Joe and Anthony Russo Won’t Direct That Other ‘Ghostbusters’ Movie
Last year, original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman revealed that in addition to Paul Feig’s upcoming film, Captain America: Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo were developing a separate spinoff with Chris Pratt and Channing Tatum rumored to star. Reitman eventually tried to walk back his comments, but leaked emails from that infamous Sony hack had already confirmed that the studio was developing this separate film. Whatever the case, the Russo brothers are no longer involved because they’re a little too busy with the MCU.
In an interview with Forbes (via Latino Review), Joe Russo confirmed that he and his brother Anthony were in talks to make a Ghostbusters film separate from Feig’s project, but their commitments to Marvel got in the way:
There was a period there when Paul Feig was engaging Sony in talks about GHOSTBUSTERS and we were also engaging them. He was further along with his process than we were and he closed his deal so that’s the only GHOSTBUSTERS world that’s being explored right now over at Sony. Once we took AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR it took us off the table for any kind of any potential work on a GHOSTBUSTERS project.
Reitman and Dan Aykroyd formed the Ghost Corps. banner to produce new Ghostbusters projects, including Feig’s upcoming film and an animated movie from commercial director Fletcher Moules. Early last year, Reitman said they were also developing another live-action film in the same universe, confirming the plans that had been leaked during the Sony hack — which also included an idea for the two Ghostbusters teams to cross over.
Back then, Reitman said the increasingly busy Russos would direct the other, Drew Pearce-scripted Ghostbusters movie between Marvel projects, but a few months later he changed his tune and claimed that Feig’s movie was the only Ghostbusters movie in development. Obviously, that’s not true.
But with Feig’s Ghostbusters arriving in just a few months, it looks like everyone wants to keep the focus on that film. When word first broke of Sony’s plans for a separate live-action film, some felt the studio was second-guessing — and undermining — Feig’s project. Add to that the continual garbage-stream of negative, sexist reactions to Feig’s movie and it’s understandable that Reitman, Sony and all involved want to reinforce their support of the new Ghostbusters.
Ghostbusters stars Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon, and hits theaters on July 15.