'Ghostbusters' Sequel Scores 'Captain Marvel' Star McKenna Grace for Lead Role

The original Ghostbusters debuted in 1984 and immediately became a huge success, thanks not only to the chemistry between its stars but also to its ambitious blend of horror and science fiction. A sequel in 1989 and a reboot in 2016 failed to capture the attention of audiences as effectively as the original film, though filmmaker Jason Reitman is attempting to fix that with a new film in the franchise that is set in the universe of the original movies. The latest casting report claims that McKenna Grace, who plays a young Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, has been cast as the lead in the new film.

Details about the film's narrative are minimal, with The Hollywood Reporter describing that it "centers on four teens, one set older, one set younger, with a focus on one family in particular." Grace will reportedly play the main teen while Finn Wolfhard will play her brother, while Carrie Coon will play the pair's mother.

Reitman is directing the film, which he co-wrote with Gil Keenan. Despite the plot of the film being unknown, there is a passing of the torch behind the scenes, as Reitman's father Ivan directed the first two films.

“I’ve always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan, when I was a six-year-old visiting the set. I wanted to make a movie for all the other fans,” Reitman shared in a statement when the project was announced. “This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the ‘80s happened in the ‘80s, and this is set in the present day.”

He added, “This is very early, and I want the film to unwrap like a present. We have a lot of wonderful surprises and new characters for the audience to meet."

With the film being set in the original universe, fans have been wondering if original stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, or Ernie Hudson (Harold Ramis passed away in 2014) would return in some capacity. Both Aykroyd and Hudson have admitted they would be open to the idea, yet there has been no official confirmation that they would be involved.

The new Ghostbusters is set to land in theaters on July 10, 2020.

Are you looking forward to the new film? Let us know in the comments below!

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