‘Ghostbusters 3′ to Be Resurrected as an Animated Film?

'Ghostbusters 3' has been killed (and resurrected) so many times that we could easily make a joke about it being a ghost itself at this point, but we won't subject you to such poor comedy. After a few months of silence, the project has reared its head again and is back to haunt (sorry) internet movie news sites all over the world. The latest rumor is that 'Ghostbusters 3' is not only back from the dead, but it will now be an animated movie.

Must...resist...reanimation joke...

The news comes from Bloody Disgusting, who cite an "exclusive source," saying that an animated sequel was the original plan a few years ago, but the project eventually evolved into the bestselling (but not that great) 'Ghostbusters' video game. The new project would be set up at Sony Pictures Animation ('Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs').

This sounds like a last resort: if they can't make 'Ghostbusters 3' work as an animated movie, it'll be time to finally hang up those proton packs for good.

UPDATE: Coming Soon spoke with the studio, who stated that this report is false and they are currently still at work on a live-action film.

'Ghostbusters' 3 has had a notoriously troubled (and incredibly public) development process, which director Ivan Reitman and star Dan Aykroyd practically falling over themselves to raise enthusiasm while the elusive (and essential) Bill Murray continuously toyed with his former colleagues, systematically dismanteling the project at every turn. For Bill Murray fans, it was thrilling, but for people who actually want to see a third 'Ghostbusters' film (and are there that many?), it was heartbreaking.

There's no denying the fact that the first 'Ghostbusters' is an all-timer and one of the best films of the 1980s, but a third film has stopped feeling like a bad idea and has started feeling like a terrible idea. You can practically smell the desperation on this project and the choice to go animated doesn't feel like a creative choice: it feels like they've run out of other options.

On the plus side, they don't have to worry about the cast's age and girth if they turn them into cartoons. If this happens, they could keep playing young Ghostbusters forever and ever and ever. Now that's scary.