Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire would be the first movie within the Ghostbusters franchise to be launched following the demise of Ivan Reitman — who directed the unique 1984 movie.
The director’s son, Jason Reitman, took over the franchise with the 2021 revival, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and whereas he does not direct the upcoming installment — handing the reins over to Gil Kenan — Jason informed ET’s Rachel Smith that he knew he had an obligation to honor his father’s legacy in co-writing the newest movie.
“I imply, I used to be considering of my father on daily basis,” Jason shared on the Frozen Empire New York Metropolis premiere this week. “However he was with us. My father handed the proton pack to me and now I am thrilled to go it to Gil Kenan.”
Jason, who can recall being seven years previous on the set of the primary Ghostbusters movie, stated the forged and crew of Frozen Empire — which incorporates returning OG forged members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson — “felt my dad smiling on this movie the entire method.”
“My father all the time wished extra Ghostbusters tales,” he continued. “And I feel he’d be thrilled at the truth that this one has an entire new villain and an entire new story and all these new comedians in it. That is the stuff that will make him the happiest.”
Ivan Reitman died in his sleep at his house in Montecito, California, on February 12, 2022, on the age of 75. In a statement to the Associated Press on the time, Jason and his sisters, Catherine and Caroline, stated, “We take consolation that his work as a filmmaker introduced laughter and happiness to numerous others all over the world. Whereas we mourn privately, we hope those that knew him by means of his movies will bear in mind him all the time.”
Subsequent up, Jason is paying tribute to a different iconic legacy, along with his movie, SNL 1975, which particulars the chaos and comedy of Saturday Night Live‘s premiere episode on Oct. 11, 1975.
The author and director dipped into his Ghostbusters household once more for the movie — casting Finn Wolfhard as an NBC web page, and he informed ET that the choice was a no brainer.
“Finn is among the best actors on Earth,” he raved. “He is the man you need subsequent to you on set when every little thing’s going downhill. He makes you extra assured, he makes it appear higher, he is all the time searching for the win and I really like the child. I will work with him on something.”
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is in theaters nationwide on March 22.
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