Zoe Saldana Talks ‘Star Trek’ Sequel and ‘Avatar’

Zoe Saldana

by Elisabeth Rappe – Cinematical.com

The lovely Zoe Saldana is quickly becoming a name to contend with after managing to land plum parts in not one, but two of the biggest sci-fi films of the decade: Star Trek and Avatar. One is a bonafide hit, the other remains shrouded in a lot of mystery, but it’s a mark of Saldana’s star power that she’s making a name outside of their huge hype. Plus, she’s becoming an action heroine in her own right, and just might be our generation’s Sigourney Weaver or Linda Hamilton.

We had the chance to catch up with Saldana this week, and she was game to talk about both projects. Of course with the Star Trek sequel still in a misty writing stage, she didn’t have any big secrets to spill, but she shared the opinion of a lot of female Trek fans in hoping Uhura gets to do a little butt-kicking later on. “In Star Trek, I had so much fun, but the boys got all the action! J.J. [Abrams] promised me that I’m going to — [that] in the sequel, she will have at least one little fight. I mean, just [let me] kick a guy in the groin or something!” Laughing, she revealed that there was an enormous ongoing e-mail list among the cast, Abrams, and the Trek producers where they regularly chat and joke back and forth. From the sound of it, that’s also where the groin-kicking requests are made.

 Saldana was full of enthusiasm and emotion for her Avatar experience and was as full of praise for James Cameron as her costar Sam Worthington. “Avatar definitely had a purpose and will always have a very special place in my heart because it was the one film that I got to shoot for two years. Usually, we only shoot for three months and you have this amazing time with the cast, and the director, and the crew. And then the film lives forever for you guys, but our experiences of shooting that will only live for three months, and sometimes we feel cheated. Working with an amazing director like James Cameron, and working with Sam Worthington who I just — he’s one of the most selfless actors I’ve ever met. We’re literally like brother and sister now. But not incestual! [laughs] Don’t [confuse] that with Avatar, because they are in love! Sh*t! But it was amazing.”

Buy the NEW Star Trek 3 Disc DVD!

Saldana didn’t comment on the Internet hype or criticism of the Avatar trailer, or say anything about the finished product, but she makes sure Cameron hears the good stuff fans are throwing his way. “I’ve only seen the first one, I’ve seen the first 16 or 25 minutes that we also showed in Amsterdam over the summer. But I’ve seen the movie! And I always e-mail Jim, like everytime I hear someone say ‘Oh, I can’t wait for Mr. Cameron’s movie!’ I go “Oh, People love ya!’”

James Cameron’s 16-Minute ‘Avatar’ Trailer Premieres in Theaters on August 21

by Brian Haughey   – AssociatedContent.com

The 16-minute trailer for James Cameron’s much-anticipated movie Avatar will debut in participating IMAX theaters on Friday, August 21st. Cameron’s first movie since 1997′s Titanic, Avatar is touted as a revolutionary special effects-laden tale of aliens and humans in a futuristic world on the planet Pandora.

Actual footage of the years-long project has been kept top-secret. Cameron allowed certain scenes to be shown to a rapt audience of nerds at this year’s Comic-Con, with first impressions described by movie websites likeCinematical, and some stills and artwork have been leaked out in the past few weeks. However, Cameron intends the movie to be shown in 3-D in IMAX, so Friday’s sneak preview will be a more authentic experience.

The tickets to the IMAX preview will be doled out on a first come, first served basis on Monday, August 17, on Avatar’s official website. The extended trailer will only be available in IMAX Theatres, but don’t worry… the regular trailer will be available online on Friday, August 21, as well as the trailer for the Ubisoft Avatar video game.

What is Avatar about anyway? According to a press release on the official Avatar website, “Avatar takes us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption, discovery and unexpected love, as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization. The film was first conceived by Cameron 14 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not yet exist. Now, after four years of actual production work, Avatar delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film, disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story.”

The movie premieres on December 18th. It stars Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation), Sigourney Weaver (Alien), Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious), and Giovanni Ribisi (Boiler Room). However, the actors might be taking a back seat to the film’s special effects, which are rumored to involve seamless CGI. Allegedly, the audience won’t be able to tell where the CGI begins and ends.

James Cameron has always been behind new developments in motion picture special effects. Films like The Abyss and Terminator 2: Judgment Day introduced the world to the seamless “liquid metal” special effect. He certainly knows how to wow a crowd of people in a darkened movie theater, even if it is just a taste of things to come.

Hollywood Bringing Heavy-Hitters To San Diego Comic-Con

Comic-Con 2009

THU, JULY 23 -SUN, JULY 26      …..    PREVIEW NIGHT: WED, JULY 22

SAN DIEGO
Convention Center
111 W. Harbor Dr.
San Diego, CA 92101

    The annual Comic-Con is fast approaching, and this year’s event, taking place from July 23-26, shines a brighter spotlight than ever on Hollywood.

  Disney on Thrusday announced its heavy-hitter lineup — John Lasseter, Robert Zemeckis and Tim Burton — while networks and cable, from CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” and USA’s “Burn Notice,” are also well-represented.

 Below is a schedule of events — many details of which are still to be determined

 PANELS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22

“Human Target,” “V” and “Vampire Diaries” (6 p.m.-9 p.m., room TBD): Full pilot previews.

THURSDAY, JULY 23

Summit Entertainment: “Astro Boy” (10:15-11:15 a.m., Room 6BCF) Astro Boy is an all-new CG-animated feature film based on the classic manga about a young robot with incredible powers and his adventure-filled journey in search of his identity and destiny. Director David Bowers, producer Maryanne Grager, and stars Freddie Highmore and Kristen Bell will debut exclusive footage and answer questions.

TheOneRing.net: “The Hobbit” (10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Room 7AB) Chris Pirrotta, Larry Curtis, Cliff Broadway and other from TheOneRing.net will take you behind the scenes of the latest news, announcements, and rumors pertaining to the Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro production of The Hobbit.

Disney 3-D Panel (11 a.m-12:30 p.m., Room TBD) With Robert Zemeckis, Tim Burton, Sean Bailey, Steve Lisberger. Concept art, trailers, footage of “A Christmas Carol,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Tron.”

“The Middleman” (11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Room 6A). Panel with Matt Keeslar, Natalie Morales, Mary Pat Gleason, Britt Morgan, Jake Smollett, Javier Grillo-Marxuach and cast reading of lost 13th episode script, “The Doomsday Armageddon Apocalypse”

Richard Hatch: “Battlestar” Retrospective (12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., Room 6A) Moderated by actor/author Richard Hatch, with composer Bear McCreary, writer/producer Michael Tayler, scientific advisor Kevin Grazier and special guests, this panel provides a review and discussion of the past four seasons of “Battlestar Galactica.”

“Dante’s Inferno” (12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., Room 8. Jonathan Knight, Ash Huang, Brandon Auman, Christos Gage and Diego Latorre talk about the adaptation of the epic poem into pop culture: a video game, an animated feature, and a comic series.
   20th Century Fox and James Cameron present “Avatar” (12:45 p.m.-2 p.m., Hall H) Cameron, Jon Landau and cast members will show the first public screening of footage in 3D from the movie, which debuts in December.

Spotlight on Kevin Eastman (1 p.m.-2  p.m., Room 5AB) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle co-creator Kevin Eastman talks about his TMNT days and shares sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes teasers for his upcoming animated film projects.

Sony Pictures Animation: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2:00-3:00 p.m., Room 6BCF) Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Andy Samberg, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Chriss Miller, Phil Lord discuss the upcoming Sony/Columbia movie.

Summit Entertainment (2:15 p.m. -3:15 p.m., Hall H)
Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek of some of its upcoming major film releases such as “Astro Boy,” “Sorority Row” and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”

DVD/Blu-ray Producers 2009 (2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m., Room 7AB)
Bill Hunt, Adam Jahnke and Todd Doogan (of The Digital Bits.com), talk about the latest DVD and Blu-ray developments with special-edition producers like Robert Meyer Burnett, Laura Gross, Charles de Lauzirika, David Naylor and Cliff Stephenson.

Masters of the Web (3 p.m.-4 p.m., Room 32AB)
Director Kevin Munroe (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) moderates a panel of representatives from top genre and movie websites such as Movieweb.com and Latinoreview.com. Brandon Routh and Sam Hungintgon join to preview a sneak peek of their new film “Dead of Night.”
 

“Robot Chicken,” “Titan Maximum” (3 p.m.-4 p.m., Room 6A). Panel with Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, Tom Root, Doug Goldstein, Chris McKay, Breckin Meyer, Kevin Shinick, Mike Fasolo, Dan Milano.

J. Michael Straczynski: Professional Writing (3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Room 7AB)
The “Changeling” writer discusses the steps and tools needed to be a professional writer.

Joe Dante: “The Hole” (3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Hall H)  Joe Dante  and Haley Bennett discuss their new film and working in 3D.

Entertainment Weekly: Wonder Women: Female Power Icons in Pop Culture (3:45 p.m. -4:45 p.m., Ballroom 20) EW will moderate a conversation with Sigourney Weaver, Elizabeth Mitchell, Kristen Bell  and others about the actresses who have redefined the rules and the female characters that have shattered the glass ceiling for all women. 
 

Cartoon Network Comedy: Original Animation (4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Room 6A). Panel on “Chowder,” “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack,” ”Adventure Time With Finn and Jake.”

Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus” (4:45 p.m. -5:15 p.m., Hall H) The director of “Time Bandits” and “Brazil” introduces his new film starring Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Colin Farrell, Jude Law, Verne Troyer, Tom Waits, and Lily Cole. 
 

“Dexter” (5 p.m.-6 p.m. Ballroom 20)

Overture Pictures: “Pandorum” (5:15 p.m.-5:45 p.m., Hall H) Actors Ben Foster, Cung Le  and Antje Traue discuss their new thriller about two crewmembers on a seemingly abandoned spacecraft.

Kick-Ass (5:45 p.m.-6:45 p.m., Hall H) Director Matthew Vaughn, Nicolas Cage and Christopher Mintz-Plasse and comic co-creator John Romita Jr. present world premiere footage from the new film, based on Mark Millar’s bestselling comic.

Focus Features: “Thirst” (6:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Hall H) Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook discusses his film, which won the Prix Du Jury (Jury Prize) at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival, and his career.

Robotech Industry Panel (6:45 p.m.-7:45 p.m., Room 6A) Tommy Yune, director of “Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles” and Steve Yun, writer of “Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles,” discuss upcoming Robotech releases in the wake of the announcement of the live-action feature film.

Comedy Central’s “Drawn Together Movie” Roundtable (7 p.m-8 p.m., Room 6BCF) Co-creators Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser and stars from the show discuss “The Drawn Together Movie” and host a roundtable discussion.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog (8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m., Room 6A) The California Browncoats host a screening of the original three acts, followed immediately by “Commentary! The Musical.”

“Green Lantern”: First Flight World Premiere (8 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Ballroom 20) Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation present the world premiere of “Green Lantern: First Flight.” “Lantern,” due out July 28, stars Christopher Meloni, is directed by Lauren Montgomery and written by Emmy Award winner Alan Burnett.

Halloween Comes Early: Trick ‘r Treat Screening (9:30 p.m.-12:00 a.m., Ballroom 20) Writer-director Michael Dougherty screens his new movie, which is preceded by a panel. Ain’t It Cool News mogul Harry Knowles will moderate the panel, which features Dougherty and cast members Anna Paquin, Tahmoh Penikett, and Brian Cox.

“Burn Notice” (room & time TBD) Panel with Bruce Campbell, Seth Peterson, Ben Shenkman, Jay Karnes, Matt Nix, Alfredo Barrios Jr., Michael Shanks

“Legend of the Seeker” (room & time TBD)

“Psych” (room & time TBD) Panel with James Roday, Dule Hill, Corbin Bernsen, Maggie Lawson, Timothy Omundson, Chris Henze and Kelly Kulchak. Scrpt-to-screen demonstration documenting the process of creating an episode.

“Twilight: New Moon” Panel (room & time TBD)

FRIDAY, JULY 24

“Batman: The Brave and the Bold” (animated) (10 a.m.-11 a.m., Room 6DE) Panel with Diedrich Bader, Sam Register. Screening of “Mayhem of Music Meister” episode featuring voice of Neil Patrick Harris.

“Stargate Universe” (10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Robert Carlyle, Brian J. Smith, Elyse Levesque, David Blue, Alaina Huffman, Jamil Walker Smith, Ming-Na, Brad Wright, Robert Cooper

Lucasfilm Panel: “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”: Building the Universe (11 a.m.-Noon, Room 7AB)

“The Prisoner” (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., room TBD)

“Caprica”/”Battlestar Galatica”: The Plan (11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Esai Morales, Edward James Olmos, Ronald Moore, David Eick and Jane Espenson

“FlashForward” (11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Room 6A)

Lucasfilm Panel: “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”: Behind the Mic (Noon-1 p.m., Room 7AB)

“The Middle” (Noon-1 .p.m., Hilton Bayside Indigo Ballroom). Patricia Heaton. Sneak preview.

Disney Animation Panel (12:45 p.m. Room TBD ) Panel with Hayao Miyazaki, John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, Kirk Wise, Ron Clements, John Muske (“Toy Story 3,” “Prep & Landing,” “The Princess And The Frog” and “Ponyo.”)

“The Big Bang Theory” (1 p.m.-2 p.m.,Ballroom 20) Panel with Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Chuck Lorre

“24″ (2:15 p.m.-3 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Kiefer Sutherland,
Mary Lynn Rajskub, Anil Kapoor, Freddie Prinze Jr., Katee Sackhoff, Howard Gordon

“Past Life” (2:15 p.m.- 3:15 p.m., Room 6A) Panel with Kelli Giddish, Nicholas Bishop, Ravi Patel, David Hudgens

“Bones” (3 p.m.-3:45 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Emily Deschanel,
David Boreanaz, Hart Hanson

“Eureka” (3:15 p.m.-4:15 p.m., Room 6BCF) Panel with Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Jaime Paglia

“Dollhouse” (4 p.m.-6 p.m. Ballroom 20) Panel with Eliza Dushku, Joss Whedon. Screening of episode “Epitaph One”

The BBC Panel: The Mighty Boosh (4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Room 6A) Panel with Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Michael Fielding, Rich Fulcher, Dave Brown

Lucasfilm Panel: The Star Wars Spectacular (5:15 p.m.- 6:15 p.m. Hall H)

“The Box” Panel (room & time TBD)

“District 9″ Panel (with Peter Jackson) (room & time TBD)

SATURDAY, JULY 25

“Chuck” (10 a.m.-11 a.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Josh Schwartz

“Eastwick” (10:15 a.m.-11:15 a.m., Room 6A) Panel with Rebecca Romijn,
Lindsay Price, Jaime Ray Newman. Full pilot screening

“Lost” (11 a.m.-noon, Hall H) Panel with Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof

“Family Guy” (11:15 a.m.-Noon, Ballroom 20) Panel with Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane

Cartoon Network Action Adventure Animation: “Ben 10″ (11:45 a.m.-12:45
p.m., Room 6DE) Panel with Alex Winter, Ryan Kelley, Galadriel Stineman, Nathan Keyes, Alyssa Diaz, Glenn Murakami, Dwayne McDuffie, Yuri Lowenthal

“The Cleveland Show” (Noon-12:45 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Sana’a Lathan, Kevin Michael Richardson, Seth MacFarlane, Mike Henry, Rich Appel

“Sanctuary” (12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., Bayside Hilton Indigo Room) Panel with Amanda Tapping, Robin Dunne, Martin Wood and Damian Kindler

“Futurama” (1 p.m.-1:45 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Matt Groening, David Cohen

“Glee” (1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., Bayside Hilton Indigo Room) Panel with Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith. New episode screening

“The Simpsons” (1:45 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Matt Groening, Al Jean, Matt Selman, Mike Anderson

“Warehouse 13″ (2:15 p.m.-3:1 5 p.m., Room 6A) Panel with Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, Allison Scagliotti, Jack Kenny, David Simkins

“V” (2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Elizabeth Mitchell, Scott Wolf, Scott Peters, Jeffrey Bell

“Fringe” (4 .m.-5 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Anna Torv, John Noble

“Human Target” (4:45 p.m.-5:45 p.m., Room 6BCF) Panel with Mark Valley, Chi McBride, Jackie Earle Haley

“Vampire Diaries” (6 p.m.-7 p.m.,Room 6BCF) Panel with Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, Kevin Williamson

Adult Swim: Series Development and “The Venture Bros.” (6 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Room 6DE) Panel with Nick Weidenfeld, Matt Harrigan, Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer, Jon Schnepp, James Urbaniak, Mike Sinterniklaas

“Mythbusters” (7:15 p.m.-8:15 p.m., Room 6BCF) Panel with Jamie Hyneman, Adam Savage, Tory Belluci, Grant Imahara

“Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead” and “Torchwood: Children of Earth” screenings (7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Room 6A)

“Heroes” (room & time TBD) Tim Kring and cast

SUNDAY, JULY 26

“Doctor Who” (10 a.m.-11 a.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with David Tennant, Russell Davies, Julie Gardner, Euros Lyn

“Smallville” (10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Room 6BCF) Panel with Erica Durance, Justin Hartley, Cassidy Freeman

“American Dad” (11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Ballroom 20) Panel with Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schall, Dee Bradley Baker, Mike Barker, Matt Weitzman

“Supernatural” (11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Room 6BCD) Panel with Misha Collins, Jim Beaver, Eric Kripke

Mattel Panel: “Hot Wheels Battle Force 5″ (Noon-1 p.m., Room 7AB) Panel with Audu Paden, Johnny Darrell. “Hot Wheels Battle Force 5″ world premiere

WB Panel: Zoinks! “Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins” (12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Room 6DE) Panel with Brian Levant, Brian Gilbert, Robbie Amell, Kate Melton, Hayley Kiyoko,Nick Palatas. Screening of the new, live-action/CGI film

“Ghost Whisperer” (1 p.m.-2 p.m., room TBD)

“Being Human” and “Torchwood” (2:15 p.m.-3:45 p.m. Room 6BCF) Panel with John Barrowman, Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aidan Turner, Russell Davies, Julie Gardner, Toby Whithouse, Euros Lyn

EVENTS

WEDNESDAY, July 22

Comic-Con TweetUp (Twitter MeetUp) especially for Comic-Con (7 p.m., Voyeur, 755 5th Avenue)

THURSDAY, July 23

“Rocky Horror Picture Show” (5 p.m., Horton Plaza Cinemas)

 Zombiewalk (7:30 p.m., Corner of 4th & Broadway)

Book and a Beer Club with Wil Wheaton (Time: TBA; Stone World Bistro and Brewing Gardens in Escondido)

FRIDAY, JULY 24

“Road Trip: Beer Pong” Happy Hour hosted by Paramount Home Entertainment (TBA, Henry’s Irish Pub)

 Tim & Eric Awesome Show Performance (7 p.m., 4th and B, 345 B Street)

 Brian Posehn & Doug Benson live comedy show (8 p.m., Balboa Theater)

 Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School ComicCon Afterparty (8 p.m.-10 p.m., Ruby Room in Hillcrest, 1271 University Ave.)

 The BBC and Adult Swim Present: The Mighty Boosh Bash (A full cast DJ Set) (11 p.m., 4th and B, 345 B Street)

“Repo! The Genetic Opera” (Midnight, Gaslamp Stadium Cinemas)

 SATURDAY, JULY 25

Tim and Eric Awesome-Con 2009 (Noon -3 p.m., Embarcadero Marina Park North)

Robot Chicken Party (8 p.m.-11 p.m., Skate San Diego, 700 East 24th Street, National City)

 X-Sanguin: Comic-Con’s largest after-party, featuring The Suicide Girls and 5 DJs. (9 p.m.-3 a.m., Spin Nightclub)

 

Weaver Out of Ghostbusters Sequel

Sigourney Weaver in Ghostbusters

SIGOURNEY WEAVER has pulled out of the second GHOSTBUSTERS sequel.
The actress was reported to be joining former co-stars Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd in a spooky new movie, 20 years after Ghostbusters II – but she insists she isn’t part of producers’ plans.
The actress tells TVSquad.com, “I think they’re trying to create something new completely with the Ghostbusters, although I know Bill is in it. I don’t expect to have anything to do with it, although I wish them well.”
Aykroyd has suggested the new film, in which the original Ghostbusters hand over control of their spook-chasing responsibilities to a team of hot young ladies, could start shooting before the end of the year (09).

Dan Aykroyd talks Ghostbusters 3

Ghostbusters 3

–Geoff Boucher, L.A.Times

   I just visited with Dan Aykroyd over at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip for an interview for an upcoming feature in the Los Angeles Times. We talked about a wide range of topics, but I didn’t want to wait on this update about the third “Ghostbusters” film, which is moving forward after so many years.

   Aykroyd said Sigourney Weaver is on board now, as are the original squad of ectoplasmic specialists — Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. Murray’s presence was the pivot point in making a third film happen. He holds a one-fifth controlling interest in the property rights and has been seen as the most reluctant to return to the paranormal comedy. Aykroyd said that is true but that it’s more nuanced than the public portrayal of the situation.

“I don’t put not making the third movie on Billy. We can’t do that. I’ve been very busy. Harold’s been busy, Ivan’s been busy. And a third script really didn’t coalesce properly. And Billy, you can’t blame an artist for not wanting to do the same thing again. He did two of them, for God’s sake. Although I’m the biggest cheerleader as the originator of the concept but I’ve never begrudged Billy not doing a third movie. I never said he held it up or that he refused. Hey, listen, he’s an artist. You can’t force somebody into it. I’m sorry he never read my third draft because I thought it was pretty good but, look, now we’re at a point that there’s a story that he can accept and that’s going to work, and I think we’re going to be in production fairly soon. We could be in production by winter.”

   The script is by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, the writing team behind the upcoming Jack Black/Michael Cera movie “Year One” (directed by Ramis), and Aykroyd is enthused about its premise of a new generation of Ghostbusters taking over the duties of the aging team. Aykroyd said he wishes Ivan Reitman would return to direct the third film in the series but that he’s “too busy as a mega-producer” to take it on; his second choice is Ramis, who, of course, co-wrote the first two “Ghostbusters” films with Aykroyd and has numerous directing credits, most notably “Groundhog Day” and “Analyze This.” “He has a lot of things going on, but it would be wonderful to see him do it.”

   Aykroyd says he believes the movie will move forward but that he has also learned that “at any second everything could blow up.” The details of story are still in play, but Aykroyd said he’s hoping for a five-member “new generation” team with several female members. “I’d like it to be a passing-of-the-torch movie. Let’s revisit the old characters briefly and happily and have them there as family but let’s pass it on to a new generation.”

   Who does Aykroyd think would be good in the jumpsuits? Aykroyd mentioned two names, Alyssa Milano (who is a voice in the upcoming “Ghostbusters” video game) and Eliza Dushku. “I think they’re amazing,” he said. “And I’m excited about the whole idea of getting this done.”

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