Bill Murray Shares His Dream Team of Actresses for 'Ghostbusters 3'
They ain’t afraid of no ghosts! (from left: Stone, McCarthy, Wiig, and Cardellini)
Update: Kristen Wiig has heard — and responded to — Murray's wishes.
Dr. Peter Venkman has a prescription to cure what ails the long-defunct Ghostbusters film franchise: Melissa McCarthy. Also, Emma Stone. And heck, why not add Linda Cardellini and Kristen Wiig as well? At least, that’s the dream Ghostbuster team that Venkman’s real-life counterpart, an actor named Bill Murray, suggested to the Toronto Star while making the press rounds to promote his latest movie, St. Vincent — which co-stars McCarthy — at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Melissa would be a spectacular Ghostbuster,” he says, “and Kristen Wiig is so funny — God, she’s funny!” He offers similar sentiments about Stone and Cardellini (Mad Men) — and opines: “There are some funny girls out there.” Related: Bill Murray Reveals the Secret to His Success on Bill Murray Day Don’t be surprised if Sony heeds at least some of Murray’s professional advice. News of the studio’s plan to kickstart a new actress-centric Ghostbusters installment, under the guidance of Bridesmaids director Paul Feig, leaked in early August, several months after original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman dropped out of a long-gestating, Dan Aykroyd-penned second sequel. (In the interim, it was reported that potential replacements Phil Lord and Chris Miller also declined to work some of their Jump Street magic on another big-in-the ‘80s franchise.) Best buddies (and best awards-show double act) Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have also been mentioned as possible candidates to move into the Ghostbusters’ Tribeca firehouse. Still, considering that both Feig and McCarthy share a strong commercial track record, with back-to-back hits Bridesmaids and The Heat, a third team-up — this time, with proton packs! — seems like a no-brainer. McCarthy seems both receptive and a little apprehensive to the idea. Asked about being part of Murray’s preferred ensemble, McCarthy said to the Toronto Star: “Oh, my God, that’s daunting. That’s taking on a legend, a legendary movie. But I would do anything with those ladies, anything at all.” Related: 16 Movies Stuck in Development Hell While the prospect of a McCarthy-Stone-Wiig-Cardellini crew busting ghosts sounds like an ideal franchise re-starter, let’s not forget that sometimes movies remain trapped in development hell for a reason. In the case of Ghostbusters, it’s taken 20 years to put together another installment, a delay that’s due to, among other things, script concerns, Murray’s general disinterest in the project, and, most recently, the untimely death of Harold “Egon” Ramis. Despite what Dr. Venkman says, the passage of time may prove to be a disease that even a powerful dose of Melissa McCarthy can’t cure.
