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.

Director, writer, actor and Ghost Buster Harold Ramis has spilled out the latest on the much anticipated Ghostbusters 3 to the people of the new site MakingOf. Going on about the challenges of putting together a third movie to a very popular franchise of the eighties and how the project could possibly come together, the rest is explained by Dr. Egon Spengler himself down below.

Check it out below:

Year One wants it’s audience to believe it’s Agent Sands at the end of Once Upon A Time In Mexico. The film blindly fires it’s comedy at us, hoping things will hit us and evoke mountains of laughter. Why shouldn’t it? It’s directed by Harold “Egon” Ramis who’s done some decent comedy directing and is responsible for Ghostbusters and Caddyshack. The movie’s headlined by timid nerd Michael Cera, whom everyone adores, and Jack Black, who can be great when he wants to be. The talent is certainly there to make a fun, if useless, summer comedy. Yet like the aforementioned Sands, Year One misses just about every shot of comedy it unleashes.

Year One is terribly constructed together to the point where Ramis should feel ashamed he took part in it. Scenes start, climax, and then cut to the next scene without finishing the previous joke or giving us a clue as to what occurred. Picture sleeping with the chubby and ugly cheerleader and she leaves right before you both finish. Other, better films are guilty of this as well but they at least have the decency to mention what happened the next scene later. It leads into a point about the editing in this film, which is absolutely atrocious. Pieces are just slopped together, often times without any consistency. For instance, why does Jack Black’s hair change from black to blonde over the course of a scene? Editors Craig Herring and Steve Welch should do community service for what a sloppy job they do on this picture.

Nice, but mine are bigger.

Sloppy though, seems to be the keyword for this picture. The script by Ramis, Gene Stupnitsky, and Lee Eisenberg is full of half-assed ideas that come from a History of the World Part I/Life of Brian double feature. Unlike those films, theirs lacks the consistency both comedy and filmmaking wise to be anything remotely decent. Perhaps they chose to set the film in a prehistoric age because that’s how all of their jokes feel. All of the “laughs” rely on dick and fart jokes which is going to appeal to anyone ten and under. Certainly the film gave me this vibe it was trying to appeal to a young audience but even then, the jokes are almost twenty years too late. Ramis’ direction, unfortunately, doesn’t do anything to elevate the material either. Presumably, he shot what was on page and did simple pointing and shooting. To paraphrase, the man did a lazy job with a sloppy script.

Jack Black and Michael Cera do make for a solid team though and play off of the other well. Likely it’s due to the fact both men are essentially playing themselves in caveman’s clothing. The flick does absolutely nothing to make you accept these two are playing different people other than dress them differently. Black though, seems to be doing a parody of his Po from Kung Fu Panda as he proclaims “I’m the chosen one!” His typical shtick is at play here though, so those turned off by him will find nothing to accept here. Cera tries with his timid nerd act that does work in spots. Seemingly, he’s the only one doing something in favor of the film rather than taking a meh attitude toward it. His low-key take is refreshing when you consider what everyone else in the film is doing.

The biggest of these offenders is not Hank Azaria but Oliver Platt as the High Priest. Normally Platt is enjoyable but here he’s repulsive, and not because his character calls for it. Platt’s character is implied to be gay, since apparently all priests in comedies have to be. Trouble is, it’s annoying, unfunny, and should make said homosexual priests feel ashamed. Azaria’s a different matter, as he interpreted his role of Abraham as Cap’n Abraham of the S.S. Choppin’ Skin. Every line is muttered like a drunken pirate leading one to think Azaria was a Captain Sparrow reject. Unlike his other recent history adventure, Azaria doesn’t bring the film down and does have the best line in the whole film. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is his son Isaac and while it’s impossibly hard to hate the kid, he’s essentially McLovin in different clothes. Vinnie Jones is Vinnie Jones, and Olivia Wilde makes for some really nice eye candy. David Cross portrays Cain and seems to pop in and out when the script needs him, while Paul Rudd feels all but wasted as Abel.

Year One is lazy, unprofessional filmmaking. Ramis is better than this, Apatow is better than this, even Jack Black is better than this. I keep reassuring myself the only reason Ramis did this was so we could get Ghostbusters 3. At the same time, he shouldn’t have succumbed to such a stupid, idiotic and retarded monstrosity of film. Much like it’s premise, Year One should be buried, ancient history when it’s all said and done.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ 

Need to get yourself a fix of the painfully awkwardly sweet and charming Michael Cera, or the loud and loveable Jack Black? Well your in luck, because these two guys are running out in about during the dawn of time in director and writer Harold Ramis’ latest adventure-comedy romp, Year One.

When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world. Hand in hand with Columbia Pictures and Apatow Productions, the early man flick comes out on June 19th, tucking itself away for us all for some summer movie goodness. Check it out:

Keep yourself right here on Atomic Popcorn for more little goodies on this upcoming release and more, you know you want to.

Year One Trailer

Harold Ramis has a hit on his hands with his latest film Year One. Year One stars the ever lovable Michael Cera, and the ever crazy Jack Black. The two team up with Ramis to create the first years of life on earth. From what I have seen so far its pretty darn funny. Cain and Able star, the Romans etc. It looks pretty solid.

When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers named Zed and Oh (played by Jack Black and Michael Cera) are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world.

Enjoy the trailer below and let me know what you think.

Columbia Pictures is debuting Year One in theaters everywhere on June 19th.