Ghostbusters is one of the biggest movie franchises in history and now it looks like we could see a live-action Netflix series according to Dan Aykroyd. Aykroyd originally thought up the concept for Ghostbusters as a vehicle for himself and fellow Saturday Night Live cast member John Belushi, but ultimately sold director Ivan Reitman on the project and the rest is history. The idea of getting more Ghostbusters projects off of the ground seems to have ramped up after the all-female reboot came up short at the box office and now it looks like Netflix’s Stranger Things may have had something to do with the idea behind a live-action Ghostbusters series.
So far, there is currently a Ghostbusters animated movie in the works under the direction of Ivan Reitman that is rumored to take place through the point-of-view of the ghosts. Not much else is known about the project other than it could possibly come out in 2019. While that news seems to be pretty underwhelming, Dan Aykroyd has provided some new hope for a live-action Ghostbusters project that has drawn some inspiration from Stranger Things.
Dan Aykroyd recently spoke at an event promoting the new Ghostbusters and Stranger Things partnership with Reebok. The actor was asked if he could see a live-action series for the iconic Ghostbusters and he had this to say.
“Yes. Absolutely. Sure. Sure. I can see several possibilities there. You know? Take a cue from these guys in Stranger Things and maybe have the Ghostbusters in high school or something.”
The possibilities are endless for a live-action project and one can only hope that the idea gains some traction and comes into fruition. Netflix would probably be the best place for a live-action series and if it goes younger, Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd won’t have to rely on Bill Murray agreeing to come back or dealing with the death of Harold Ramis.
The news comes after Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd gave Stranger Things their seal of approval and permission to use Ghostbusters in Season 2 of the wildly successful Netflix show. Series creators, the Duffer Brothers, recently talked about having to get permission from Reitman and Aykroyd to use the costumes. They explain.
“We got to talk to Ivan Reitman on the phone because he and Dan Aykroyd had to approve it…(Reitman) said it was flattering, he read the scripts. He had seen the first season or at least had heard of it or pretended like he had. But they were really into being part of the show. Then they sent us all these Ghostbusters toys at the end of the shoot. That’s one of my top 5 most worn-out VHS tapes.”
Not only do they end up donning the Ghostbuster outfits, but the Stranger Thing kids also seem to trap something in one of the Ghostbuster ghost trap toys as well. Clearly, they got some excellent treatment from Reitman and Aykroyd.
While Dan Aykroyd’s comments about the live-action series for Ghostbusters do seem to be more than a little off the cuff, the idea of a real version of the Ghostbusters coming back is an exciting one and fans are definitely all for it. But, there could be some logistical problems if the show does indeed plan on going back to the high school years of the Ghostbusters, namely it would take some creative writing and then it would more than likely have to take place in the 1960s. Regardless, the idea of live-action Ghostbusters series on Netflix is an exciting idea. You can check out more of Dan Aykroyd’s thoughts via Cinema Blend.