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‘Tommy Boy’ 30th Anniversary Interview: Director Peter Segal
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Available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD in a 4K/Blu-ray Combo or in a Limited-Edition SteelBook on March 25th is ‘Tommy Boy’, which marks the 30th anniversary of the classic comedy.

Directed by Peter Segal (‘Get Smart’), the film stars the late Chris Farley (‘Saturday Night Live’), David Spade (‘Just Shoot Me!’), Rob Lowe (‘Wayne’s World’), Julie Warner (‘Doc Hollywood’), Bo Derek (‘10’), Dan Aykroyd (‘Ghostbusters’), and Brian Dennehy (‘Silverado’).

Related Article: Director Penelope Spheeris Talks 30th Anniversary of ‘Wayne’s World’

(L to R) David Spade and Chris Farley in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Peter Segal about his work on ‘Tommy Boy’, how he came to direct the project, improvising on set, Farley and Spade’s chemistry, Spade’s comedic abilities, Farley’s genius and legacy, and why Rob Lowe did not take a credit in the film.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

‘Tommy Boy’ director Peter Segal.

Moviefone: To begin with, from your unique perspective can you talk about how this project came together and you were hired to direct?

Peter Segal: I had worked with Farley a couple times before this movie, once on an HBO special and then on a sitcom called ‘The Jackie Thomas Show’. At that point I had not done ‘Naked Gun 33+1/3’ yet. But I knew that if I had an opportunity to ever do a movie that I absolutely wanted to work with Farley in a starring role. So, about a year after ‘The Jackie Thomas Show’, the script from the Bonnie and Terry Turner came to me, ‘Billy the Third: a Midwestern’. It was a first draft and I had a lot of ideas. I actually wanted to take the story, if I did it, in a different direction, adding a little bit more of a relationship with Tommy’s father and himself, in addition to Richard and Tommy working together to save the factory. By doing that I was unraveling the very thing that was greenlit. It put us in a precarious place because suddenly we had no script and we were heading towards the ‘SNL’ season, which meant we were going to be splitting time. That was the good and the bad news. The bad news, it was hard for Dave and Chris to go back and forth from Toronto to New York. But it allowed me a couple of extra days a week to work on the script with Fred Wolf as we were filming. So that’s how we survived.

(L to R) Chris Farley and David Spade in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

MF: Famously, the “Fat guy in a little coat” and “Housekeeping” scenes were improvised on set and were bits that Farley and Spade would do off screen. Can you talk about those scenes and how much of the film was improvised?

PS: Well, once, like I said, we changed direction on the script and started with not much we were desperate for any bits or stories about what they did together at ‘SNL’. “Fat Guy in a Little Coat” was definitely one of those things. But it was spoken, not sung. That was Chris’s thing at ‘SNL’. Well, both Chris and Dave were a little bored of the moviemaking process of multiple takes, multiple angles, they’re used to one take with live cameras. So, when we were shooting “Fat Guy in a Little Coat” from the office scene, I shot Chris and then I turned the camera around on Dave. I wasn’t paying attention to Chris but he was getting so bored that he started to improv and sing just to try to get Dave to break and laugh. I wasn’t really paying attention, I was just focusing on Dave, until my editor that night after dailies said, “Oh my God, you’ve got to go back and reshoot him this time singing.” That’s the type of thing. There were so many little things like that that I would just jot down. One example was Dave looked at Chris coming out of a wardrobe test, and Chris was wearing the now iconic brown tweed jacket, and he said, “Hey, Dave, does this suit make me look fat?” Dave said, “No, your face does.” I went “Okay, that’s going in.”

(L to R) David Spade, Chris Farley, producer Lorne Michaels and Bo Derek on the set of ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

MF: ‘Tommy Boy’ is very much a chemistry movie. Can you talk about Farley and Spade’s relationship and onscreen chemistry, and how you were able to capture that with this film?

PS: What I have heard is that Spade and Farley were goofing off during a writing session at SNL and Lorne (Michaels) said, “We’ve got to do something with you two, so Turner’s see if you can come up with something,” and they did because he saw the chemistry between them. You can’t teach chemistry it sort of is what it is, you have it or you don’t. Dave and Chris were best of friends but they were also an old married couple. They’d get into fights, and then kiss and make up and everything was fine, and then fight again. It was just sort of like watching two young boys. I mean, we were all young at the time. It was a little juvenile. But it was also where the inspiration and the fun came from because they loved to pick on one another. Dave could say stuff to Chris that I would never have imagined anyone saying like the thing about the coat but it would make Chris laugh, and that stuff was just priceless.

David Spade in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

MF: Can you talk about how important David Spade’s role as the “straight man” is to the film and his ability to work off of Farley?

PS: Well, he’s really sort of the engine of a lot of the improv. I would not say that a lot of improvisation happened while the cameras are rolling but the improv happened off camera where they would just interact. If Dave served up the beginning of a joke, Chris would knock it out of the park and they loved that. It’s like watching in basketball someone make a great assist. Dave was an assist leader. That helped with the writing process. His idea for the Carpenter‘s song (“Superstar”) and many other things. Like I said, we were just so desperate for anything that when these guys, as much as they were exhausted, would come up with ideas, we’d try to find a way to put it in the movie.

(L to R) Chris Farley and Brian Dennehy in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

MF: In addition to being a comedic genius, Chris Farley was also a strong dramatic actor, and you can see that in the scene where he says goodbye to his late father on the boat. Can you talk about Farley’s legacy and were you aware of how talented he was when you were making the movie?

PS: Well, I sort of discovered that. Even though I’d worked with him a couple of times before, those were definitely comedies. This story I knew was going to touch on something that was very important to him and that was his relationship with his father in real life. The fact that we knew that the character of Big Tom was going to die, I knew that there was an opportunity here to show a different side of Chris Farley because there are going to be more serious moments, it wasn’t just about the jokes. It was delightful to see how good he was at that. That’s what makes me, and still does to this day, so very sad that he didn’t get to really explore that part of his personality. The original writers for ‘Shrek’ actually told me that they patterned the characters of Donkey and Ogre after Spade and Farley in ‘Tommy Boy”. Then Chris, of course, was hired to play the Ogre but didn’t complete it before he passed.

(L to R) Chris Farley and Rob Lowe in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

MF: Finally, why did Rob Lowe take no credit in the film?

PS: It’s a little bit of a mystery to this day. I think possibly because he thought the movie might’ve sucked and wanted to protect himself. I mean, that’s sort of just a joke. I really don’t know. I’ve never really asked him but it seems to be on a lot of people’s minds.
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What is the plot of ‘Tommy Boy’?

To save the family business, two ne’er-do-well traveling salesmen (Chris Farley and David Spade) hit the road with disastrously funny consequences.

Who is in the cast of ‘Tommy Boy’?
- Chris Farley as Thomas R. “Tommy” Callahan III
- David Spade as Richard Hayden
- Bo Derek as Beverly Burns-Barrish
- Julie Warner as Michelle Brock
- Dan Aykroyd as Ray Zalinsky
- Brian Dennehy as Thomas “Big Tom” Callahan Jr.
- Rob Lowe as Paul Barrish
‘Tommy Boy’ will be available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD in a 4K/Blu-ray Combo or in a Limited-Edition SteelBook on March 25th.

List of Peter Segal Movies:
- ‘Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult‘ (1994)
- ‘Tommy Boy‘ (1995)
- ‘My Fellow Americans‘ (1996)
- ‘Nutty Professor II: The Klumps‘ (2000)
- ‘Anger Management‘ (2003)
- ‘50 First Dates‘ (2004)
- ‘The Longest Yard‘ (2005)
- ‘Get Smart‘ (2008)
- ‘Grudge Match‘ (2013)
- ‘Second Act‘ (2018)
- ‘My Spy‘ (2020)
- ‘My Spy The Eternal City‘ (2024)
Buy ‘Tommy Boy’ on Amazon
March 25, 2025
Movie Review: ‘Saturday Night’
(L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Opening in theaters everywhere on October 11th is the biographical comedy ‘Saturday Night’, which chronicles the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere of ‘Saturday Night Live’.

Directed by Jason Reitman (‘Juno’, ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’), the film stars Gabriel LaBelle (‘The Fabelmans’) as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman (‘Licorice Pizza’) as NBC executive Dick Ebersol, Rachel Sennott (‘Bottoms’) as writer Rosie Shuster, Cory Michael Smith (‘Gotham’) as Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien (‘American Assassin’) as Dan Aykroyd, Lamorne Morris (‘Jumanji: The Next Level’) as Garrett Morris, Ella Hunt (‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’) as Gilda Radner, Emily Fairn (‘Mary & George’) as Laraine Newman, Kim Matula (‘Fighting with My Family’) as Jane Curtin and Matt Wood as John Belushi.

Related Article: Jason Reitman’s ‘SNL’ Movie is Titled ‘Saturday Night’ and will be Out in October

Initial Thoughts

(L to R) Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin, and Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

‘Saturday Night’, director Jason Reitman’s loving tribute to the 50-year television institution that Lorne Michaels’ created is fun, fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The film plays like a greatest-hits of all the behind-the-scenes stories and sketches from the first year of ‘SNL’, within the confines of the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere episode in 1975. While Reitman certainly took creative liberties with the facts, the film is exciting to watch and probably his best movie to date.

Script and Direction

Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Saturday Night.’

Unfolding in real-time, ‘Saturday Night’ tells the story of the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere of the first episode in 1975 and literally ends after the first sketch and Chevy Chase says, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night’.

The movie begins by introducing us to a frantic Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), who is dealing with a handful of problems including nervous NBC executives, a missing John Belushi (Matt Wood), over 3-hours of sketches to cut down into 90 minutes and the fact that he still doesn’t know what the show is going to be. Pressuring Michaels to cancel the live-broadcast and air a tape instead is NBC executives Dick Eborsol (Cooper Hoffman) and David Tebet (Willem Dafoe), who has ulterior motives for hiring Michaels in the first place.

We soon meet cast members including Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), who already thinks he is a superstar. We also meet Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), who as the oldest member of the cast and mostly a dramatic actor and playwright, has no idea why he is there. In addition to meeting the rest of the cast, we also see a young Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany) who was promised a spot on the show, and a confused Andy Kaufman (Nicholas Braun) arriving for his appearance. Finally, we meet writer and Michaels’ wife, Rosie Schuster (Rachel Sennott), who is trying to calm the cast down and decide if she wants to be credited with her married name.

(L to R) Cinematographer Eric Steelberg and Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Saturday Night’.

Reitman clearly has a lot of love for ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the original cast, I would imagine partly because his father, the late director Ivan Reitman (‘Ghostbusters’) had worked with most of them in Toronto before they were cast on the show, which makes Jason the perfect person to tell this specific story. Rather than doing the usual biopic that follows the creation and casting of the series, and maybe even chronicle the entire 50-year history, Reitman wisely focused on the hour and a half before the first broadcast. The movie fits in all the legendary stories that fans have heard over the years, while also finding time for glimpses of most of the sketches that would end up featuring in that episode and later in the first season.

While Reitman takes some liberties with the facts, the film is none the less fascinating to watch. However, there was more time spent with certain characters like Garrett Morris and Billy Crystal than needed, and I thought it took away from exploring the main cast. In fact, except for Morris, most of the original cast members don’t have as much screen time as you would expect, especially Belushi, although I think they were trying to use the character sparingly like Spielberg did with the shark in ‘Jaws’. However, it still kind of works because we as an audience have so much nostalgia for the show and already basically know who Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and the rest are. But I wonder how well this movie would have worked if it was an original story and we had no history with these characters or this show.

Performances

Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

The actors playing the original ‘SNL’ cast are excellent, truly working as an ensemble as no one actor stands-out, but again, this is also one of the problems with the movie as we really are not given enough time with any of them to really get to know them. Lamorne Morris probably has the most screen time and brings vulnerability to the character of Garret Morris (no relation).

While not in the movie nearly enough, Cory Michael Smith is excellent as an arrogant Chevy Chase. Kim Matula was very intriguing as Jane Curtain, but again didn’t have enough to do and the same can be said for Dylan O’Brian as Aykroyd, Emily Fain as Newman, Ella Hunt as Radner and Matt Wood as Belushi.

The character we spend the most time with is of course Lorne Michaels, but we never really get the feeling that we know him. That’s not actor Gabriel LaBelle’s fault, and I would argue that he played the role perfectly. The problem is that the character of Lorne Michaels is aloof to begin with, and there is no way to truly understand his genius.

(Left) Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures. (Right) Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

But the love story (if you can call it that) between Michaels and Rosie Shuster helps to give the audience a little insight into his character and their relationship. In fact, Rachel Sennott lights up the screen as Shuster and gives one of the brightest performances in the film. It’s also worth mentioning Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol and Willem Dafoe as David Tebet, respectively, as both actors give solid performances but, in the end, just act as the antagonists.

Part of the fun of the movie is watching the cameos, including ‘Succession’ actor Nicholas Braun who is unrecognizable as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, who people forget was technically a member of the original cast. Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons also steals his one scene as legendary comedian Milton Berle who Chase catches successfully hitting on his girlfriend Jacqueline Carlin (Kaia Gerber). Other strong cameos include Paul Rust who is a dead ringer for Paul Schaffer, Taylor Gray as an amusing Al Franken, Jon Batiste as musical guest Billy Preston, and Matthew Rhys as an unpleasant George Carlin, who hosted the first episode.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), John Belushi (Matt Wood) and Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brian) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

In the end, ‘Saturday Night’ is probably the best possible version of this movie that someone could make, and the best film of Jason Reitman’s career so far. I would think that the film will certainly be on the shortlist for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay at next year’s Oscars, but unfortunately, no one performance stands-out enough to be nominated. Whether you are a diehard fan of ‘Saturday Night Live’ or have never seen an episode (that’s hard to believe), you will enjoy this fun, funny and fast-paced film, which is a perfect tribute to the comedic television institution that is celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.

‘Saturday Night’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Saturday Night’?

The film is based on the true story of what happened in the 90 minutes prior to the October 11, 1975, debut of ‘Saturday Night Live’.

Who is in the cast of ‘Saturday Night?’
- Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels
- Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster
- Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase
- Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner
- Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd
- Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman
- Matt Wood as John Belushi
- Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris
- Kim Matula as Jane Curtin
- Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page
- Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson
- Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol
- Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin
- Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy
- Tommy Dewey as Michael O’Donoghue
- Willem Dafoe as David Tebet
- Matthew Rhys as George Carlin
- J. K. Simmons as Milton Berle
- Jon Batiste as Billy Preston
- Taylor Gray as Al Franken
- Mcabe Gregg as Tom Davis
- Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal
- Tracy Letts as Herb Sargent
- Leander Suleiman as Anne Beatts
- Paul Rust as Paul Shaffer
(L to R) Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, and Matt Wood as John Belushi in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Movies Based On ‘Saturday Night Live’ Sketches:
- ‘Wayne’s World‘ (1992)
- ‘Coneheads‘ (1993)
- ‘Wayne’s World 2‘ (1993)
- ‘Its Pat‘ (1994)
- ‘Stuart Saves His Family‘ (1995)
- ‘A Night at the Roxbury‘ (1998)
- ‘Superstar‘ (1999)
- ‘The Ladies Man‘ (2000)
- ‘MacGruber‘ (2010)
Buy ‘SNL’ Movies on Amazon
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October 9, 2024
Jason Reitman’s ‘SNL’ Movie is Called ‘Saturday Night’
‘Saturday Night Live’s Studio 8H. Photo: NBC.

Preview:
- Jason Reitman’s ‘SNL’ movie is now titled ‘Saturday Night’.
- Dylan O’Brien, Lamorne Morris and Cooper Hoffman are among the cast.
- The film has now landed an October release date.
Jason Reitman might have been busy of late either co-writing and directing (in the case of ‘Afterlife’) or co-writing and producing (on ‘Frozen Empire’) the continuation of his father Ivan’s much-loved ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise.

Yet he’s also found time to work on another passion project, a chronicle of the tough birth of long-running (the series’ 50th season kicks off in the fall) sketch show ‘Saturday Night Live’.
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With a script by Reitman and his regular ‘Ghostbusters’ collaborator Gil Kenan, he’s been wrapped filming for a while on the movie, now titled ‘Saturday Night’, and Sony has handed down an October release date for what is expected to start its run at festivals and –– depending on critical reaction –– could be taking aim at the awards season.

Surely Sony hopes that one of the cast, which includes Dylan O’Brien, Lamorne Morris and ‘Licorice Pizza’s Cooper Hoffman, might end up hosting an episode of ‘SNL’ itself to promote the new movie.
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What’s the story of ‘Saturday Night’?

(L to R) Laraine Newman, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris and Chevy Chase on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Photo: NBC.

On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. ‘Saturday Night’ is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s ‘SNL’. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by Reitman and Kenan with all the living cast, writers and crew.

Who is starring in ‘Saturday Night’?

(Left) Lamorne Morris in ‘Fargo’ Season 5. Photo: FX. (Center) Dylan O’Brien in ‘American Assassin.’ Photo: Lionsgate. (Left) Cory Michael Smith in ‘Gotham.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Television.

O’Brien will play Dan Aykroyd, while Morris is Garrett Morris (the two are not related), Cory Michael Smith is Chevy Chase and Matt Wood will play John Belushi.

Also on the cast front, Ella Hunt has the role of Gilda Radner, Jon Batiste is play Billy Preston (who was the first musical guest on the show), Kim Matula will be Jane Curtin and Emily Fairn is Laraine Newman, with Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson.

There are also those behind the scenes of ‘Saturday Night Live’, with Gabriel LaBelle playing Lorne Michaels, the legendary creator and producer of the show whose eye for talent has led to careers for a host of people, with Hoffman as Dick Ebersol, an ambitious NBC executive who helped shepherd the show to air.

Related Article: Jason Reitman’s ‘SNL 1975’ Adds Dylan O’Brien, Lamorne Morris and More

Rachel Sennott will be Rosie Shuster, a Canadian comedy writer and actor who was married to Michaels at the time and worked on the show.

Finally, we have Willem Dafoe as David Tebet, Vice President of Talent Relations at NBC, and because it surely wouldn’t be a Reitman movie without him, J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle, who had a famously awful one-night stint as host and ended up banned from the show (though that was in 1979, so it remains to be seen how he ties into the movie’s story of the first night).

When will ‘Saturday Night’ be in theaters?

Sony, which produced the new movie, has now set an October 11th release for ‘Saturday Night’ via its Columbia Pictures arm. There is already talk that it could premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. And that release, as you might have noticed from its mention in the earlier section, is the same day as the first episode of ‘SNL’ itself. Fitting!

(L to R) Jason Reitman and Ivan Reitman at Premiere of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ Photo Courtesy of Reuters.

Movies Based On ‘Saturday Night Live’ Sketches:
- ‘Wayne’s World‘ (1992)
- ‘Coneheads‘ (1993)
- ‘Wayne’s World 2‘ (1993)
- ‘Its Pat‘ (1994)
- ‘Stuart Saves His Family‘ (1995)
- ‘A Night at the Roxbury‘ (1998)
- ‘Superstar‘ (1999)
- ‘The Ladies Man‘ (2000)
- ‘MacGruber‘ (2010)
Buy ‘SNL’ Movies on Amazon
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July 31, 2024
Where To Watch ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’
(L to R) Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By: Jaap Buitendijk. Copyright: © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The follow up to 2021’s ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ sees the Spengler Family fully embracing their new lives as Ghostbusters, roaming all over New York City investigating paranormal activities and trapping ghosts. All of that ghost catching comes with a price when they find out the spirit containment unit is at full capacity. On top of it all, an ancient entity has been unleashed, ready to turn the world into his icy playground.

‘Frozen Empire’ sees the return of Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Kim, and Celest O’Connor. The original ‘Ghostbusters‘ cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts reunites for the film
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Where Can I Watch ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?

Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Did you miss this paranormal adventure on the big screen? Don’t worry, the movie is now available on VOD for rent or purchase, so you can watch it from the comfort of your couch or your personal Ecto-1.

Buy Tickets to ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ has a runtime of 1 hour and 55 minutes. As of April 30, 2024, the movie was made available to rent for $19.99 or purchase for $24.99 on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu.

Where to Stream: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’

What’s Next For the Ghostubsters Franchise?

(L to R) Winston (Ernie Hudson) and Peter (Bill Murray) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

With ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ raking in over $198.9 million at the global box office, it has become the fourth biggest movie of 2024 so far. Despite the low critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, the fans enjoyed the movie, garnering it an 83% audience score. It’s easy to see why the moviegoers enjoyed this chapter in the Ghostbusters franchise. The nostalgia hits hard when the film reunites the original Ghostbusters cast members as they take up their uniforms and proton packs for another round of ghostbusting.

While there has not been any confirmed plans for the next Ghostbusters movie, it is clear its original cast members loves being a part of the story and legacy.

Speaking with Moviefone, actor Ernie Hudson talks about returning to the role of Winston Zeddmore:

“Well, it’s been over half my life, 40 years of ‘Ghostbusters’. I’ve been Winston Zeddemore to people I meet on the street and everywhere. So, it’s hard to separate me from the role, and the fact that it’s still current, that people still love it, wherever I go in the world ‘Ghostbusters’ fans will show up, and express to me how much the movie has meant to them, and their families. So yes. It’s just very exciting, and I’m just so thankful that it has relevance in these 40 years after the fact. No way could I have imagined that this would be happening. But it is happening, and it’s wonderful. As an actor, I’ve done a lot of movies over the years, and it’s great to have one that people really connect to and hold onto.”

Related Article: Ernie Hudson Talks ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ and the Franchise’s Legacy

When Can I Get ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ On Blu-Ray?

Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ will be released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K UHD on June 25th. Collectors can also look forward to a 2-film collection set, which will include both ‘Afterlife’ and ‘Frozen Empire.’ The home release will feature bonus content such as:
- Return to the Firehouse: Making of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’
- Busted: Capturing the Ghosts of Frozen Empire
Buy ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Movies On Amazon

Watch the official trailers for ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is below:

The Spengler family returns to where it all started — the iconic New York City firehouse — to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Who’s In the Cast of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen’
- Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson
- Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler
- Finn Wolfhard as Trevor Spenger
- Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler
- Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi
- Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hubert Wartzki
- Logan Kim as Podcast
- Celest O’Connor as Lucky
- Bill Murray as Peter Venkman
- Dan Aykroyd as Ray Santz
- Ernie Hudson as Winstone Zeddemore
- Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz
- William Atherton as Walter Peck
The Ecto-1 races through New York City in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Ghostbusters’ Franchise:
- ‘Ghostbusters‘ (1984)
- ‘The Real Ghostbusters‘ (1986 – 1991)
- ‘Ghostbusters II‘ (1989)
- ‘Ghostbusters‘ (2016)
- ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife‘ (2021)
Please click on the video player below to watch our interviews with the cast of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’:
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June 9, 2024
‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Interview: Ernie Hudson
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Available to buy or rent now is the fifth film in the beloved ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise and a direct sequel to ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ entitled ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’

The new movie is co-written and produced by Jason Reitman (‘Juno’) and co-written and directed by Gil Kenan (‘Poltergeist‘) and stars Paul Rudd (‘Ant-Man’), Carrie Coon (‘Avengers: Infinity War’), Mckenna Grace (‘Captain Marvel’), and Finn Wolfhard (‘Stranger Things’), as well as original cast members Bill Murray (‘Lost in Translation’), Dan Aykroyd (‘Trading Places’), Ernie Hudson (‘The Crow’), and Annie Potts (‘Toy Story 4’).

Ernie Hudson talks ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, which is available to buy or rent now.

Related Article: ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Actor Ernie Hudson Talks New ‘Quantum Leap’

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with original Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson about his work on ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,’ the legacy of the franchise, Winston Zeddemore’s new position on the team, and reuniting with Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hudson, Mckenna Grace and Emily Alyn Lind.

Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.

Moviefone: To begin with, you made the first ‘Ghostbusters’ over 40 years ago. What has it meant to you personally to be part of this franchise, to see it grow and become beloved, and return for ‘Frozen Empire’?

Ernie Hudson: Well, it’s been over half my life, 40 years of ‘Ghostbusters’. I’ve been Winston Zeddemore to people I meet on the street and everywhere. So, it’s hard to separate me from the role, and the fact that it’s still current, that people still love it, wherever I go in the world ‘Ghostbusters’ fans will show up, and express to me how much the movie has meant to them, and their families. So yes. It’s just very exciting, and I’m just so thankful that it has relevance in these 40 years after the fact. No way could I have imagined that this would be happening. But it is happening, and it’s wonderful. As an actor, I’ve done a lot of movies over the years, and it’s great to have one that people really connect to and hold onto.

(L to R) Winston (Ernie Hudson) and Peter (Bill Murray) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Can you talk about Winston’s role in the Ghostbusters research center in ‘Frozen Empire’ and is he now the official leader of the team?

EH: Well, I think he’s stepped into that role. With Winston, it was very important for me, and thankfully Sony and Jason Reitman, heard what I was hoping for. Winston has grown. It’s been 40 years, but he hasn’t stayed in the same place. He’s done very well. He’s a businessman, but he’s always loved the Ghostbusters. He’s always appreciated the fact that these guys gave him a job when he really needed it. But he’s also developed a curiosity in those first two movies of what was going on. What I love about ‘Frozen Empire’ is we get a chance to see Winston not only has done well in life, but he also has built this Ghostbuster research center looking into what’s behind these ghosts. A lot of that comes out of over the years that I’ve done a lot of conventions. I meet a lot of families, and they tell me their stories. Some are scary, but people share a lot of feelings because I’m a Ghostbuster, I must understand what they’re going through. I don’t always, but I love the fact that Winston has created a place to explore, and to investigate those things, also, how those things impact our lives. It’s not just trapping them and putting them away. So yeah. I’m happy that he’s not just a guy still looking for a job, and I think he’s really, I hope, an inspiration of what’s possible, especially to a lot of young kids. The town I grew up in, in June, they’re naming the street I grew up on after me. In life, you hope that you can be an example. I hope in the ‘Ghostbusters’ universe Winston is an example of what is achievable, what is doable, and still holds onto his humanity. I see so many stories of people achieving things, but somehow in the process, they’ve lost their connection with the community, and with who they are, and Winston loves the Ghostbusters. All of that is very important to me.

(L to R) Ernie Hudson and Dan Aykroyd attend the New York World Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater. Photo: Marion Curtis / StarPix for Sony Pictures.

MF: Finally, you have a very emotional scene in the movie with Dan Aykroyd. What was it like shooting that scene with him and reuniting with Aykroyd and Bill Murray?

EH: Well, of course they’re geniuses. Honestly, I’m an actor, not just an actor, but I love what I do. But Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, they come up with stuff that it just boggles the mind. I love working with them, and Danny especially, who I think doesn’t always get the credit (he deserves). Danny’s a wonderful actor. He is very down to Earth, and he brings a reality too. I love the first movie where we had the scene in the car. A lot of fans still will bring that up, but (I love) anytime I get a chance to work with Danny, because he’s there a hundred percent completely. I think (in that scene) with the idea of retiring, basically Winston is saying (to Ray), “We can’t be running around here now. You’ll fall down and hurt yourself.” I love that scene. I just love working with Danny Aykroyd. I really appreciate him. With Bill Murray, it’s easy for me to say things too. I think he knows how much I really appreciate him, but with Danny, sometimes it’s hard for me to to let him know how much I really appreciate him. But I just think he’s an amazing talent.
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What is the plot of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?

The Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Who is in the cast of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?
- Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson
- Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler
- Finn Wolfhard as Trevor Spengler
- Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler
- Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi
- Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hubert Wartzki
- Celeste O’Connor as Lucky Domingo
- Logan Kim as Podcast
- Emily Alyn Lind as Melody
- James Acaster as Dr. Lars Pinfield
- Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman
- Dan Aykroyd as Dr. Raymond “Ray” Stantz
- Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore
- Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz
- William Atherton as Mayor Walter Peck
Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.

Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Ghostbusters’ Franchise:
- ‘Ghostbusters‘ (1984)
- ‘The Real Ghostbusters‘ (1986 – 1991)
- ‘Ghostbusters II‘ (1989)
- ‘Ghostbusters‘ (2016)
- ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife‘ (2021)
Buy ‘Ghostbusters’ Movies On Amazon
May 10, 2024
Movie Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’
(L to R) Winston (Ernie Hudson) and Peter (Bill Murray) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Opening in theaters on Friday March 22nd is ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,’ starring Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts.

Related Article: Ghostbusters Day Brings News of New Movies, Shows and More

Initial Thoughts

(L to R) Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By: Jaap Buitendijk. Copyright: © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

With all the throat-clearing and reintroductions of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ behind us, it might be natural to think that ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ could forge ahead into a new story and era with the next generation of paranormal investigators. But no, ‘Frozen Empire’ rounds up a large ensemble of both old and new cast members and gives almost all of them nothing to do, except stand around and spout either tired jokes or even more tiring exposition.

Five films in, this remains a property that is firmly mired in past glories – or, to be exact, the memory of one glorious film that came out 40 years ago. But it’s resoundingly clear that this should never have been a franchise in the first place, and ‘Frozen Empire’ is a hollow example of corporate mandates at their worst. Director/co-writer Gil Kenan (who also co-wrote ‘Afterlife’) and co-writer Jason Reitman (who directed ‘Afterlife’) have no new ideas and nothing to say, and it’s only the work of a handful of the actors that holds – barely – one’s attention.

Story and Direction

(L to R) Mckenna Grace, Director Gil Kenna and Logan Kim on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It’s two years since the events of ‘Afterlife’ and the descendants of Egon Spengler – his daughter Callie (Carrie Coon), her kids Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), along with surrogate dad/scientist Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd) – have relocated to New York City and now have taken over the Ghostbusters business, working and living in the old firehouse where the original Ghostbusters did the same.

As for the originals, they continue to do paranormal research at a fully equipped lab financed by Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), with Ray Stentz (Dan Aykroyd) offering advice to the new team and Winston’s staff of engineers working on new and improved equipment.

After an initially promising opening in which we see Phoebe, Callie, Finn, and Gary head out in the Ecto-1 for an energetic pursuit of a Sewer Dragon, ‘Frozen Empire’ settles into an hour and a half of tedium marked by occasional events that may or may not be of interest. Unfortunately, we’re also back to the same old, same old, as some of the damage caused by the Ghostbusters’ efforts in the city puts them in the crosshairs of the OG team’s enemy from back in the day, now-Mayor Walter Peck (William Atherton in a thankless return), who is still determined after all these years to shut the Ghostbusters down.

(L to R) Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo: Jaap Buitendijk. Copyright: © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Meanwhile, a fellow named Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani) wanders into Ray’s bookshop with a bunch of his late grandmother’s relics to sell, including a strange sphere that – as we saw in a prologue set 100 years earlier – has the power to turn both objects and human beings into ice. The sphere certainly generates enough psychic energy to send Ray’s lab equipment into a tizzy, warranting further investigation.

Just what that sphere contains, and what role Nadeem has to play, is unveiled in one stultifying exposition dump after another, although some of it is at least amusingly delivered by Patton Oswalt in a cameo as the Fox Mulder of the New York Public Library (he also works in the basement). At the same time, Phoebe – feeling down and dejected because she’s been benched due to her age – strikes up a relationship with a young teenage ghost (Emily Alyn Lind) that is clearly gay despite the filmmakers straining hard to avoid confirming that fact.

Loads of exposition, endless nods to the past (poor Paul Rudd, who’s actually one of the film’s few bright spots, speaks-sings the famous theme song at one point), and the paper-thin plot at the center of the movie all conspire to make ‘Frozen Empire’ a slog, until we get to the CG-heavy third act battle – complete with column of psychic power emanating upward into the clouds (we thought we’d put that tired visual device behind us).

But none of this is very funny, very entertaining, or compelling to watch, and the mechanics of the plot and overstuffed cast means that most of the actors get little or nothing of importance to do, and often disappear for long stretches. By the end, they all have to come together – including a barely registering Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) – to defeat yet another digitally-created entity from the other side with a murky plan to destroy the world. For most of the running time, however, ‘Frozen Empire’ plods along, with Kenan seemingly unable to draw any life or energy out of this well-worn narrative.

A Wasted Cast

(L to R) Bill Murray and Paul Rudd on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo By Jaap Buitendijk. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

One of the things people appreciated most about ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ was the introduction of its new cast, which also included the Spenglers’ new friends/helpmates Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) and Podcast (Logan Kim). All of them are back, but most of them are sidelined with the exception of Mckenna Grace’s Phoebe. Carrie Coon and Finn Wolfhard are given shockingly little in terms of story or character arc, with Coon looking bored throughout (she’s even sitting and scrolling through her phone in one scene) and Wolfhard literally vanishing from the film for much of its second act.

Grace and Paul Rudd fare better and carry a lot of the film, with Rudd providing his usual effortless charm. Grace is also very good, although she’s given a plot turn late in the movie that makes no sense at all, especially in light of events that follow it. As for the new additions, Nanjiani makes the most out of a thin character but does get most of the funnier lines (and delivers them well), while Oswalt relishes his brief time onscreen and provides his usual caustic presence.

Which brings us to the OG Ghostbusters. Aykroyd plays a more integral part in this story – although he’s more or less Basil Exposition – and manages to come off the best, while Ernie Hudson is just glad to be there and makes sure you know it as he smiles constantly for the camera. He and Aykroyd share a brief moment in which they ponder getting old, but it’s a theme with little potency as it’s never brought up again. As for Murray, he neither has a lot of screen time nor anything meaningful to provide to the story – sadly, Peter Venkman is a shadow of his former self (thankfully, there are no further cameos from the “ghost” of the late Harold Ramis’ Egon). And what happened to Sigourney Weaver’s Dana, glimpsed at the end of the last film?

Final Thoughts: Who You Gonna Call? Nobody

(L to R) Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), Gary (Paul Rudd), Nadeem (Kamail Nanjiani), Podcast (Logan Kim) and Callie (Carrie Coon) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo: Jaap Buitendijk. Copyright: © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A headline recently appeared online that asked if ‘Ghostbusters’ could just go back to being one of the great comedies of the 1980s, without the constant corporate mandate to make it into a franchise. We sadly could not agree more at this point. This is a property that’s truly running on fumes, and we’re really not sure if even a blast from a proton pack could reignite it.

‘Ghostbusters’ is like ‘Star Wars’ in a way too – as much as the franchise seems to want to move forward, it always ends up being stuck in the past. While both ‘Afterlife’ and ‘Frozen Empire’ contain little sparks of inspiration – mostly in the casting – the property’s reliance on nostalgia, combined with a lack of fresh narrative ideas or jokes, make ‘Frozen Empire’ a tedious, enervating sit. Let’s not answer the call anymore.

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ receives 4 out of 10 stars.
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What is the Plot of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?

As the descendants of Egon Spengler continue the ghostbustin’ business in New York City with the support of the rest of the original Ghostbusters, a new paranormal menace threatens to put the Big Apple into a deep freeze and unleash a second Ice Age upon the rest of humanity.

Who is in the Cast of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?
- Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson
- Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler
- Finn Wolfhard as Trevor Spengler
- Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler
- Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi
- Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hubert Wartzki
- Logan Kim as Podcast
- Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman
- Dan Aykroyd as Dr. Ray Stantz
- Ernie Hudson as Dr. Winston Zeddemore
- Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz
(L to R) Callie (Carrie Coon), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), Gary (Paul Rudd), Janine (Annie Potts), Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), Podcast (Logan Kim), Ray (Dan Aykroyd), Lars (James Acaster) and Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo: Jaap Buitendijk. Copyright: © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire:’
- ‘Ghostbusters‘ (1984)
- ‘Ghostbusters II‘ (1989)
- ‘Ghostbusters‘ (2016)
- ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife‘ (2021)
Buy ‘Ghostbusters’ Movies On Amazon
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March 20, 2024
Gil Kenan to Direct ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel

(L to R) Gil Kenan, Director Jason Reitman, and Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment Tony Vinciquerra at Echo-Fest on the lot of Sony Pictures in celebration of Ghostbusters Day.

Following on from Paul Feig’s reboot in 2016, the ‘Ghostbusters’ cinematic (sprit) world continued in more direct fashion via last year’s ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’, co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan, who made the first two movies in 1984 and 1989.

‘Afterlife’ did well enough to have Sony put a sequel in development, and a release slot for the follow-up in December 2023 was confirmed back in June. Now, according to Deadline, Gil Kenan is aboard to direct.

Kenan, of course, is no stranger to ‘Afterlife’––he co-wrote the first film with Reitman and produced it, which means that for the sequel, the two filmmakers are effectively swapping roles. They’ve worked on the script together again, and now Reitman will produce the sequel.

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ picked up the story of the Spengler family––that would be Egon Spengler, played by the late Harold Ramis in the original two movies––decades later. After Egon dies attempting to stop a resurgence of supernatural power in Summerville, Oklahoma, his estranged daughter Callie (Carrie Coon), her daughter Phoebe (McKenna Grace) and son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) move to the small town to pack up his ramshackle house.

(L to R) Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Logan Kim in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’

There, they discover his research into the potential return of Gozer (the big bad from the 1984 movie) and Phoebe in particular shows an interest in Ghostbusting, encouraged by local teacher Gary (Paul Rudd). Together the family has to face this new threat while dealing with the legacy of the past, which––spoiler alert––also shows up physically in the form of surviving Ghostbusters Ray Stanz (Dan Aykroyd), Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson).

An end credits seen sees Winston, who has gone on to become a successful businessman, bringing the restored Ecto-1 vehicle back to its original New York firehouse home. Reitman has said that that’s where the story for the sequel will take place, though there are no other details just.

We do know that the core ensemble, including Coon, Rudd, Grace and Wolfhard, should return.

“It’s an absolute honor to pick up the proton pack and step behind the camera for the next chapter of the Spengler family saga,” said Kenan in a statement. “I just wish I could go back to 1984 and tell the kid in the sixth row of the Mann Valley West that one day he was going to get to direct a ‘Ghostbusters’ film.”

“A few years ago, my father handed me the keys to Ecto-1, and together we made ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ ” said Reitman. “Words will never express how grateful I am to have made a film with my father by my side. It’s now time to hand those keys to my creative partner and fellow Ghostbuster Gil Kenan, a brilliant director who will keep the Spengler spirit alive. I can only hope to provide him the same producorial care and support that my father showed me.”

(L to R) Gil Kenan, Logan Kim, Ernie Hudson, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures EntertainmentTony Vinciquerra and Director Jason Reitman at Echo-Fest on the lot of Sony Pictures in celebration of Ghostbusters Day.
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December 6, 2022
‘Quantum Leap’ Interview: Ernie Hudson Talks New NBC Series

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Premiering September 19th on NBC is ‘Quantum Leap,’ which is a continuation of the classic 1980’s series.

Thirty years after the disappearance of Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula), the series stars Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song, the lead physicist on the new Quantum Leap project.

When Song becomes lost in the past just like Beckett, his present day team must figure out a way to finally bring him home, including girlfriend Addison Augustine (Caitlin Bassett) and the head of the Quantum Leap project, Herbert “Magic” Williams (Ernie Hudson), who has ties to the original program.

Actor Ernie Hudson has appeared in dozens of popular film and television projects including ‘The Crow,’ ‘Congo,’ ‘Miss Congeniality,’ and HBO’s groundbreaking series ‘Oz.’

But he is probably best known for his role as Winston Zeddmore in ‘Ghostbusters,’ Ghostbusters II,’ and most recently ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ernie Hudson about his work on ‘Quantum Leap.’

The actor discussed the new series, its ties to the original, how it’s different, his character, working with the cast, and the future of the show, as well as reuniting with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd for ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ possibly returning for the next installment of the franchise, and his memories of the late great Ivan Reitman.

Ernie Hudson as Herbert “Magic” Williams in NBC’s ‘Quantum Leap.’ Photo by Ron Batzdorff/NBC. 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch a video expert from the interview.

Moviefone: To begin with, were you a fan of the original series, and what was your reaction when you were approached for this new version of ‘Quantum Leap?’

Ernie Hudson: I was a fan, even though I’m not really avid, I wasn’t an avid fan. I didn’t watch it every week, but I did watch it from time to time. I was a single dad during that time, and my two older boys, we would watch it and it was a great show where we could talk about the theme and what had happened in that particular leap. But I certainly was a big fan of Scott Bakula. I just thought he had such a charm and presence about him.

Then when I heard about this show, and when they asked me to do this, I was like, “Oh, it was a fun show.” But my kids, my two older boys, they were really excited about it. They said, “Dad, this is ‘Quantum Leap!’” So, I’m very happy to be a part of it.

MF: How would you describe your character, Herbert “Magic” Williams, and can you talk about how he is connected to the original series?

EH: I’m always a little bit unsure exactly how much to share. But Magic is someone who I’ll say was impacted in the original series and that leap has troubled him. He’s a military man and as he moved up in the Navy, he became an admiral. He has just been puzzled by what happened, and so he finds out about this secret project and really does everything he can to get it back up and running. Primarily because he feels his life was altered and Sam is still out there, and it’s very important for him to try to bring him home.

So he runs the program. He’s responsible for the program being up again, and of course, nothing runs quite smoothly. Just when things seem to be working very well, my lead scientist, Dr. Ben Song, decides to leap without permission and of course just throws everything off. Magic has the answer to the Pentagon. He has to answer to all the investors, all the people who are invested in this thing, and it’s a bit out of control right now for him.

Then it gets complicated because in his mind, the military isn’t the only ones who are interested in this kind of project and something else is going on, even though we don’t know at this point what and how all that is, but we’re working very hard to resolve it. So, there’s a couple of leapers and a couple of things going on, whether it’s a private enterprise or another government, but there’s a lot more going on that he suspected going into it.

MF: As the season goes on, will we explore Magic’s connections to Sam and the original series more?

EH: That’s the fun part of what I do on the show because in addition to trying to hold things down, I’m keeping the scientists working to hold the Quantum Leap, including Ziggy the machine that allows all this to happen, the computer. Now each episode Dr. Ben Song, played by Raymond Lee, he leaps into a different life, a different adventure. That’s what the show primarily is about. The original show, that was pretty much all it was about, but now we have the present day stuff of trying to hold this together and figure it out.

So there’s a lot of unsolved mysteries. In addition to my personal life and all that goes with it, but primarily it’s about, I think relationships, empathy, walking in someone else’s shoes, the result of choices and that other choices can change the world.

Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song in NBC’s ‘Quantum Leap.’ Photo by Ron Batzdorff/NBC. 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.

MF: As you mentioned, the series is also different from the original because we see the team in present day working to get Ben back. Can you talk about that change to the structure of the franchise?

EH: We’re making obviously every effort we can to make this happen. I’d say he’s the lead scientist on it. But also I think one of the wonderful things for me is when we go back to a period like the 60’s, or the 40’s, now in this new iteration, we don’t have to leap within his lifespan, we can go further back. We get a chance to really take a look at things as they were at the time.

Normally, we look back and we like to put our own judgements on, “If I were living then, I would’ve done this, and they should have done that.” But it was a very different time. We get a chance to see that without our own judgements about right now. So to me, I find that really very interesting because things have changed in ways that it’s hard to even fathom until you really take a moment to look at it.

Moviefone: Can you talk about working with Raymond Lee and the rest of the cast?

EH: Raymond, of course he’s been around. He’s a wonderful actor. But I was really excited to be on the show. It’s hard to find the words to say this, but because of the charm that Scott Bakula has, I didn’t know who could replace it because a lot of the show was that. But when I met Raymond and saw him work, that’s when I really felt like, “Okay, this will work.” But Raymond Lee brings some of his own unique presence.

When I think of Raymond, I’m just really proud of him and the work that he’s doing on the show. But also Caitlin Bassett and Mason Alexander Park, it’s a great cast. It’s newer people, and I’ve been around for a long time, so they were all in the beginning, new to me. But the work is amazing and I’m just honored to get a chance to play with them.

MF: How much do you know about the season as a whole and the writers’ plans for the future of the series? Is it possible that Ben will return before season’s end, or will that take place over time like the original show?

EH: I don’t know a whole lot. I mean, in some ways that’s a good thing because playing a character who’s trying to figure it out and he’s confused, I’m just as confused as the character. So, it’s one of those things when I get the new script and I’m like, “Okay, so what happens? How did that end?” So, I’m right there with the audience and I know that we will figure it out, but how will we figure it out? Nobody is giving me any advanced warnings.

In a lot of ways I like that because I have to trust that it’ll all fall in place. But it’s a great writing team, show runners, and the executive producers are all great. So, I have total confidence, but I am as confused as anyone else.

(L to R) Nanrisa Lee as Jen, Ernie Hudson as Herbert “Magic” Williams, Mason Alexander Park as Ian Wright, and Caitlin Bassett as Addison Augustine in NBC’s ‘Quantum Leap.’ Photo by Ron Batzdorff/NBC. 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.

MF: The first episode was dedicated to the late Dean Stockwell, and the episode includes mentions of Sam, Al, and Ziggy. Can you talk about the importance of embracing the history of the franchise, while still creating a new story and characters for this series?

EH: I think it’s really important. This is not a Reboot. This is not taking something and then trying to do it better or whatever. This is really a continuation. This is 30 years later in the future based on where we are and who we are. But it’s connected. I think it takes the basics of that, but we also bring in a modern day new element. Things that we know now we didn’t know then. Certainly technology, so all that is just moving the whole project forward.

For those fans who love the original, I think we’ve been really true to that. But also I think we’re in a different place. I think for a lot of the new fans, you don’t have to have watched the original show. But this is moving the whole thing forward. Donald P. Bellisario and Deborah Pratt who created and produced the original show, their executive producers on this.

So, I know they’re making sure it’s also tied into what we had, but not being limited by that. So, I’ve had some experiences, and I never like when they try to reboot. We’re not redoing something totally different, but doing our own unique thing, making our own impression, and really honoring what is there and what’s been established.

MF: What is it about the original series and the concept of ‘Quantum Leap’ that has become so beloved over the years and really is now part of American pop culture?

EH: I think it’s the idea. We talk a lot about “If you walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.” There’s a part of the human experience that wants to believe it knows. So, we make these quick judgements about people. We make these quick judgements about situations. If I were that person, I would’ve done this.

What I think the show does is, we actually are in someone else’s world, their life, their relationships, and we see the complications of that from a perspective that you can never see. I think now with so many things being divided, we like to think we know what’s going on, but I look at things sometimes. Had I been raised that way, had I been married to a bad person? It would’ve been different, the consequences, the choices, or that there are different consequences than what I personally would face.

MF: Fans were really excited to see you return to your Winston Zeddmore character in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ What was it like for you to put the uniform and the proton pack back on and work with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd again?

EH: Well, we had talked about a new ‘Ghostbusters’ for 25 years. I had just given up. I thought, “Okay, it’s not going to happen. We did the video game, but we’ll never do the movie.” Then Paul Feig came in with ‘Ghostbusters: Answer the Call.’ I love Paul, I really liked the movie a lot and definitely have a lot of love for the ladies who starred in it. But it was a Reboot. I don’t like reboots, as we talked about earlier. But when Jason Reitman finally called and said they were moving forward with a ‘Ghostbusters’ that is an extension of the originals, that was really exciting.

But I still had that little like, “Is this really happening?” It wasn’t until I got on the set and I had my jumpsuit on, and I saw Bill and Danny all geared up with their backpacks. I thought, “Wow, this is it. It’s actually happening.” It was very moving for me. I didn’t tear up, but I came close to. It just brought back so much.

This movie is such an important part of my life. It had such a huge impact with the fan base for so many years that we were now doing this movie that I felt they have wanted for such a long time. So, seeing Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts, and it was a wonderful little script. There was some things I felt with Winston that Jason Reitman addressed in the film for me.

Then I just heard a couple days ago that Sony is looking at the new script. So, I know there’s a lot of plans for future iterations, and it’s turned into a really fun, exciting part of my career and in my life. I’m so thankful to be a part of that.

(L to R) Gil Kenan, Logan Kim, Ernie Hudson, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures EntertainmentTony Vinciquerra and Director Jason Reitman at Echo-Fest on the lot of Sony Pictures in celebration of Ghostbusters Day.

MF: So, we haven’t seen the end of Winston Zeddmore on the big screen? We could see him again in a future ‘Ghostbusters’ movie?

EH: I think so. I think he’s definitely tied into the whole ‘Ghostbusters’ world. He’s a businessman now who has this international corporation, but I’ll always be a Ghostbuster. So, I think as long as there are ‘Ghostbusters’ movies, and Winston can put on the backpack and the jumpsuit still fits, we’ll see Winston involved. We are in Hollywood, but I certainly would love to be a part of, and we’ll see how it unfolds.

MF: Finally, what was it like for you working with Jason Reitman on ‘Afterlife,’ having made the first two ‘Ghostbusters’ movies with his father, and do you have a memory of working with the late Ivan Reitman?

EH: We did the (original ‘Ghostbusters’) movie, and there were a lot of changes, especially in the very beginning. But over the years, we’ve really developed a friendship. I think we both grew and changed. Ivan early on wasn’t very touchy-feely but we had a chance to really connect. I just have so much love and respect for him, and I realized the impact that he had on my life with this movie. I also did another movie with him called
‘Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone.’

Jason, who was six-years-old when we did the original movie was always hanging around on the set. He was in the second movie, and grew up to be such a talented filmmaker. When I heard that he was taking over the helm, I was like, “Okay, we’re good.” I was really excited.

With Ivan, when I first met him, he had done so many amazing movies and I had so much respect for him. So, you want to work and bring your best because he demands that. But with Jason, I can’t imagine anybody who doesn’t love Jason. You know what I mean? So, you bring your best because you really wanted to succeed and he feels like family

There’s some relationships in this business that you really value and you hold onto to. Ivan was one of them. There are people who you can really connect to and say, “Okay, this person really had an impact in shaping, not only my career, but who I am as a person.” Ivan is one of those people.

(L to R) Jason Reitman and Ivan Reitman at Premiere of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ Photo Courtesy of Reuters.
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September 27, 2022
Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd Join the Cast of ‘Zombie Town’

(L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase in 1985’s ‘Spies Like Us.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. YouTube channel.

It has been 31 years since Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase truly shared the big screen together and while that was for the critically lambasted ‘Nothing But Trouble’ (written and directed by Aykroyd), they’ll be hoping for nothing but plaudits for their movie reunion.

The former ‘Saturday Night Live’ castmates and comedy legends are joining the ensemble cast of new teen mystery romance ‘Zombie Town’, according to The Hollywood Reporter. And while Aykroyd is fully aboard, Entertainment Weekly has heard that Chase’s deal is still in the process of closing – but given that their inclusion has now hit the trades, you’ve got to figure that he’ll show up.

‘Zombie Town’ is adapted from ‘Goosebumps’ creator R.L. Stine’s 2012 eponymous book and follows Mike (Marlon Kazadi), a projectionist at his local movie theater in Carverville. He’s terrified of zombie movies, but his best friend and crush, Amy (Madi Monroe), just loves them.

So when the new zombie flick from Amy’s favorite director is set to premiere on Halloween at his cinema, Mike decides to show her the film early. The two find out the reel is cursed, transforming everyone in town, except for them, into the undead.

In addition to Chase and Aykroyd, the movie’s cast also includes Henry Czerny (who is jumping back into the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise but also knows a thing or two about horror romps after ‘Ready or Not’), and two other Canadian comedy pioneers, Scott Thompson and Bruce McCulloch from ‘The Kids in the Hall’.

Chevy Chase during 1988 American Comedy Awards in Los Angeles, California, United States. Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc.

Canadian animator Peter Lepeniotis is directing the movie, with the cameras now rolling in Ontario.

“We are delighted to bring the pages of R.L. Stine’s ‘Zombie Town’ to the screen and equally thrilled to be working with such an exceptional cast and crew on this production. A three-time Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award winner with book sales of over $500 million, R.L. Stine has a phenomenal track record of crafting stories that engage and entertain audiences,” says John Gillespie, Trimuse Entertainment founder and executive producer, in a statement.

It’s not the first time that Aykroyd and Chase have considered working together since their 1991 outing. Aykroyd tried to set something up in 2012, writing on Facebook that they were “about to start work on a script concept for a comedy movie.”

“The joy of working with him again is one that I am extremely excited about,” Aykroyd added. “Chevy is one of my favorite people, and one of the great anarchistic and physically committed comedians in the business.” All of that might be true, but he’s also developed a reputation for being demanding and rude on sets, as revealed by the cast of ‘Community’.

The plan is for ‘Zombie Town’ to arrive in US theaters before heading to streaming service Hulu.

Dan Aykroyd in 1991’s ‘Nothing But Trouble.’

August 29, 2022
Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Mostly Recaptures the Magic

Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Logan Kim in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’

Opening in theaters on November 19th is ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ which is the fourth film in the franchise and a direct sequel to ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Ghostbusters II.’ Written and directed by Jason Reitman (‘Up in the Air’), son of the original film’s director Ivan Reitman, the new movie is set over 30-years after the original and follows a group of kids in Oklahoma who discover their town is plagued with ghosts and that they have a mysterious direct connection to one of the famed Ghostbusters. The new film stars Mckenna Grace (‘Captain Marvel’), Finn Wolfhard (‘It’), Carrie Coon (‘Avengers: Infinity War’), and Paul Rudd (‘Ant-Man’), as well as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver reprising their roles. The result is a really fun movie that has fantastic new characters but relies heavily on nostalgia and basically copies the first film’s plot.

After she is evicted from her apartment, Callie Spengler (Coon) movies her kids, Phoebe (McKenna) and Trevor (Wolfhard), to her recently deceased estranged father’s abandoned home in Summerville, Oklahoma. The town is experiencing unusual daily earthquakes, while Phoebe and Trevor adjust to their new life. Trevor gets a job at the local burger joint, so he can be closer to Lucky Domingo (Celeste O’Connor), the girl he likes who is also the Sheriff’s daughter. Meanwhile, Phoebe goes to summer school and makes a new friend, Podcast (Logan Kim), a young boy obsessed with recording everything. Trevor and Phoebe are discouraged by their mother to learn about their grandfather, who they never knew, but eventually Trevor discovers and begins to repair the Ecto-1, while Phoebe finds a hidden ghost trap beneath the floorboards of their house.

Phoebe takes the ghost trap to class and her teacher, Mr. Grooberson (Rudd) explains the history of the Ghostbusters and everything that happened in New York in the 1980s, as they are completely unaware. Phoebe soon realizes that her grandfather was Egon Spengler, a member of the Ghostbusters. When a green ghost appears in Summerville, Phoebe, Trevor and Podcast use the Ecto-1 and a Proton Pack found in Egon’s hidden laboratory to capture the ghost but destroy half the town in the process and are arrested by Lucky’s dad. After a date with Mr. Grooberson, Callie picks her kids up from jail and tells them the truth about her father, that he was crazy and had turned his back on all his friends and family years ago. Believing that her town is about to become ground zero for the apocalypse, Phoebe calls the only people she thinks can help … the Ghostbusters. But with the team disbanded, it’s up to Phoebe and Trevor to follow in their grandfathers’ footsteps, along with Podcast and Lucky, and “suit up” to defeat the ghosts and ghouls plaguing their town.

There are a lot of fun Easter Eggs in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ that I want to try and not spoil, but surprisingly the best part of the film are the new characters and fresh setting. Mckenna Grace is absolutely captivating and creates a fun and rich character in Phoebe. She carries the emotional thrust of the film and builds a character that you want to follow and see more of in the future. Equally, Finn Wolfhard is super fun as Trevor and has great charisma and onscreen chemistry with Celeste O’Connor’s Lucky. Rounding out the foursome is Logan Kim’s terrific Podcast, who makes a great sidekick to Phoebe. In fact, the kids are so great in this film that you don’t really care when the original Ghostbusters show up, and that is part of the problem. Jason Reitman’s script works so well introducing us to the Spengler kids and the town of Sommerville, that it almost seems anticlimactic when Murray, Aykroyd and Hudson appear, which is not really a spoiler since the three actors have been doing press for the film.

Another issue I have with the movie is that, other than a new cast and a fresh environment, the movie is almost exactly the same as the first, pretty much beat-for-beat. I’d say it is kin to ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ in that sense, which is not a bad thing per se. I’m a longtime fan of the ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise and I definitely think this is the best film since the original, but it would have been nice if the basic plot was slightly different. It’s still great to see the “big three” when they do appear, and their appearance does not overshadow the kids. There is also a wonderful tribute to the late great Harold Ramis in the film, which I won’t spoil, but just say that it was done very tastefully and handled better than, for example, Carrie Fisher’s inclusion in ‘The Rise of Skywalker.’ There are a few other cool cameos in the movie, as well as an all new version of the fan-favorite Slimer, and mini-Stay Puft Marshmallow men, which I thought was a fresh take on an old concept.

Jason Reitman was definitely the right person to lead the franchise in this direction, and with the fun new characters he has definitely created something I would like to see more of, but in future installments hopefully it will be less reliant on the same old formula. Carrie Coon is strong as Phoebe and Trevor’s mom, struggling to get by and holding deep resentment for her own father. She also has great chemistry with Paul Rudd, who as always is adorably fun to see on screen. Rudd plays his character of Mr. Grooberson with hilarious enthusiasm, and you get the idea that the actor is having as much fun being in a Ghostbusters movie as his character is fighting ghosts. There is a clever twist with Callie and Mr. Grooberson’s relationship, that I have to admit I saw coming, but it still works within the context of the film. In the end, while it’s not as original a movie as you may have been led to believe, Jason Reitman still has found a way to breathe fresh life into the franchise his father created, establishing great new characters for a new generation of fans in a fun and entertaining, yet nostalgia-heavy film.

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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November 18, 2021