According to multiple outlets, we may have seen the last of the new Ghostbusters team. The third film in the iconic comedy franchise appears to be facing a $70 million loss, which puts Sony’s planned sequels in jeopardy.
Ghostbusters has earned a little over $180 million at the global box office, and the film received positive reviews for its all-star cast and fresh take on the classic story. However, with a production budget of $144 million and hefty expenditures in the marketing department, it may have a hard time getting close to the $300 million it reportedly needs to break even.
This is not to say that the franchise is dead, however. The quartet of McCarthy, Wiig, McKinnon and Jones signed on for a trilogy, and it will likely be a long time before Sony Pictures officially axes the remaining two films. Plus, the film hasn’t even started its run in France, Japan or Mexico.
But even if this is the end for the new team, the studio still has plans for its Ghostbusters universe. The Hollywood Reporter notes that an animated film is still on the books for 2019, and the animated series Ghostbusters: Ecto Force is supposed to arrive in 2018.
It’s unlikely that these stories will make up for the loss of the Ghostbusters trilogy—and the new crew will definitely be missed. That being said, there may be one silver lining to this dark cloud: Ghostbuster, SNL star and everyone’s favorite Olympic commentator Leslie Jones could now have time to do my dream Beverly Hills Cop reboot.
If so, I’ll be waiting for your screenwriting offer, Paramount.
