Ghostbusters 3

The much-anticipated Ghostbusters 3 is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality. Leading man Dan Aykroyd spoke today on "Larry King Now," revealing new details about the sequel's plot.

"It's based on new research that's being done in particle physics by the young men and women at Columbia University," he tells King. "...Basically, there's research being done that I can say that the world or the dimension that we live in, our four planes of existence, length, height, width and time, become threatened by some of the research that's being done. Ghostbusters -- new Ghostbusters -- have to come and solve the problem." 

Bloody-Disgusting is reporting today a rumor that Sony Pictures may want to make Ghostbusters 3 an animated film.

"Sony is looking to do Ghostbusters 3 as an animated film, a source exclusively reveals to Bloody Disgusting. This was the original plan back in 2007, which eventually resulted in the incredible 2009 video game," the site says.

The Hollywood Reporter has a brief update on the long-in-the-works Ghostbusters 3:

Any decision on Ghostbusters III, the long, long gestating sequel, has been postponed until the end of March — this after Men in Black 3 writer Etan Cohen was paid a huge sum for a script. Shooting was to begin next summer but now couldn’t start before fall at best.

Rumored for more than two decades, and the center of countless rumors, Ghostbusters 3 appears to finally be moving forward, albeit without leading man Bill Murray.

Deadline reports that the current schedule calls for Ivan Reitman to return as director with a summer 2013 production start being targeted.

Dan Aykroyd previously confirmed reports that the plot will revolve around a new generation of Ghostbusters and hinted at the states of his and Harold Ramis' characters.

Dan Aykroyd seems to be the official spokesman of Ghostbusters 3.  He's the only guy who has been really talking about it and the only one who provides the press with any updates (no one has Sony has really ever spoken about the sequel).  

So, I have fair question to ask: Is he the only one excited about the prospect of a threequel?  I know there are some fans of the existing two films, but the excitement level for a new tale feels tepid to me.

You know who is not excited about a sequel?  Bill Murray.  Aykroyd weighed in once again on Murray's involvement with Ghostbusters 3 and, well, his answer is not surprising in the least.

Every time someone reports on Ghostbusters 3 a baby cries.  The last few years have been rife with rumors and other nonsense regarding who's on board the script, what Bill Murray's participation will be (if any) and who might be cast.  Recently, Dan Aykroyd told someone, somewhere (honestly, the details of who said what blurs together these days) that Ghostbusters 3 had a new writer on board.  Variety learned just who that person is.

While Dan Aykroyd was quoted in February saying that Bill Murray would not be involved with Ghostbusters 3, Murray himself revealed earlier this month in an interview with WGN (via The Playlist) that it's still a "possibility."

While Murray quickly changes the subject and talks about Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, he doesn't say outright that he won't do the third installment.

Dan Aykroyd talked about this vaguely earlier this month, but he has now confirmed to The Telegraph that Bill Murray won't be a part of Ghostbusters 3, if the film gets made at Sony Pictures.

"I honestly don't know. At this point it's in suspended animation," he said when asked about the film's status. "The studio, the director Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis feel there must be a way to do it, but Bill Murray will not do the movie. He doesn't want to be involved. He's got six kids, houses all over America. He golfs in these tournaments where they pay him to turn up and have a laugh. He's into this life and living it. I know we'd have a lot of fun [but] I can't be mad at him. He’s a friend first, a colleague second. We have a deep personal relationship that transcends business and he doesn’t want to know."

Roughly six months after dropping significant plot details, Dan Aykroyd has an update about Ghostbusters 3 and the likelihood of both Bill Murray and Rick Moranis returning. Speaking with Empire, the actor hints that the former could end up being played by a different actor altogether.

"We communicate frequently and his position on the involvement in Ghostbusters 3 has been made clear and I respect that," says Aykroyd, who the magazine also claims suggested a possible "Jack Ryan"-style recasting.