Sony Plans ‘Ghostbusters’ Cinematic Universe

Sony Pictures is expanding its Ghostbusters movies not just to the franchise level, but to the cinematic universe level.

The studio has put together Ghost Corps, a collective headed by original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman and star Dan Aykroyd, that will oversee the expansion of the movie franchise not just into a cinematic universe, but also move Ghostbusters into television and merchandising.

The first order of business will be to develop a new male-oriented Ghostbusters that will be released after the much ballyhooed female-centric movie being put together by Paul Feig. The movie, which is to star Kirsten Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, shoots this summer and will be released July 22, 2016.

Joe and Anthony Russo, the duo behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier and who signed a first-look deal with Sony last week, are being tapped to produce and direct the new movie.

Drew Pearce, who penned Iron Man 3, will write the script, while Channing Tatum, another Sony favorite after the 22 Jump Street movies, also will produce with his partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan. If all goes as planned, Tatum would also star in the movie.

Read more The Original ‘Ghostbusters’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

Reitman also will produce the new movie.

Sony is one of the studios less franchise rich than others, such as Disney or Warner Bros. or even Paramount, which is cranking out Transformers and G.I. Joe movies.

How seriously is Sony taking this? Enough that Reitman is moving the entire staff of his production banner The Montecito Picture Co. onto the studio lot to focus on this endeavor. Montecito and Ghost Corps will be separate entities, however.