Ghostbusters 4 has gotten a hopeful screenplay rewrite from star Ernie Hudson just a few months after securing its new release date. The new picture will serve as a sequel to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which re-introduced fans to franchise newcomers Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace, as well as original cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver. While settling into the farmhouse that had been left to them by Egon Spengler, the descendants of the original Ghostbuster learned about their ancestor’s mysterious past in the film Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Ernie Hudson discussed the much-anticipated Ghostbusters 4 with ComicBook.com while promoting his role in the Quantum Leap reboot. Winston actor spoke about reading “a version” of the finished script for the sequel, expressing his enthusiasm for what’s to come. Check out what Hudson said in the below quote:
I did read a version. I’m pretty sure they committed to doing another one. I’m very happy with it, but I also know this is early on. Jason has been incredible, and I really just love and appreciate him. I’m so thankful to be able to work with him. So, I’m excited about but… I haven’t, and I never assume anything. I am happy, though, to have Ghostbusters in my filmography. And I’m just really delighted when I see little kids, two and three years old, singing the song and being happy about it.
Talks of a Ghostbusters 4 were circling well before Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s debut, with co-writer/director Jason Reitman revealing ideas for the 2021 picture to help revive the franchise. After the film’s release to mostly positive reviews and a successful run at the box office (nearly $204 million domestic, against a $75 million budget) in March, the studio would announce the sequel in April. With a plot that will bring the action back to New York City, Ghostbusters 4 was originally intended for a Summer 2023 release but was rescheduled to Christmas 2023.
Since its announcement months ago, little has been said about the plot or cast of Ghostbusters 4, save for the film’s location and the return of director Ivan Reitman. Back in October, Mckenna Grace, who plays Phoebe, Egon’s granddaughter, in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, seemed to indicate she would be back in the role, saying she was excited to come back but that she had heard nothing about the script. Since Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s climax showed that Winston had bought their old firehouse after becoming a wealthy entrepreneur, fans have speculated that the rest of the original cast would return for Ghostbusters 4.
However, this may become a problem due to the current problems surrounding Bill Murray, where several of his previous co-stars have complained of his toxic conduct while working together. These include Geena Davis from Quick Change and Rob Schneider from Saturday Night Live. Given that Ghostbusters: Afterlife is mostly about presenting a new generation of ghost-fighting heroes, the decision to omit Murray may have been simple. However, Reitman could always choose to bring Venkman back at a later date. We will find out once Ghostbusters 4 is released in theatres On December 20, 2023.
