This is so dumb. Deadline got the early word that Sony Pictures is broadening the GHOSTBUSTERS franchise with their first order of business being a male-driven action-centric comedy that will work as a counterpart to the Paul Feig-directed, all female-led film that will start production in June.
According to the site, Sony is simultaneously forming Ghostcorps, a new production company whose principals include original GHOSTBUSTERS architects Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd; they will have offices at Sony with the mission to scare up branding opportunities based on the 1984 comedy classic.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER directors Joe and Anthony Russo have their eyes set on directing and producing with IRON MAN 3 scribe Drew Pearce on board to write the script. For obvious reasons, Sony is hoping to have Channing Tatum star as one of the GHOSTBUSTERS since Tatum and his partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan are also attached to produce.
“We want to expand the Ghostbusters universe in ways that will include different films, TV shows, merchandise, all things that are part of modern filmed entertainment,” Ivan Reitman told the site. “This is a branded entertainment, a scary supernatural premise mixed with comedy. Paul Feig’s film will be the first version of that, shooting in June to come out in July 2016. He’s got four of the funniest women in the world, and there will be other surprises to come. The second film has a wonderful idea that builds on that. Drew will start writing and the hope is to be ready for the Russo Brothers’ next window next summer to shoot, with the movie coming out the following year. It’s just the beginning of what I hope will be a lot of wonderful movies.”