Untitled Animated Movie News Thread

Ghostbusters Discussion Ghostbusters Cartoons
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New comments from co-director Jennifer Kluska in an article about Sony Animation:

What We Know So Far:

On October 1, 2015, it was reported an animated film was in the works with a story following a similar premise as the original movies. Ivan Reitman and Tom ■■■■■■■ were producing it through their Montecito Picture Company, with Ali Bell and Kristine Belson overseeing for Sony Pictures Animation.

http://www.tracking-board.com/exclusive-ghostbusters-animated-feature-in-development-at-sony/

The Tracking Board “Ghostbusters Animated Feature In Development At Sony”

On March 8, 2016, it was reported Fletcher Moules will direct.

The Hollywood Reporter “Ghostbusters Animated Movie Snares ‘Clash of Clans’ Commercial Director”

On April 28, 2016, it was reported in the EMPIRE June 2016 issue, Ivan Reitman would co-direct. “There’s an animated feature, which Reitman will co-direct.”

Semlyen, Nick (2016). ‘‘Empire Magazine’’ Issue 324 June 2016, p. 59. Bauer Media Group, Harborough, Leicester, United Kingdom, ISBN 0195145045.

On July 14, 2016, Ivan Reitman confirmed the movie is in the middle of being written, “And we’re in the middle of doing that right now…They’re being written.”

Vulture “Ivan Reitman on Bill Murray, Internet Trolls, and Why He Fought for the Ghostbusters Reboot”

On July 15, 2016, it was reported the animated movie will be from the perspective of a ghost. “There’s an animated Ghostbusters movie that will be told from the perspective of a ghost, and an animated TV series set in 2050 called Ghostbusters: Ecto Force, in development at Sony Pictures Animation.”

Fortune "The Original ‘Ghostbusters’ Director Loves the Remake. Here’s Why

On March 21, 2017, Ivan Reitman projected the movie’s release around 2019 or 2020. It depends on how fast they can get it together. “He hopes the animated film will be in theaters in either 2019 or 2020 but can’t say for sure. “It depends on on how fast we can get it all together,” he said.”

io9/Gizmodo “The Future of Ghostbusters Is Uncertain, But Ivan Reitman Has a Plan”

On July 20, 2017, during the Ghostbusters 101 panel at San Diego Comic Con, Reitman confirmed the animated movie would explore the ghost world through a ghost’s perspective. “Ivan Reitman spills secrets about an upcoming Ghostbusters animated movie and one that explores the ghost world from the ghosts’ perspective.”

Reitman also mentioned the animated movie is “deep in design”, it is “dealing with Ghost World quite a lot”, and is the “Ghostbusters from a ghost’s point of view”. Ivan Reitman says: “I think I think we have wonderful plans for both an animated feature we’re deep in design for already and uh a really great story that’s going to surprise everybody and I think knock you out. And um we’re dealing with Ghost World quite a lot and that’s um looking at the film from the ghost’s point of view and um Ghostbusters from a ghost’s point of view and I think that will be something very interesting for you.”

Mundane Matt YouTube “Ivan Reitman talks about GHOSTBUSTERS future at #SDCC” 10:46-11:17

Reportedly, the ghost would join the team of Ghostbusters.

http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/ghostbusters/50844/ghostbusters-animated-movie-detailed-possible-2019-release

Den of Geek “Ghostbusters animated movie detailed, possible 2019 release”

On July 23, 2017, during the Empire Podcast, Ivan Reitman mentioned the Ecto Force animated series was put on hold to really focus on the animated movie which will ‘kick off the world’ and ‘at least go a long way to bring back the classical story’ of the movies. Reitman wanted the movie to come first. “Yeah, we put it on hold. We got a lot of inquiries and interest from different, uh, television networks to put it on and then at the last second, we decided to hold on the deal and really focus on the new Ghostbusters animated feature and sort of have that kick off the world and I think it’s because I knew the animated feature was going to bring–going to at least go a long way to bring back the classical story we originally started and, uh, I wanted that to come first.”

Empire Podcast #272 “Empire Podcast #272: Comic-Con Special With Ivan Reitman, Jeph Loeb, Scott Buck, Roel Rein” 15:23-15:59

On January 15, 2019, it was reported the animated movie will release after the new live action movie in 2020. A different crew is working the animated movie.

https://ew.com/movies/2019/01/15/new-ghostbusters-movie-jason-reitman/

Entertainment Weekly “Ghostbusters resurrected: Jason Reitman will direct a new film set in the original universe”

On June 8, 2022, Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan announced the movie was in development and it would be directed by Jennifer Kluska and Chris Prynoski and written by Brenda Hsueh. They also hinted at new characters and a new take then noted it was a passion project of the late Ivan Reitman.

The older thread about the movie:

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Happy to finally hear something from the animated movie. Considering everything that Sony Animation is doing with Spider-Verse, I might be more excited for this then Firehouse. If it’s half as good as that movie, it will probably be the best GB thing ever made.

While she says the movie will be a new take, I do wonder if they’ll take some queues from RGB or even the IDW comics. Not direct, but you could see the influence in the designs.

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“It will probably be the best GB thing ever made”

I loved Spider-verse. Finally something new and that feels like it’s advancing the art. The visuals were off the chart fantastic. Plus it was just a fun time.

But there is nooooo way on gods green earth that a GB movie ever surpasses the original. I’m fairly certain that would break the laws of physics.. Theoretical physicist’s have a name for it: “The Reitman-Aykroyd-Ramis Paradox”. It’s been awhile since I consulted the text but the basic gist of it is this: No GB sequel can ever surpass the awesomeness of Ghostbusters if you remove only a single variable name from the Reitman-Aykroyd-Ramis Paradox equation

There’s an equation for quantifying it(with the Variable in this case meaning A1= Awesomeness):

A1=R+A+RxG84 (÷) 5<A1 X π

I mean…it’s right there plan as day for anyone to see. It cannot be done.

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[quote=Rookie99 post_id=4975902 time=1672371504 user_id=66319]If it’s half as good as that movie, it will probably be the best GB thing ever made.
[/quote]

Let’s just aspire to “pretty good”. :wink:

Also, it’s “taking cues”, rather than “queues”. :slight_smile:

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Y’know, at one point, I was speculating this could be a version of GB1 and maybe even GB2 but from Slimer’s perspective. Scaring folk and eating away in the Sedgweick, attacked by some guys in flightsuits, trapped, what it’s like in the Containment Unit, suddenly freed and in a hot dog stand, maybe what he was up to between movies, meeting Louis, etc. and also sorta mixing in elements of RGB with him joining the team. Or is it going to be Mooglie? Or Muncher? A new ghost entirely? But then Ivan Reitman at one point revealed a big component of the movie is Ghost World so maybe we’ll learn a bit more of the mechanics of how a ghost crosses over to the physical plane.

Very curious by Kluska’s words there, wonder how radically different or similar the art style will look like compared to what’s come before. But I was very happy to see RGB acknowledged.

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Do we know if it’s 3D or 2d?

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3D

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I am very curious about this too. I was thinking the same as you. I was wondering when they said it was going to be a new cast, new take I was wondering if it was going to be set in the world of GB 1, 2 and Afterlife or if it was going to be set in an entirely different world like ATC, RGB, or EGB. :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

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Over the past 8 years, articles have confused the matter. I think when Fletcher Moules was attached, people assumed 3D because of his projects. As for the current version being developed, no, I’m pretty sure they never said which format yet.

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3D feels a safe-ish bet… Given almost (if not all) of Sony’s animated releases have been 3D CGI.

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Maybe it’d be in the style of their Spiderman films? Seeing the proton stream in that art style could be really cool.

Imagine the Extreme Ghostbusters intro in the Into The Spiderverse animation, the streaks of light from the ecto-1 would be another great thing to see.

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Its going to be interesting with whatever form of animation we get. I’d settle for the RGB style but most likely it’s going to be 3D.

As they didn’t throw politics into Afterlife I hope it ends up being fun and not geared exclusively for the mid 40 demographic.

I’d be super happy if it ends up being close to RGB though.

The ghostbusters doesn’t need to be Rick and Morty or Harley Quinn even though I like the series. I could see a Ghostbusters animated done in the lower decks, or Rick and Morty style easily.

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I can’t see this movie going the Rick & Morty route that’d be a pretty bad idea. Rick & Morty works great as a TV show because they can stretch it out as long as they want. Putting that formula into a movie that could (I really hope it does) or could not get a sequel would be a bit much.

Interested to hear about the new crew though

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It’s in 3D. It’s computer animated Into the Spiderverse style. Well not that exact aesthetic but like 3D models and what not.

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I just looked up the Spider-Verse, and I dearly hope the new Ghostbusters animation doesn’t look like that. I’m not suggesting it has to be some nostalgia-loaded carbon copy of RGB – I don’t mind a fresh animation style – but I for one am beyond sick of those infantile, Disneyfied/Pixarized character designs which have been in vogue for far too long (and which, when mixed with hyper-realistic CGI textures, occupy a creepy, uncanny valley space, IMO).

No, I don’t think the target demographic should be fully grown adults, but I also don’t think it should be toddlers, for Pete’s sake. Whatever style they go with, I only hope that they generally conform to realistic human proportions, as traditionally seen in things like Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and countless cartoons from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. More Scooby-Doo and less Family Guy, please.

The only reason I’m so particular is because I think a wildly exaggerated style would ruin the tone of Ghostbusters. What makes it work is that stark contrast between mundane, grounded reality and fantastic supernaturalism. If the animation itself is fantastic, then it really softens the edge of that contrast between humans and ghosts.

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I highly recommend actually watching Into the Spider-verse. The animation style and techniques used all help tell the story in ways that traditional 2D and 3D animation really couldn’t. It’s also a damn good movie and quite possibly the best Spider-man movie to date (Personally, it’s my favorite comic book movie).

Whatever style they go with, I hope the story is good. Doesn’t matter how good the animation is if the story is absolute trash.

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Whatever your particular preferences are let me just add: Into the Spiderverse is one of the best animated films in years and has some beautiful, glorious animation.

I do lament how “kiddized” animation has become. Animation can do sooo much more. Just look at Love Death & Robots on Netflix. Or Arcane. I imagine the Ghostbusters animated movie looking not too dissimilar to the Wii character designs of the video game. That’s what suspect we are in for.

It’s also a shame CGI animation has become the standard norm. You look at 2D animated show now and most of them have that awful Teen Titans Go Flash animation aesthetic. I look back on shows like Batman The Animated Series of Superman The Animated Series and the animation was just glorious at times. Even something like Real Ghostbusters, which wasn’t a very well animated or written show & it looks waaay better than some ■■■■ being made today.

Extreme Ghostbusters, which I loved, was really poorly animated and looks like it was done as cheaply as possible. Half the pilot episodes takes place at night at the show does this really obnoxious blue filter thing for night time.

I don’t know what to expect from this movie. Is it related to any ghostbusters continuity we’ve seen? Something new? I just hope it’s not something like we heard where it’s a story told from the POV of one of the ghosts. That might make an interesting episode but for our first feature length non episodic cartoon? Nah.

Then again…I don’t really care what it looks like or even whwr is about. Those are surface elements. Story & characters. That’s where the meat is. If they nail those? We’re golden.

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I agree, story is king.

I don’t doubt that Spider-Verse is a great movie, and I’m not fundamentally against that style of animation, but I don’t think it’s the right fit for Ghostbusters. I don’t believe you can marry any old story with any old style; there has to be a certain chemistry between form and content for the magic to work. That’s why, for example, although South Park is one of my favourite cartoons, and the construction paper aesthetic works great for that kind of storytelling, I don’t think the South Park style of animation would work at all for Ghostbusters. Ditto for Family Guy or The Simpsons.

Obviously the ghosts in Ghostbusters are always going to be fantastic in appearance, but I think the human and mundane elements should occupy some place on the realistic end of the spectrum between realism and abstraction. Again, so you get that stark contrast between the mundane and the fantastic which makes the films work so well.

If the new Ghostbusters animation is going to utilize cutting edge CGI, then I’m totally cool with that, but I think they should aim for something like Ghostbusters: The Video Game or Spirits Unleashed. Heck, if they really want to save money, they could probably just use the same exact computer models and software, and adjust it as needed. Anything but the Pixar aesthetic, please.

Yeah, it’s a shame that traditional 2D animation is now so uncommon. Batman: The Animated Series was cutting edge at the time, and 30 years later it still feels fresh.

I was never very fond of the Extreme Ghostbusters animation style, but I think the show still worked because there was a grungy darkness to the overall look which grounded it.

My ideal Ghostbusters cartoon would look something like Fire & Ice or Heavy Metal (produced by Ivan Reitman) and utilize rotoscoping. Imagine how cool the terror dogs or Samhain would look in that style. There was an attempt to resurrect it with last year’s The Spine of Night, but thus far I haven’t seen any other imitators, unfortunately.

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The character designs of Into The Spiderverse aren’t that exaggerated, with the exception of Green Goblin and Kingpin… The rest of the characters are much more realistically-proportioned than you might get in the current Disney and Pixar standard.

Unfortunately I can’t… I remember rotoscoped animation from the Ralph Bakshi version of The Hobbit, 1980s/1990s Disney and the Don Bluth productions and it left me kinda unsatisfied… It always kinda stood out against the non-rotoscoped stuff even in the high-production 2D animations.

Ultimately I think RGB did a fine-enough job of animating the Terror Dogs.

And as for rotoscoped animation? It’s fine if you’re looking to emulate those experimental animations of the '80s, like Starchaser: The Legend of Orin, but I’d much rather not use it on this new Ghostbusters animated project… I get what you mean about it creating a mundane look, but I’m just not a fan of the style… And I’m not sure it’d be appealing to a contemporary audience.

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Legend of Orin’s an obvious Starwars clone. But its a classic. One of my favorites.