Chris Pratt to join Ghostbusters expanded universe? Four films planned

Last Updated on July 22, 2021

So we're probably never going to get that true GHOSTBUSTERS sequel but that isn't stopping Sony from going all out to cross streams with a new series of films. We've known about Paul Feig's 'female-centric' GHOSTBUSTERS film for a few months now, and yesterday we learned that Sony would be broadening the franchise with another 'Busters flick starring Channing Tatum that was originally reported as being an 'all-male' GHOSTBUSTERS flick, with Joe and Anthony Russo directing, but now more information has come to light and it includes no less than 4 films in the series.

BadAss Digest has learned that this new GHOSTBUSTERS film isn't "all-male" or "guy-centric". It does have some guys at the center, with Tatum set to star, but the concept here is a movie that spins out of the chemistry between real-life friends Channing Tatum and Chris Pratt. Yes, it seems Tatum and Sony want Chris Pratt together for this particular GHOSTBUSTERS film. BadAss Digest shares that "This isn't a case of 'everybody wants Chris Pratt in their movie,' this is a case of these two guys being pals and wanting to make this movie together."

They further report…

As for the movie itself: it's complementary to the Paul Feig film. This isn't a sudden reboot or a change of course. The plan is to have this new Ghostbusters universe feel big and have the kind of tonal variety that allows there to be a legitimate shared universe, not just a whole bunch of franchises running in tandem. What's more, the hope is that after Feig's Ghostbusters is out and after Tatum's Ghostsbusters is out the next film will see the two teams co-mingling, Avengers-style. This is planned out, and has been getting planned out for some time – it's not a sudden change of heart at Sony. The idea is that this shared universe will allow Feig to do his thing, Reitman and the Russos and Drew Pearce to do their thing, and for them  to cross over when they must. I was kind of confused by the ending of the Feig/Katie Dippold script, but knowing that there's a planned universe growing out of that ending everything makes a lot more sense now.

Ok, so the crossing of streams between the two films makes sense and it could certainly be fun. But that's only three films, and Sony apparently has plans for four GHOSTBUSTERS flicks. Here's what BadAss Digest learned…

What I'm hearing is that this new Ghostbusters universe will also have a prequel movie, which will take place before either of these two announced films. When before? Beats me – but it will have nothing to do with the original Ghostbusters characters. As Reitman said in his Deadline interview, the rights issues with those characters are too complex (the human characters, anyway. Expect some famous ghosts to show up).  I don't know when this prequel is set – relatively recent or colonial times or what – but it's all part of the larger picture.  

Talking to my sources it's become clear that 'Ghostbusters' is going to be the catch-all umbrella for a world of supernatural FX comedies.

Hit us with your thoughts on the plans for this new GHOSTBUSTERS series below. We're curious to hear if you're hip to this idea.