Filming for Ghostbusters 4 (2023) is officially underway in London, and recently, it was revealed that a number of actors will be joining the franchise, including British comedian James Acaster, Doctor Sleep (2019) star Emily Alyn Lind, and Marvel stars Kumail Ali Nanjiani and Patton Oswald. But now, an actor from Ghostbusters II (1989) wants to reprise his role in the upcoming film!
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From director Gil Kenan and co-writer Jason Reitman (who directed 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife), the fourth film in the main series of Ghostbusters films (or fifth if you include the non-canonical reboot Ghostbusters: Answer the Call ), will pick up where the 2021 sequel left off, and "continue with the Spengler family story" established in that film.
Naturally, plot details are being kept under wraps, but we also know that, along with the new stars, the entire Afterlife ensemble is back - Carrie Coon, Logan Kim, McKenna Grace, Celeste O'Connor, Finn Wolfhard, and Paul Rudd will be reprising their roles as Callie Spengler, Podcast, Phoebe Spengler, Lucky, Trevor Spengler, and Gary Grooberson, respectively.
It has also been confirmed that actors Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson will be reprising their roles as Ghostbusters Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore, having last appeared in the 2021 film. However, there's currently no word on whether Bill Murray, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver will be returning as Peter Venkman, Janine Melnitz, and Dana Barrett.
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It's hard to imagine that for a long time, there was only ever one sequel to the original 1984 film. Ghostbusters II might not be everyone's favorite sequel, but for decades, it's really all fans had, along with, of course, Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009), which, until the release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, was considered to be a canonical sequel by fans, as well as Dan Aykroyd.
Now, an actor from Ghostbusters II has said that he wants to reprise his role in the upcoming sequel. Kurt Fuller, who plays Jack Hardmeyer in the 1989 film, a character who's the equivalent of Walter Peck (William Atherton) in the first film, is Ghostbusters II's human antagonist (he's not quite as scary or as dangerous as Vigo the Carpathian).
During an appearance on NBC's Night Court, the actor was asked if he would like to reprise his role as Jack Hardmeyer in Ghostbusters 4, and here's what he said:
"You know why I'm sitting by the phone? I will take that call. I'm in New York right now. So, uh, I'm here. Where are they? I don't know. I think that we only have two hours. I think so. We'll see who they get in."
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Well, he might not be Lois Tully (Rick Moranis), but we'll take it! On a serious note, though, Kurt Fuller's character could easily slip back into the franchise, perhaps even alongside William Atherton's Walter Peck. After all, with the franchise now back in the Big Apple (who knows why it's currently filming in London), those big red doors to the firehouse could see anyone walk through.
As per a recent Production Weekly listing (via Ghostbusters News), here's the synopsis for Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2:
"After the events in Oklahoma, the Ghostbusters team returns to where it all started; New York City! The Spengler family story continues with a new group of Ghostbusters led by Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) and Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd)."
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Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 (2023) sees the return of Ghostbusters stars McKenna Grace (Phoebe), Logan Kim (Podcast), Celeste O'Connor (Lucky), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Carrie Coon (Callie), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz), Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), and Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind in undisclosed roles.
The film will be released on December 20, 2023.
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As per the Ghostbusters/Sony Pictures website, here's the synopsis for Ghostbusters: Afterlife:
From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan.
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Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars McKenna Grace (Phoebe), Logan Kim (Podcast), Celeste O'Connor (Lucky), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Carrie Coon (Callie), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz), Sigourney Weaver (Dana Barrett), Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), Olivia Wilde (Gozer the Gozerian), JK Simmons (Ivo Shandor), Bill Murray (Dr. Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Dr. Ray Stantz), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore).
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