In today’s obvious news from Hollywood, Sony’s Columbia Pictures is trying to get Melissa McCarthy for their all-female Ghostbusters reboot. However, her heavy schedule could keep her from reuniting with The Heat director Paul Feig.
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter this afternoon that McCarthy is in very early talks for the project. The issue at the moment is her schedule for the rest of the year.
McCarthy is still filming on CBS’ Mike & Molly sitcom and is committed to make Universal’s Michelle Darnell with her husband, Ben Falcone. The couple previously worked together on Tammy and both appeared in the Feig-directed Bridesmaids.
Michelle Darnell will begin filming in mid-March, which could give her an opportunity to get on Ghostbusters quickly in June.
It makes perfect sense for Sony to try to get McCarthy for the Ghostbusters reboot. She’s still a popular star, even if Tammy and Identity Thief were hit hard by critics. On top of that, she’s already worked with the director more than once and Feig is writing the script with The Heat’s Katie Dippold.
Sony hasn’t cast anyone yet for Ghostbusters, although Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone reportedly showed interest. THR reports that Rebel Wilson, who joked that she’d do it for free, did recently need with producer Ivan Reitman. However, the site does say that Lawrence and Wilson aren’t being seriously considered. Stone could be available, but the studio is focusing on getting McCarthy first.
THR also claims that Workaholics’ Jillian Bell and Saturday Night Live’s Cecily Strong will meet with Feig to talk about Ghostbusters.
McCarthy’s next film is Fox’s Spy, which comes out on May 22.
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