Dan Aykroyd Says He and Bill Murray Will Not Return Following ‘Frozen Empire’ Success

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As a lifelong Ghostbusters fan, I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions hearing Dan Aykroyd’s words about stepping away from the franchise. Growing up, I idolized these characters and the adventures they embarked on, and seeing them come to life in both film and television was an experience I will always cherish.

Apart from being one of the initial stars, creators, and ardent supporters of the franchise, Aykroyd has been a key figure, even during its challenging phases. Despite appearing in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and this year’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire“, Aykroyd, along with fellow original star Bill Murray, appears to have ended their involvement in the future of Ghostbusters.

In a chat with Ghostbusters News, Aykroyd opened up about the development of the franchise throughout the years. Despite having a bigger role in “Frozen Empire” than “Afterlife,” it appears that the “Ghostbusters” series will proceed without both him and the iconic Murray. When asked if they might don their suits once more, Aykroyd responded:

It seems unexpected to me. I’m not sure if there will be a role for us with the new set of actors and fresh concepts they have.

Dan Aykroyd initially conceived the concept for the 1984 film, which later evolved into the final screenplay in collaboration with the late Harold Ramis. Since then, Aykroyd has been involved in the production team of various video games and the 2016 remake. However, he now feels that it’s time for new developments, as he put it:

It seems likely that they will progress beyond the initial versions, and I believe it’s appropriate for them to do so.

Ernie Hudson Has No Intention of Leaving the Ghostbusters Behind

Although this news might disappoint numerous fans, as Aykroyd suggests, time never stands still and miraculously, the remaining original team members have reunited for two more adventures. Now it’s about passing the baton to a new generation, but they may not be entirely alone in their journey.

The character played by Winston Zeddemore is expected to remain significant in the franchise’s future developments, and in an interview with ComingSoon.net, he hinted that his return could be imminent. In a discussion with producer Jason Reitman regarding their upcoming Netflix animated series, he mentioned:

“I made it clear to Jason that nobody should ever imitate Winston’s voice unless I’m no longer around. To put it another way, I meant permanently gone. As for the situation with the original Real Ghostbusters, there are various stories circulating about it. It seems the director favored Arsenio Hall, who was a friend of his, to play Winston. However, I’m not completely certain about this, but it’s said that the studio felt we original Ghostbusters wouldn’t even consider doing an animated show. That might hold true for the others who earned more than me, but I enjoy voice-over work and would be deeply saddened if anyone else voiced Winston from now on.

It’s uncertain at this point whether Bill Murray and Dan Aykrod will reprise their roles as Ray Stantz and Peter Venkman in future Ghostbusters projects. But what can be said for sure is that the Ghostbusters franchise continues to thrive, and it looks like we’ll be seeing more of it in the future.

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2024-11-17 02:32