If you’ve been eagerly anticipating Ghostbusters 3, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

Columbia Pictures tried to oust director Ivan Reitman so they could find someone younger. But Reitman, along with fellow franchise founders Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis hold veto power for most of the creative decisions that are to be made for any upcoming project.

Everyone in the original crew would like to start on the project, but Bill Murray is still hesitant. Murray has consistently dragged his feet on the project ever since it was first announced in the planning stages.

Murray told David Letterman earlier this year that the thought of a third movie was a “nightmare,” and that he only agreed to appear in it if they promised to kill him off during the first reel, to come back as a ghost, a statement he has assured fans was just a joke.

At the Tribeca Film Festival, Murray made it clear that he believes the hype has come from the movie studio trying to milk more money out of the cash-cow franchise, and that he won’t agree to the project until a great script comes along. He doesn’t believe in just re-hashing.

So all that talk about the studio having hired writers and picking a release date of summer 2011? Just talk. Unless a quality script miraculously appears. The first script, written by The Office writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (who wrote the not-so-good film Year One) seems to be the reason for Murray’s arguments. However, they are due to turn in a new draft in May, so maybe there is hope yet.

As though we all don’t already think this — the Internet is AWESOME. The Internet, whether Al Gore’s brainchild or a Big Bang-style happy accident, allows artists to share their work with the largest audience ever. As a member of that audience I say “thank you!” (I’m not sure where Al Gore stands on Intellegent Design but I’m pretty sure he’s never been opposite the Big Bang theory.) I say all of this because daily there are wonderful works of art, inspired by film, put on display (the Internet) and every instance I find/know of/or you share with me/us, I will share with you! Today the work of Brandon Schaefer, found at his website (under construction right now) which includes Fred Savage’s The Wizard, The Rocketeer and Jack Nicholson’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

as well as Bill Murray’s Groundhog Day, Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and (yet another!) Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining! One of these days we’ll have a gallery of just The Shining inspired works of art!

and check out these brilliant Bluray covers for Steven Spielberg’s JAWS and the children’s classic The Secret Garden.

It seems the word on Bill Murray’s involvement in the third Ghostbusters film has finally been confirmed by the man himself. The how and why of that involvement are slightly different than expected. While Murray will indeed be returning as the sarcastic and sly Peter Venkman from the original films, he’s trading in his proton pack for a slimy coating of ectoplasm.

Looks like Bill has requested he be made a ghost for the next outing.

Various cast and crew members have recently spoken about their return to the franchise but Murray has been the lone hold-out. Weaver, Hudson, Ramis, and Akroyd are all onboard in front of the camera with Ivan Reitman returning to direct. However, in a recent interview with  Mail Online  Murray confessed he was returning, although it was under condition of the following:

 “I’ll come back in Ghostbusters III only if I get to be a ghost. I said to them, ‘I’ll do it if you kill me off in the first reel.’ So now they are going to have me as a ghost in the film.”

Umm, ok, Bill. I’m not sure how that’s going to work exactly but I’ll remain optimistic for the time being.  If Venkman still gets to hang about for the entirety of the film, learning how the other half after-lives than I think this could be a creative way to go. If it’s essentially Murray trying to squeeze out a small cameo and then bolt, I’m less enthusiastic about it. Why do detriment to a great character to meet the needs of a fussy star?

Still, anyone who saw last year’s Zombieland (another horror-comedy that delivered the belly laughs) knows that Bill can nail a cameo like few other actors around. If his work in Ghostbusters 3 is even half as inspired as that bit, than I look forward to whatever Reitman has in store for us.

Until we see the final product, I’ve got my particle streams crossed that this one works out.

In a perfect world, we’d have a Ghostbusters 3 with Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson, with Ivan Reitman returning to direct. Also in a perfect world, Ghostbusters 3 would be a worthy sequel to the original, a great swan song of classic comedy performers returning to the roles they’re so often synonymous with.

The good news is that this perfect world is one step closer — Ivan Reitman is returning in some capacity, either as a director or a producer. What’s also great is that Rick Moranis (who has disappeared into oblivion) and the lovely Sigourney Weaver are returning as well.

The film will take place “when the paranormal researchers ‘reopen’ their ghost removal service after it has been closed for quite a few years.”

I’m sort of in shock, to be honest — this mammoth project is actually moving forward at a sure but steady pace. I think it’s the right time for it, as well. Enough time has died down since Ghostbusters II for a worthy sequel to become more of a possibility. I’ll certainly be there opening day.

What do you think of Ghostbusters 3? Is it a good idea, or simply a way to muck up a classic? Let us know in the comments, and keep an eye on AtomicPopcorn.net for more updates on the project.

JoBlo breaks out the first exclusive picture from Wes Anderson’s upcoming feature, Fantastic Mr. Fox. Based off of the Ronald Dahl novel of the same name, this stop motion animated movie is actually one of my more anticipated movies of the fall. Featuring the lovely voice talents of George Clooney as Mr. Fox, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Brian Cox and many others, this Twentieth Century Fox pic is something on many’s radar, from Anderson fans to animated. Enough chit chat, here are the pictures below!

The boys over at Latino Review have scored an exclusive clip from the good folks at Fox Walden, and we want to share it with you!

City of Ember is based on the adaptation of Jeanne Duprau’s now famous book. Here is a bit about the book/film adaptation.

For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember’s once powerful generator is failing… and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city’s existence, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever.

City of Ember stars Tim Robbins, Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Bill Murray, and Martin Landau. What more can you ask for in a magical universe than some of these stellar stars.

The film comes ot theaters on October the 10th