The world is buzzing with anticipation for one major movie coming out this summer. That's right, the Ghostbusters reboot starring funny ladies Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy is right around the corner, and, if it kills at the box office like film execs hope it will, then this won't be the last time we see the new Ghostbusting team on the big screen. Assuming Ghostbusters becomes a huge summer hit, then it's only a matter of time before we see a Ghostbusters 2. But what happens after? How many Ghostbusters movies will there be in total?
It was obvious from the get-go that the Ghostbusters reboot was meant to kickstart a whole new franchise. At the Ghostbusters premiere on Saturday, July 9, former Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman and Ghostbusters producer, Amy Pascal clarified that this wasn't just the start of a new franchise — it was the start of an everlasting wave of Ghostbusting. "It's going to be endless. People are going to love this movie so much that they're going to demand more and more," Pascal told The Hollywood Reporter . That's right — as far as Pascal is concerned, there will be a limitless supply of Ghostbusters movies coming our way.
So, what will this "endless" franchise look like? Well, before we get into the possibility of spin-offs and shared universe movies (à la Marvel and DC), it's safe to assume that Sony will begin with a sequel or two, with as many of the returning cast as possible. Getting Jones, McKinnon, Wiig, and McCarthy to return for a potential Ghostbusters 2 shouldn't be too hard. (And not just because their contracts probably included sequels.) "I would do 102 more of these," McCarthy said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter . The star added that she would do anything for her co-stars and director, Paul Feig. "I will literally show up for Paul Feig and these women no matter what," she said.
Leslie Jones also said that she would return to the franchise as long as they kept asking her back. "Well, sh*t, as many as they do, I'm there," Jones also told THR. Feig was equally enthusiastic when approached about a potential sequel, though contractually he is not locked in for more Ghostbusters films. "It's such a fun world, the sky is the limit," he told The Hollywood Reporter .
Whether or not the studio will also turn the Ghostbusters reboot into a franchise with spinoffs and sister stories remains to be seen. After the all-female cast was announced for the Ghostbusters reboot, reports of an "all-male" Ghostbusters reboot began circling, specifically citing Channing Tatum and Chris Pratt as expected leads. The reports were widely believed to be a reaction to the sexist response to the female Ghostbusting team, and the idea was met with mixed responses, so much so that it seemed to fizzle out in June of 2015. However, screenwriter Drew Pearce told MTV that the film was going forward with the Russo brothers — the directing duo behind Captain America: Civil War. "My personal inclination is to try and make everything occur in the same Ghostbusters universe, because I feel, as a fan, that's what I would want," Pearce said.
If, in fact, a male-driven Ghostbusters reboot or spinoff actually comes to fruition, then we might need to get ready for at least a few more films coming our way, if not more.
Images: Columbia Pictures; Giphy (2)
