‘Ghostbusters’ Star Ernie Hudson Clarifies Comments About Upcoming Sequel

Ghostbusters star Ernie Hudson said he has not been approached to be in the upcoming new movie, clarifying comments he made last week about returning to the franchise.

“I don’t know. Nobody has approached me with a contract,” Hudson told The Johnny Dare Morning Show on Tuesday. “I think the Ghostbusters fans have been wanting [a ‘passing of the torch’] dynamic to happen, so I know whatever happens is going to be in that tradition… I’m excited about that. I’d be more excited if they called me and offered me a job, but no matter what happens the fact that they’re doing it is really cool.”

On Jan. 15, Sony Pictures surprisingly announced plans for a new Ghostbusters movie with Jason Reitman, the son of director Ivan Reitman and the filmmaker behind Up In The Air, writing and directing the upcoming feature. Sony said the film will follow the events of 1989’s Ghostbusters II, ignoring the story from Paul Feig’s 2016 Ghostbusters movie. The studio even released a teaser showing the ECTO-1 car, and setting 2020 as the release date.

However, no other information about the movie has been announced, leading fans to speculate how the original cast will be involved. During an interview with The Daily Mail published on Jan. 17, Hudson appeared to hint that he will be joining Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd in the film.

“[Director] Ivan Reitman is there and everybody is in,” Hudson said. “Now whether the studio will do it, I’m the guy who sits by the phone and waits for the call. So if they call, I’ll answer. If not, I’ve got other stuff that I’m doing.”

Hudson also said the new film will have the “spirit” of original star and co-writer Harold Ramis, who died in 2014.

“We miss Harold, because Harold was really the glue that I think held everybody together,’ Hudson told The Daily Mail. “He was always my go-to point and anything that was a little bit weird, or whatever, Harold was the guy who would sort of say, ‘Ernie, just…’ and explain the world to me. And I miss him, but his spirit is there.”

After the film was announced, The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit reported that the main characters will be teens, two boys and two girls. That means the original cast members could appear in supporting roles.

The first Ghostbusters was released in 1984 and was directed by Ivan Reitman with a script by Aykroyd and Ramis. Ghostbusters II followed in 1989, with Reitman returning to direct and a script by Ramis and Aykroyd.

In 2016, Sony re-launched the franchise with Feig’s Ghostbusters, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. The film was controversial among fans of the original franchise and became a box office bomb, even though Murray, Hudson, Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver had cameos.

Jones bashed the new project, calling it “so insulting” and a “d– move.” She later clarified her comments, tweeting to a fan, “It’s very sad that this is response I get. When the point is if they make this new one with all men and it does well which it will. It might feel that ‘boys are better’ it makes my heart drop. Maybe I could have use different words but I’m allowed to have my feelings just like them.”

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