|
| |
A Funny Thing Happened . . .
30-May-2009
Written by: Kristin Hunt
Assembling the perfect cast for “Ghostbusters III”
Back in April, it was announced that “Ghostbusters III” was in development with Sony. Since then, the entire original cast has signed on and talk of new (and possibly female) ghostbuster recruits has circulated. Casting the new additions seems to be the trend of the month, so I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and suggest my own picks. Sony, I hope you’re listening.
If there are indeed girl ghostbusters in the mix, the casting people would be wise to select genuinely funny women and not hot bimbos (*cough*MeganFox*cough*). With that in mind, Lizzy Caplan is my first suggestion. She’s gotten far too little work since her scene-stealing role as Janis Ian in “Mean Girls,” a part which proved she doesn’t scare easily, take crap from people or have an unfunny bone in her body. I’d also have to go with the sassy former Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell. Like Caplan, she could more than hold her own against the boys with her fearlessness and witty remarks. Anna Faris is my final pick. She’s not nearly as tough as the other two, but she’s a great comic actor whose often ditzy persona would be the perfect foil against Caplan and/or Bell.
Now on to the guys. For “Ghostbusters III” to work, any male additions would have to be funny yet low-key. No one who’s mind-blowingly attractive would fit, nor someone with a name so big it’s distracting. While I think most Judd Apatow regulars would be disastrous choices for these reasons (except the mind-blowingly attractive part), Paul Rudd could be the exception. He’s so down-to-earth and beloved that no one could object to the casting, and his often sarcastic personality would be perfect for this project. His buddy, Jason Segel, might work too, but before the casting director gives Segel a call, he/she better make sure Nathan Fillion is on the roster. Dude’s a double threat: He’s got the sci-fi credentials from “Firefly”/“Serenity” and the comedic experience from “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.” It isn’t easy to hold your own against Neil Patrick Harris, but Fillion played against him hilariously as Captain Hammer. I have the utmost faith that he could shine just as bright with comedic legends like Aykroyd and Bill Murray.
Speaking of Neil Patrick Harris, could he work in this cast? He’s basically an automatic win no matter what he’s in, and I could totally see him in one of those ghostbuster jumpsuits. As much as I love NPH though, “Saturday Night Live” regular Bill Hader absolutely needs to get in on this. He’s hilarious, in need of more exposure and could easily blend in with the regular Joes of the original. He could probably even voice some of the possessed people/ghosts if need be, based on the endless vocal talents he displayed in “Girlfriend Voice.”
Casting may be crucial, but the success of “Ghostbusters III” is largely contingent upon an awesome story that keeps with the originals, while acknowledging that the times have changed. So let’s just hope that, no matter the final cast, the makers of “Ghostbusters III” know who they’re going to call for a good screenplay.
Talk to other readers about this story on our Facebook page.
|
|
|
|
|
