Dan Aykroyd Still Refuses To Let His GHOSTBUSTERS 3 Go

This week’s 40th SNL Anniversary special reminded us all that we should respect Dan Aykroyd as a deeply talented comedy actor who really contributed a lot to popular culture. Meanwhile, Aykroyd’s “Bass-O-Matic” sketch redo also reminded us that that was then and this is now, and right not Aykroyd is chock full of questionable ideas.

For years, Aykroyd has been blissfully telling us that a third Ghostbusters was in the works. Now we’re getting another Ghostbusters film, but it’s a completely different deal directed by Paul Feig and starring a cast of female Ghostbusters. Seems like that should be close enough to satisfy Aykroyd, but no. He’s still preaching:

Oh I’ve written… well, we have…I’ve written, well, there’s three drafts of the old concept that exists. And we’re going to be able to salvage some of it and use it. Yeah, we’re gonna be able to use it some day. Let’s get this one made and that will reinvigorate the franchise and then we’ll go on to maybe doing a more conventional third sequel as we were planning and another idea I have for it.

This is from a recent episode of Sirius XM’s Unmasked with Ron Bennington, and for those who failed to read it, the quote finds Aykroyd still pining away for the Ghostbusters 3 in his heart, a more conventional sequel. He does acknowledge the need for a new angle, however:

I can tell you, as the originator, I’m very happy with what [Feig’s] done. It’s very tasteful. And it needed a reworking. The thing needed a new engine. You know? It needed new exhaust. It needed new steering. And this is what we’re getting.

Disappointingly, Aykroyd failed to go through all the other car parts that need to be replaced.

What do you think? Does he have a point? Could the success of Feig’s Ghostbusters finally give Aykroyd what he needs to get his “more conventional” version off the ground? Or will the less conventional, new version end up defining the new convention?