'Ghostbusters 3' Hires New Writer, Will Feature 'New Generation' Cast

Columbia/Courtesy of Everett Collection

Bill Murray may be out, but Dan Aykroyd hasn't stopped chasing the ghost.

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'Ghostbusters 3': Bill Murray Out, Dan Aykroyd Says Film's Future Uncertain

The 60-year-old comedic actor has long pursued making a third Ghostbusters film, but was in part stymied by series co-star Murray's refusal to join in. In late February, Aykroyd admitted he couldn't get Murray to budge; fast forward to this week, and he's told the UK's Metro newspaper that there is a whole new concept at hand for the film.

"We've got a brilliant new writer on it and we'll be passing the torch on to a new generation," Aykroyd said. "We're working on it to make it just right to satisfy our fans. I'm confident we'll be in production in the next year."

As for Murray, he added, "It's sad but we're passing it on to a new generation. Ghostbusters 3 can be a successful movie without Bill. My preference would be to have him involved but at this point he doesn't seem to be coming and we have to move on. It's time to make the third one."

In February, Aykroyd said that there were no hard feelings between Murray and himself, despite the star's long-running refusal to do the film, and also shot down rumors that Murray had shred the script.

"Bill Murray is not capable of such behavior," he said. "This is simply something that would not be in his nature." 

"Bill has too much positive estimation of my writing skills to shred the work."

Instead of Ghostbusters, Murray has been busy making films with Wes Anderson -- he appeared in the director's Moonrise Kingdom this summer -- and will star in the upcoming Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III with Charlie Sheen and Jason Schwartzman, and then play President Franklin Roosevelt in Hyde Park on Hudson.