Jason Reitman to direct Ghostbusters sequel
The Canadian filmmaker's father directed and produced the original Ghostbusters
Ivan Reitman is passing the Ghostbusters torch to his son.
Four-time Oscar nominee Jason Reitman is set to direct a new instalment in the Ghostbusters series for Sony Pictures set to come out in the summer of 2020. Reitman, a Canadian, tweeted Tuesday night that he's "finally got the keys to the car."
Ivan Reitman directed and produced the original Ghostbusters, which came out in 1984, and its sequel in 1989.
The studio says that this new Ghostbusters will be going back to its roots and will be the next chapter in the original story. Sony attempted to reboot Ghostbusters in 2016 with gender-flipped leads, but the costly film disappointed at the box office.
The Reitman family is making headlines for some major film and TV projects — further solidifying their status as a homegrown entertainment dynasty.
Comedy star Catherine Reitman, who is Ivan Reitman's daughter, announced last week that her Toronto-shot CBC TV series Workin' Moms is being picked up by Netflix in the United States.
Where his father is known for slapstick comedy, Jason Reitman has directed more contemplative fare.
Finally got the keys to the car. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GB20?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GB20</a> <a href="https://t.co/T1Np2lRQl1">https://t.co/T1Np2lRQl1</a>
—@JasonReitmanBorn in Montreal and raised in Los Angeles, he studied creative writing at the University of Southern California and got his start on short films and commercials.
His hit 2005 feature debut, the satirical comedy Thank You For Smoking, was nominated for two Golden Globes, including best picture.
On a roll
Reitman was on a roll after that, directing the teenage pregnancy movie Juno, which won an Oscar for Diablo Cody for best original screenplay and a Grammy for best soundtrack. It also got three other Oscar nominations, including best director for Reitman and best actress for Halifax native Ellen Page.
Then came the 2009 corporate downsizing dramedy Up in the Air, which Reitman directed, co-wrote and co-produced. It got six Oscar nominations, including best picture and best director.
Since then Reitman has racked up the directing credits — from Young Adult and Labor Day to Tully and The Front Runner.
Production on the Ghostbusters sequel begins this summer, but no word yet on the cast.
With files from The Associated Press