Beaks here...

Where are we with the GHOSTBUSTERS III rumors? Let's see... we know longtime holdout Bill Murray is finally on board with the idea... Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg of THE OFFICE are banging out the screenplay... it's going to be a "passing of the torch" from the old guard Ghostbusters to a new generation of funny fellas (and ladies)... Ray Parker Jr. is giddily looking forward to another whopping royalties payday (which he might have to share with Huey Lewis)...

I haven't been following the development of GHOSTBUSTERS III too closely, but it sounds like the big news contained in Geoff Boucher's just-published story at The Los Angeles Times is a) the film could begin shooting this winter, b) Sigourney Weaver has agreed to reprise her role as Peter Venkman's on-again/off-again Dana Barrett, and c) Ivan Reitman will not be directing the third film (because he's too busy as a producer).

This is all according to Dan Aykroyd, who cautions that "at any second everything could blow up". But with Murray in the mix and a screenplay on the way (and Ramis as a probable replacement for Reitman), Aykroyd's optimism is justified; this is definitely the closest GHOSTBUSTERS III has been to production since he started talking it up over a decade ago. As for the "new guard" Ghostbusters, Aykroyd is hoping for a group of five, and he's already advocating for Alyssa Milano (whose voice will be featured in the long-delayed video game) and Eliza Dushku. I can certainly get with the latter, but would opt for Anna Faris over the lovely Ms. Milano.

I should add that I spoke with John Krasinski a couple of weeks ago (for AWAY WE GO), and, as we were wrapping up, asked if he'd been approached to play one of the new GHOSTBUSTERS (what with the OFFICE connection and all). He said, "No." So there. Now i can slap an "Exclusive!" on this story.