Arnold Schwarzenegger is not a man to mince words. If he wants to say something, he’ll say it. In his career, he’s been a successful bodybuilder, an action legend (even if he’s not necessarily known for Oscar-caliber acting) and a politician.
These days, he’s also known as an online activist, looking to spread positivity and workout tips on social media and beyond. He also hasn’t completely given up on acting, with new Netflix series ‘FUBAR’ due to start streaming on May 25th.
In the course of promoting that show, Schwarzenegger has opened up for a wide-ranging interview in The Hollywood Reporter, touching on his successes and failures, both personally and professionally.
The interview includes the former governor of California talking up the progress of future movie projects, including two of his most famous franchises, the ‘Terminator’ and ‘Conan’, plus offering a disappointing update on the ‘Twins’ sequel, ‘Triplets’.
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‘The Legend of Conan’
The ‘Conan’ movie series, originally adapted by John Milius from Robert E. Howard’s fantasy warrior, has been in limbo –– at least in terms of projects featuring Arnie –– despite reboots with other actors such as Jason Momoa. And Schwarzenegger knows why.
Here’s what he says of the “pending”, sequel ‘The Legend of Conan’:
“It’s been pending for the last 10 years. (Fredrik) Malmberg owns the rights. He comes to me and says, ‘Oh, I have a deal with Netflix,’ and when we ask Netflix, they don’t know anything about it. It’s one of those crazy things. I hope he figures it out. I think you do it like ‘Unforgiven’, where you play the age. There’s a great script out there that John Milius wrote, and others have written one. The story is there. There are directors who want to do it. But he has the rights, and until he sells the rights for one or two movies, or for the franchise, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day.’
When it came to one of his most famous franchises –– the one he’s long acknowledged truly launched him as an action icon –– he’s even more forthright. Essentially, the ‘Terminator’ movies are going to move on without him.
Here’s what Schwarzenegger had to say:
“The franchise is not done. I’m done. I got the message loud and clear that the world wants to move on with a different theme when it comes to ‘The Terminator’. Someone has to come up with a great idea. ‘The Terminator’ was largely responsible for my success, so I always would look at it very fondly. The first three movies were great. Number four (‘Salvation’) I was not in because I was governor. Then five (‘Genisys’) and six (‘Dark Fate’) didn’t close the deal as far as I’m concerned. We knew that ahead of time because they were just not well written.”
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‘Twins’ sequel ‘Triplets’
And finally, there’s ‘Triplets’, the sequel to the 1988 Ivan Reitman comedy ‘Twins’ which saw Schwarzenegger playing unlikely brothers with Danny DeVito. The new movie had finally been gathering pace in recent years, with first Eddie Murphy and then Tracy Morgan agreeing to play the third unexpected sibling. But according to the actor, it’s on permanent hold following Reitman’s death, mostly because of the director’s son Jason, a filmmaker in his own right. And Arnie’s not pleased.
Here’s his comment:
“Jason Reitman f****d it up! Jason Reitman literally stopped the project when his father died. His father wanted to do it really badly. I wanted to do it really badly. Danny DeVito wanted to do it really badly. We had the financing. When his father passed away, Jason says, ‘I never liked the idea’ and put a hold on it. I’m developing another movie with Danny; he’s so much fun to work with and so talented.”
(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.
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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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.’
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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(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.
There was a lot of talk a few years ago – around the time that Paul Feig’s ‘Ghostbusters’ was about to come out – about a big new universe being built around the idea of spook chasing. Visions of a Marvel-style connected series of stories (a GBCU?) danced in Sony’s heads, but back then it was not to be.
Now, though, given the success of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ last year, it appears that the traps have been sprung, the containment facility breached, and all manner of ghostly goings-on are in the works, with a day – the same day the original 1984 ‘Ghostbusters’ was released, calendar fans – dedicated to announcements about the future of the franchise.
First and foremost was word that Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, who co-wrote ‘Afterlife’ (which Reitman also directed) are busy on the script for the sequel. Little was revealed about it other than it promises to chronicle “the next chapter in the Spengler family.” That points to the return of Phoebe (McKenna Grace), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and their family for more ghost hunting.
And the movie’s codename, “Firehouse” confirms (as with the shot of Ecto-1 driving into the city at the end of ‘Afterlife’ plus Ernie Hudson’s Winston Zeddemore re-opening the original base of operations) that the new movie returns to the familiar environs of New York.
Ernie Hudson at Echo-Fest on the lot of Sony Pictures in celebration of Ghostbusters Day.
We also learned that Dark Horse has plans to publish a ‘Ghostbusters’ comic series that will bridge the gap between ‘Afterlife’ and the upcoming sequel.
Reitman and Kenan have also been developing an animated movie based on the concept, though didn’t expand on what that might focus on. Could Feig’s gang finally get their due again on screen? Or is this a whole new team? Either way, the pair is busy with the ‘Afterlife’ sequel, so the actual creative duties are being handled by co-directors Chris Prynoski and Jennifer Kluska and writer Brenda Hsueh.
And that’s not all! There is also a plan for a new ‘Ghostbusters’ animated sequel, an interesting development, since the original characters already came to TV twice at least, via ‘The Real Ghostbusters’ and then ‘Extreme Ghostbusters’. This new show is at a very early stage so far, with no writer attached to oversee it just yet. Still, despite their packed schedule, Reitman and Kenan will also have a hand in that.
There was also an emotional moment as Ivan Reitman Way – dedicated to Jason’s late father, the man who produced and directed the first two ‘Ghostbusters’ films – was unveiled on the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City, along with the announcement of a virtual reality training simulator called ‘Ghostbusters VR Academy’ that will be cropping up in locations around the country.
It’s clearly a good time to be a ‘Ghostbusters’ fan, and Sony will no doubt be hoping that we’re gonna know who to call for years to come.
(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.Echo-Fest on the lot of Sony Pictures in celebration of Ghostbusters Day.Echo-Fest on the lot of Sony Pictures in celebration of Ghostbusters Day.
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(L to R) Jason Reitman and Ivan Reitman at Premiere of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ Photo Courtesy of Reuters.
Ivan Reitman, who forever seared his name into the pantheon of cinematic comedy by producing and directing 1984’s ‘Ghostbusters’ has died. He was 75.
Born in 1946, in Komárno, Czechoslovakia, Reitman was the son of survivors – his mother made it out of concentration camp Auschwitz alive, and his father fought in the Czech resistance. The family escaped the country in 1950 as the Communist regime took hold, arriving in the States and then to Toronto, where Reitman was raised.
Attending McMaster University in Hamilton, Reitman began the early days of a successful film career by producing and directing shorts, studying alongside a cadre of performers who would go on to be big names in movies and TV, and especially in Canadian comedy series SCTV, including Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, and Rick Moranis. On his return to Toronto, Reitman was hired to produce a comedy show for a local TV station and hired Dan Aykroyd, who would go on to become a lifelong friend and creative colleague.
On the movie front, Reitman started in horror, but always with a mix of comedy, his most notable initial effort being ‘Cannibal Girls’, which starred Levy and Martin. Also on the terror front, he became an influential supporter of other directors’ work, producing David Cronenberg’s ‘Shivers’ and ‘Rabid’.
Yet comedy would end up the defining genre of Reitman’s career, including producing ‘Animal House’, which launched several careers. He also had a keen eye for anarchic, creative talent in actors, working with Bill Murray on films including ‘Meatballs’ and ‘Stripes’ and then on the movie for which he’ll best be remembered: ‘Ghostbusters’.
(L to R) Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in ‘Ghostbusters.’ Photo Credit: Columbia / The Kobal Collection.
Originally written by Aykroyd as a sprawling, expensive special effects adventure, Reitman realized the potential of the concept and brought in Harold Ramis, who had co-written ‘Animal House’, ‘Stripes’; and ‘Meatballs’, among others to work on honing it with Aykroyd. They, along with Murray and Ernie Hudson starred in the film, which remains a high watermark in comedy movies.
A sequel, 1989’s ‘Ghostbusters II’, couldn’t capture the same magic, but helped continue the franchise with which Reitman was associated until his death.
Reitman leaves behind a cinematic legacy not just his own, but that of his family – his wife, Geneviève Robert is an actress and director, son Jason is the Oscar-nominated writer and director of films including ‘Juno’, ‘Up in the Air’ and ‘Thank You for Smoking,’ and who brought the ‘Ghostbusters’ story roaring back to our screens last year with ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’. Eldest daughter Catherine is a writer and actor who created Netflix comedy series ‘Workin’ Moms’, while youngest Caroline is an actress and musician.
Jason took to twitter to pay tribute to his father:
I’ve lost my hero. All I want is the chance to tell my father one more story. He came from a family of survivors and turned his legacy into laughter. Thank you for the kind messages. Enjoy his movies and remember his storytelling gifts. Nothing would make him happier. pic.twitter.com/tSijfxSnLg
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Sometimes overlooked in favor of other “slobs vs. snobs” comedy classics from the same era, like Animal House and Caddyshack, this was Bill Murray’s first starring role, and the feature directorial debut for Ivan Reitman. Murray stars as Tripper, head counselor at Camp North Star, a bargain-basement summer camp in Ontario. Murray takes the lonely Rudy (Chris Makepeace) under his wing while still overseeing a group of oddball counselors-in-training as they have their own romances, pull pranks on the camp’s director, and take on wealthy Camp Mohawk in a yearly tournament. It’s ultimately a sweet story, without ever getting quite as crass as some of the era’s other films starring Saturday Night Live alumni. ‘Meatballs’ would turn out to be hugely successful, spawning three mostly unrelated sequels and countless knockoffs.
Wet Hot American Summer
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If ‘Meatballs’ saw plenty of lesser imitations, ‘The State’ alumni David Wain and Michael Showalter stepped up with a satirical take on summer camp movies. Although it bombed at the box office, it’s since become a cult classic, spawning two series on Netflix (one prequel and one sequel). There’s an amazing cast here, including Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Christopher Meloni, and David Hyde Pierce, plus other alumni from ‘The State,’ such as Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio. There’s a plot here about the camp putting on a talent show, counselors in love, and a falling piece of Skylab that threatens everyone’s lives, but it’s really just an excuse to see some stars and future stars show off some great comic chops.
Dirty Dancing
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For those that haven’t gotten around to seeing this classic, it’s easy to write off ‘Dirty Dancing’ as sappy romance. But that would be wrong. It’s an emotionally satisfying coming-of-age story about Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and her steamy summer romance with dancer Johnny (Patrick Swayze). The dancing is terrific, Grey and Swayze have terrific chemistry. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and based on her own summer trips to the Catskills, Baby’s adventure starts because she and her family are taking a summer vacation at Kellerman’s a tony resort. Baby sees hints of classism between some of the staff, and she finds herself drawn more to the working class staffers instead of the Ivy League-bound waiters. The film subversively gives Baby agency, letting her pick her own friends and make her own choices in her sex life; she has a summer fling with a sexy dancer and isn’t punished by fate for it. That was fairly groundbreaking in 1987, and is (sadly) might still be considered unusual in some corners even now.
National Lampoon’s Vacation
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This is another film that started a franchise, but the original version is still the best. Based on screenwriter John Hughes’ own National Lampoon story about a disastrous road trip, the movie focuses on the Griswold’s drive from Chicago to California for a visit to a thinly-veiled version of Disneyland called “Wally World.” Chevy Chase puts in a legendary turn as Clark, the increasingly obsessive patriarch of the Griswold clan. Clark is going to have a great road trip with his family whether they like it or not, and if he becomes Ahab in a station wagon, then so be it. Beverly D’Angelo hits just the right notes as Clark’s wife Ellen, as does Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron as their children Rusty and Audrey. Chase and D’Angelo would return for sequels, and it became a running joke that Rusty and Audrey would be recast in every subsequent film. This first adventure sees car trouble in the desert, an unwanted passenger, a temptress in a Ferrari, and a visit with Cousin Eddy (a reminder of when Randy Quaid was funny). It’s filled with laughs, but it will definitely make you think twice about future family road trips.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
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Based on the best-selling YA novel by Ann Brashares, this is the story of four teen girls, best friends since childhood, who are about to spend their first summer apart. But before three of them leave town, the quartet go shopping and find a pair of jeans that magically fit each one of them. The four decide that they’ll share the pants for the summer, and while each of them have these mysterious jeans in their possession, their individual summers are upended. Blake Lively, America Ferrara, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn play Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby (respectively). The movie captures the charm of the novel, in no small part because of the charisma and chemistry of the stars, and it’s ultimately a heartwarming tale about female friendships and the bonds young women make that can last a lifetime.
Girls Trip
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The annual Essence Music Fest takes place in New Orleans every 4th of July, and that’s the backdrop for Ryan Pierce’s (Regina Hall) attempt to reunite with three of her friends from college. Pierce is a bestselling author and lifestyle guru, poised to be “the next Oprah.” She’s scheduled to speak at the festival, so she invites her college friends to join her, in the hopes of rekindling their friendships. These other three have lives of their own now; Sasha (Queen Latifah) is a celebrity gossip blogger, Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a working single mother, and Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is still party-girl Dina, all these years later. These four actors are great together, but Tiffany Haddish is a revelation here, stealing the movie and never giving it back. The film isn’t afraid to remind us that women can and do party hard, but it doesn’t lose sight of these friends repairing burned bridges and reaffirming their love for each other.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
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One of the casualties of quarantine is that this film didn’t get a proper theatrical release. That’s a shame, because as funny as this movie is, it would have been even more side-splitting with a big audience. Make no mistake, this movie is straight up bananas from beginning to end. Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo wrote the script and star as Star and Barb, two middle-aged best friends that talk a bit too much, they can be both clueless and timid, but once they hit Vista Del Mar, the movie all but explodes into mayhem. To describe too much would be to take away some of the stunningly insane jokes packed wall-to-wall across the entire film. But suffice to say you may never look at Jamie Dornan the same way again.
The Endless Summer
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This is one of the first and probably still the best surf movie ever made. Director Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson, as they leave Southern California and travel to surf spots around the world, including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Tahiti, Senegal, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Australia. Brown’s breezy narration is a far cry from the stiffer voices heard in most documentaries at the time, and it lends an inviting tone to the gorgeous cinematography of the both surf action and the local landscapes. This documentary might help non-surfers understand the appeal of surfing more than any other film ever made, and the idea of an “endless summer” means its welcome on any day of the calendar year.
There may be something strange in the neighborhood — and the cast of “Ghostbusters 2020” is loving it.
Director Jason Reitman posted a first look photo of himself with Carrie Coon, Stranger Things” star Finn Wolfhard, and “Captain Marvel” actress Mckenna Grace. Also pictured is Reitman’s father, Ivan Reitman, who directed the original “Ghostbusters” movie.
In the photo, Grace holds a clapboard that reads “Rust City,” which is likely a fake production name. The movie doesn’t have an official title yet, though the studio and Reitman are referring to it as
Ghostbusters 2020.”
The new film is a direct follow-up to the original and its sequel, and Reitman has said he plans to incorporate many visual and musical nods to those predecessors.
It’s been 30 years since “Ghostbusters II” got the gang back together. It may not have entirely satisfied fans of the 1984 original, but bustin’ always makes us feel good. Celebrate this big movie milestone by learning more about the making of “Ghostbusters II.”
1. Several changes were made to the sequel in order to reflect the popularity of the animated series “The Real Ghostbusters.” That included bringing back Slimer as comic relief, avoiding any scenes of the Ghostbusters smoking and changing Janine’s appearance to more closely resemble her animated counterpart.
Sony Pictures Television
2.Ben Stein has a small cameo in the film, but he almost had a much bigger role. Stein was considered as a possible replacement for Bill Murray after Murray showed a reluctance to participate in the sequel.
3. The original screenplay contains several scenes not included in the actual film, including a sequence where Ray is possessed by Vigo while driving the Ecto-1 and attempts to kill the other Ghostbusters.
Columbia Pictures
4. The film also has a deleted subplot in which Rick Moranis‘ Louis lays various traps for Slimer, hoping to prove his mettle as a Ghostbuster.
5. Vigo actor Wilhelm Von Homburg didn’t know his lines would be dubbed over by Max von Sydow, and he stormed out of the premiere after discovering the change.
Columbia Pictures
6. Vigo isn’t based on a specific historical figure, but his appearance and back-story were strongly influenced by Vlad Dracula and Grigori Rasputin.
7. The twin babies cast as Oscar are the nephews of singer John Denver.
Columbia Pictures
8. “Ghostbusters II” set a new record for highest opening weekend box office gross when it hit theaters. Unfortunately, that record was broken again the following weekend by “Batman.”
9. The movie was the source of a minor controversy thanks to a tie-in “Ghostblaster” toy released at Hardee’s fast food restaurants. 2 million units were recalled after the toy was deemed a choking hazard.
Columbia Pictures
10. Two of director Ivan Reitman‘s children have cameos in the film. Catherine Reitman plays the girl with the puppy in Egon’s lab, while Jason Reitman plays the child who exclaims, “Ghostbusters are full of crap!”
11. Ironically, Jason Reitman has now been tapped to direct the long-awaited “Ghostbusters 3“, due for release in 2020.
It will be “set in the world that was saved decades previously by the proton pack-wearing working stiffs in the original 1984 movie.”
So… does that mean that Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson will be back? That’s not addressed, but we do know that it will be set in the present day. And make no reference to the 2016 reboot.
“This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the ‘80s happened in the ‘80s, and this is set in the present day,” says Jason Reitman. “I have so much respect for what Paul [Feig] created with those brilliant actresses [in the 2016 film], and would love to see more stories from them. However, this new movie will follow the trajectory of the original film.”
When he was six, by the way, he was an extra in the 1984 original. And the kid who tells the now down-and-out Ghostbusters in the 1989 sequel, “My dad says you guys are full of crap.”
Sony Pictures has scheduled the film for Summer 2020, with plans to start shooting in a few months.
Father Ivan is producing the movie. “It will be a passing of the torch both inside and out,” he told EW. “[Jason] worked really hard to be independent and developed a wonderful career on his own. So I was quite surprised when he came to me with [cowriter Gil Kenan] and said, ‘I know I’ve been saying for 10 years I’m the last person who should make a ‘Ghostbusters’ movie, but…I have this idea.’ Literally, I was crying by the end of it, it was so emotional and funny.”
The film has reportedly been developed under the fake title “Rust City” to stay under the radar.
