be critical of Jason Reitman's comments, as they seemed to be a shot at the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot directed by Paul Feig and starring Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy and Leslie Jones.

That movie was itself dealing with controversy as a vocal contingent of fans attacked the production before it ever got started for making the decision to cast four women as the Ghostbusters team rather than bringing back the original cast. Jason Reitman's movie is expected to bring the original cast back, though exactly how they will fit into the story has not been revealed.

Reitman now says his comments were not meant to be critical of that film, he goes so far as to call it an amazing movie.

All of this certainly does show that the Ghostbusters fan situation isn't going to be calming down anytime soon. Many that liked the Ghostbusters reboot are looking toward the newly announced film with the same skepticism that the reboot was treated to by fans of the original movies. Leslie Jones herself has called the move to make this new movie so soon after the reboot "insulting."

The new Ghostbusters will start filming later this year with plans to release the film in the summer of 2020. You can be sure interest in this one will remain high, and probably at least slightly controversial.