Bill Murray’s return as Peter Venkman in Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife has officially been confirmed.
When news of Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife first broke, most long-time fans of the franchise were eager to know if the project would involve Bill Murray and/or any other cast members from the original comedy classic. While original Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd previously stated that much of the cast from the first film would appear in Afterlife, Bill Murray confirmed his return himself during an interview on the set of the Jason Reitman project with Vanity Fair.
Details on what role Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman will play in Ghostbusters: Afterlife are being closely guarded, but the outlet noted that the actor and other Ghostbusters veterans were on the set of the film at various times fall shoot. Previews for Ghostbusters: Afterlife have hinted at a connection between the new characters and original hero Egon Spengler, who was played in the first two films by the late Harold Ramis, and Bill Murray emphasized the fact that the story for Jason Reitman’s sequel will deal with the absence of the founding team member:
“Well, we are a man down. That’s the deal. And that’s the story that we’re telling, that’s the story they’ve written.”
Vanity Fair also noted that Bill Murray and the Ghostbusters veterans shot their portions of Afterlife over the span of a week and will have meaningful but not central roles in the film. While Bill Murray’s involvement was uncertain considering his reported resistance to reprising the Venkman role in the past, the Ghostbusters alum ultimately agreed to read Jason Reitman’s script for the new film last spring and gave the screenplay his vote of confidence:
“”The script is good. It’s got lots of emotion in it. It’s got lots of family in it, with through lines that are really interesting. It’s gonna work.”
Are you excited to see Bill Murray and the rest of the original Ghostbusters team return for Jason Reitman’s new film? Let us know below!
Here is the official synopsis for Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife:
When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.
Directed by Jason Reitman from a script he co-wrote with Gil Kena, Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim, Bokeem Woodbine, Oliver Cooper, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 10, 2020.
Source: Vanity Fair
