Columbia Might Well Want To Replace Ivan Reitman For Ghostbusters 3, But They'll Need To Get His Approval First

In a particularly delayed case of "you reap what you sow", the current administration at Sony Columbia are finding a little bit of an issue in some of their legacy contracts from the 80s. I've often heard that the three lead actors from Ghostbusters and original director Ivan Reitman have had power of veto over any proposed sequel, but didn't suppose this would include the film's director. Where this seems to be an issue right now is that Reitman could really use some gigs, and if he wants Ghostbusters 3, it's his choice whether or not to insist the job goes to him.

Columbia, of course, would most likely be looking towards a younger director, or at least one with a more exciting catalogue of recent hits. Reitman's last picture, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, failed in both charming the critics and milking the public so it would be hard to imagine he's even on the studio's wishlist for the next 'Busters picture, let alone heading it up.

Having said that, Vulture point out that Reitman is set to direct a Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher movie called (ahem) Fuckbuddies, and that this film has already been given the greenlight. Instead of him happily trotting off  getting busy with that, however, their story goes that Reitman is feeling rather keen to keep a tight hold on the Ghostbusters threequel gig too. Honestly – can you blame him? I'd probably do just the same if it was me.

So, it would seem to be a foregone conclusion. Either Ivan Reitman will come back and direct Ghostbusters 3 himself, or it won't get made. Could there even be another director that would convince him, somebody he'd rather see make the film than his own self? Not while he's 63 and experiencing years and years of delay between projects, I'd wager.

I always assumed this power of veto would be wielded by Bill Murray, not one of the others. Heck, maybe it still will be. With the second draft of the script coming in May, there's a long way before Ghostbusters 3 has made it through the field of old, unexploded legal landmines.