Jason Reitman to Direct new Ghostbusters Following Original Film’s Storyline

“Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!” The rumors are true: a new Ghostbusters film is coming to a theater near you. What’s even better: this chapter will be set in the same world fans of the 1984 original fell in love with.

Entertainment Weekly broke the story and spoke with the film’s slated director and co-writer, Jason Reitman (his father, Ivan Reitman, directed the original Ghostbusters.) Reitman spoke to EW about visiting the set as a kid, and the impact his father’s work had on the then-6-year-old: “I’ve always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan,” he said, adding that he “wanted to make a movie for all the other fans.” He also confirmed that this film will not be a reboot of the classic, but “the next chapter in the original franchise.”

This won’t be the first film directed by Ghostbusters’ alleged first fan, however: the younger Reitman has a meaty resume of past flicks, including last year’s Tully starring Charlize Theron, and The Front Runner with Hugh Jackman. He also sports Oscar nominations for Up in the Air and Juno.

Now, you must be thinking to yourself: “Wasn’t there another Ghostbusters that recently came out?” If so, you must be referring to the fresh and all-female flick from 2016, directed by Paul Feig and starring Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy. Will that one relate to this project? The answer is no, confirmed Reitman. “I have so much respect for what Paul created with those brilliant actresses, and would love to see more stories from them,” he said. “However, this new movie will follow the trajectory of the original film.”

Will the lovable cast from 1984’s version make an appearance? Too soon to tell, but Reitman can confirm there will be “wonderful surprises and new characters.” Screenplay and casting is also still a mystery. Sony Pictures will start shooting later this year, and plans to release Ghostbusters 2.0 in summer 2020.

Featured image: Hugh Jackman and director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures’ THE FRONT RUNNER. Courtesy Sony Pictures.