The Strange True Story of Max Landis' Ghostbusters 3
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- Опубликовано: 1 фев 2025
- A few years ago I almost wrote a Ghostbusters movie. This is the story of how that happened, along with the story I almost sold. I’ve shared it before, but now that the Ghostbusters franchise truly does seem to have close the book and perhaps enter the next era of whatever it’s going to be, I thought it might be fun to share again.
Just to make this explicitly clear, I don’t believe anyone involved in either Ghostbusters remake ever knew anything about my pitch. I think the similarities have more to do with logical advancements of where the story would go; it’s actually interesting, if you look at what I was doing here with structure in 2014, a lot of these tropes or subversions ended up various ways in subsequent franchises. Again, parallel thinking, human meat computers trying to solve the same creative equations. Actually really cool if you think about it. It’s fun to see how different writers solve the same sets of problems. Like I pitched cavemen versus predator back in the day, now they’re doing native Americans vs predator. It’s the same sort of idea, a predator prequel that pits a more technologically primitive but culturally aggressive society against the equally aggressive but technologically advanced predators. Adds a level to it; same notion, but different execution.
Ghostbusters was one of several big almosts in my career. My other brushes with the big time at least generally made me a little money; I still don’t really understand what happened with Power Rangers at Lionsgate, but at least they paid me! I was very lucky to be able to work with my two most desired properties, Dirk Gently and Superman, and I feel like I did a good job. Maybe I’ll be back one day but idk, 8-Ball says unlikely, for now, let’s see what other strange stuff I can come up with.
The amazing, whole-cloth invented score is by Alberto Borsato, who based his work on the OG soundtracks, and the illustrations are by my frequent collaborator, animator David North. This was strung together by Ben Escobar, and we tried to give it a kind of audiobook feel with the sound design. We had a lot of fun making this, and I hope some of that was captured and that you enjoy it. If you’re a new visitor to the channel, or perhaps one returning after a long time away, why not check out what I’ve been up to lately. The #KryptonianEpic is a real mindfuck, and the Triptych is pretty good too, I think, if perhaps a little self-consciously “RUclips.”
If you’re curious about my public shaming or anything involving that, you can check out these articles I’ve written about it on medium:
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WHO'S ON YOUR GHOSTBUSTERS EXPANDED UNIVERSE TEAM? IS IT A STREAMING SERIES? IMAX MOVIE? LOW BUDGET TRILOGY? SHOCK AND AMAZE US ALL WITH YOUR IDEAS HERE:
The New Orleans Ghostbusters who have had a few actual encounters with ghosts but didn’t do the numbers they thought they would in the Big Easy. Can no doubt be seen kicking ass in the background of your final battle.
The team:
-Maya Rudolph as a spiritualist who comes from a long lineage of fortune tellers in NOLA. Puts aside the gimmicks to become the leader of the branch.
-Lamorne Morris as an engineer who doesn’t want to be as nerdy as he is.
-Adam Devine as a bumbling and incompetent street magician turned Ghostbuster
Probably a lower budget streaming series
Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Kristen Wiig.
A streaming show set in the UK Ghostbusters branch following our main group of characters played by Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Catherine Tate, and Richard Ayoade. Ideally a comedy focus that takes inspiration from the initial idea around the OG Ghostbusters flick and does the British spin on that. Dry humour, some ‘localised’ new Ghosts, and expands the events of the final act by making the portal have an international effect, skyrocketing the franchise to global attention and pumping more money in to it, in the series a cool little in joke would be how the company cuts corners having a slick London branch, but up north is a bit of a shit hole, would also allow a platform for more national treasures and English comedians to strap on a proton pack. And with the potential for gothic locations for big sequences, like the Tower of London. It would also capitalise on the streaming potential but not jeopardise the movie potential by having the story on the big screen distanced not just by branch but location, making the US ting for the big screen only.
STOP SHOUTING. I'M NOT DEAF.
Ghostbusters Vs. Men in Black LET'S GOOO
I saved the original pitch as a text file that I would read every now and again when I was feeling low.
This is the greatest gift you could have given me, man.
What's amazing is that this illustrates exactly what he's saying at the beginning about the filmmaking process. As he narrates it, I'm visualizing two completely different movies simultaneously: one great, and the other terrible and awkward. There is so much that could go right or wrong with a movie like this. The wrong line delivery, the wrong CGI, the wrong cuts, even just the wrong music, and suddenly a scene is trash. Just thinking of this with the wrong color grading makes me a little nauseous. Fascinating.
Ray Stantz saw all possible versions of the film at the same time when he became one with the universe
Yeah, I'm on the same fence. The 1st movie was a slubby comedy with great VFX, but an aspect that made 2016 movie critically panned was the superhero-ization of the ghost equivalent of a mouse exterminator. I feel like this could either be that nostalgia bomb crowd pleaser that has the same energy as the 90s Independence day film, or a messy bloated MCU wannabe slog
I'd never make it as a studio exec, I'd bust out laughing every time someone pitched me a movie like this. "TOYS, BABY!"
I think we can definitively say that there isn't another pitch type video on RUclips like this or even close to as good as this. Congratulations Max!
@@jamesbevan9939 ??? I wasn't cheering you on.
@@jamesbevan9939 Why do you do this? Taking out your darkness on other people only creates more darkness. Try to move on.
"The Ghostbusters movie everybody already thinks exists"
You did it, Max... you did it.
I wish this was made.
I have the same feeling you have when you wake up from one of those dreams where you need a few seconds to realize that the better world you just dreamed of doesn't really exist. Complete with the obligatory single tear rolling down.
Thank you, Max.
I think this is exactly why it doesn’t work. Gb2016 kind of made this mistake too. It’s a movie based on what people wrongly assume ghostbusters is about but not what Ghostbusters actually is about when you go and watch those movies and think about what makes them great .
I’m literally a random no one who dresses up as a ghostbuster most weekends to raise money for children’s charities and this is without question my favorite take on ghostbusters. I adore these ideas and have fantasized about the big cameo sequence since I first read this script what feels like a decade ago. Thank you max and if someone could animate this for me that would be glorious.
bro the jokes and the edits are on point.
the 9:09 joke about you doing a huge pitch/performance had me rolling.
PS: I actually think you're funny max, so no it's not just you.
2 years later, this is still one of my favorite videos on RUclips. I revisit it often. In a better universe, we got to see this on the big screen but you did an excellent job sharing your vision, Max! Thank you for this 🙏 👻
It’s crazy how some of these things made it into Frozen Empire.
This was an INCREDIBLE story, I literally cried little tears of joy several times. Who knows how this movie would’ve turned out if it actually got made, but the one you just allowed me to create in my head using my own imagination? That one’s truly magical. Easily my favorite Ghostbusters movie. Thank you for sharing this with us Max. :’)
Exactly how I feel. That positive energy / Walter Peck / Ella Henderson moment blew me away.
As always it was a utter blast to get a peak into the realm of “could have been”. It’s particularly fun when you did dialogue because it somehow felt both very fitting with the nonchalant, poetically scientific terms and tone of OG Ghostbusters and your own trademark more manic style
I’m 15 minutes in and this is PHENOMENAL so far. Thank you so much for this, Max. I will probably be watching this all the time.
So happy this uploaded..Always worth the wait and if your busy loving life and working that makes me happy for you! Your content has been amazing and kept me and I assume many fans mind active during lockdown so thank you!! Can’t wait to see more of the epic!!!
I work in the videogame industry. It is the same. So sad and happy at the same time to hear this from you. As a game designer I am the closest thing to a writter in this industry. You can dedicate a lot of effort to prove why some ideas should be made, then someone "higher" than you can destroy that with a single phrase and replace your ideas with bullshit
I didn't know I needed this
Ugh you made me cry with that stuff about the beauty of the universe and the real and unreal... I love it
yeah really strong final concept
an hour long and the pitch opens with "We start in the 1920s" ok MAX I see we're going for a ride and I am 100% here for it my dude take the wheel.
43:43 These ideas seem like the best possible combination of your Hellbound "ball in hell" scene and the cameos during the end brawl of Anchorman 2 😂
Something I wanted to note on how the "impression" might come into effect in another iteration (if I interpreted it right):
Ghostbusters Asia and Europe must have the wildest and dangerous versions of ghosts. Not only do they have some of the most extensive mythology for ghosts, but they have the religious side and the media side. Places like Japan, with a lot of suicide cases, have massively ingrained spiritual and cultural identity, so things that come from things like anime might make an "impression" on the spirits. Stuff like Ghostwire could happen. Wales has interesting and scary fey stories from the Arthurian legends about abduction and other worlds. That's really scary.
I like the possibly subtle allusion that the real reason Ray lost his eye is other world related to Tiamat. With Ray being ready this time (eye to giant eye). I don’t know if that’s the point but it’s in my head for some reason
somebody's paying attention
Genuinely one of your most entertaining videos!
Loved the little backstory at the front before the pitch. Really puts things into perspective.
Bummed this never worked out for you, and for Ghostbusters fans.
I wish sequels would actually expand the
story instead of remake the most popular
elements. Empire Strikes Back is everyone's favourite, and Return of the Jedi is derivative because it feels so similar to the first one.
All it needed was an extra cameo from Bill Murray in a post credit scene on the beach ignoring notifications on his phone as New York goes insane. Max, thank you for bringing to life GB3 inside our collective imaginations
Max ,you are a very talented man. The only other pitch ive heard from you was the Superman/Doomsday. The amount of energy and thoughtfullness to your storytelling is inspiring. All i want now is to hear you pitch the next Blues Brothers film set in modern day Chicago..I ll wait as long as needed..
This was glorious. I'd prefer to write a longer post, but damn man. You kinda said it all. Make this into a comic book or something.
Despite the fact that I pretty much always love your work, I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. And honestly, listening to everything you said at the start about how working at a script writer actually works was really great.
New 1h+ Max Landis video is just what I needed today let’s gooooo!!!❤️
As a huge Ghostbusters fan this was awesome. Would have loved to see this made! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great pitch ! I could watch you do this with literally every franchise ever made lol
Long wait but definitely worth the wait. Pressing play now.
Edit: just finished watching. This was awesome Max Landis. Well done 👍🏻.
Max. Love how you can get inside of our head and play this version of the movie and I can see it perfectly
I would love to be a part of any of your work
Hooray for that old-school Death of Superman pitch style shit, Max.
Damn the algorithm for keeping this from my eyes for almost a FULL WEEK! This is amazing as usual Max. Up there with Hellbound, easily. Thank you.
You got me grinning ear to ear at the ‘ghostbusters roll out’ moment
That pitch got me more invested than most finished major movies of the last few years. Wow!
Never been into Ghostbusters before but I really enjoyed this. Can't wait to see what's next!
Wow this would have been an amazing movie. Thanks for sharing, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Pretty good pitch, sounds like a wild ride. I've got a soft spot for seeing different types of vehicles as Ecto's (personally I'd love to see a Grumman LLV mail truck as one) so that scene of all of the decommissioned teams showing up would've won me over even more. On the plus side... comics or animation, your take or one like it could still happen.
I gotta be a bit nitpicky @ 5:01 though - "In the original film Ghostbusters, they bust one ghost." While the one we come to know as "Slimer" is the only one we see a complete capture sequence of; we're told through a montage that they're catching multiple ghosts - to the point where, before the containment unit is shut down by Walter Peck, that they need to work on expanding it because it's getting so full of ghosts. Of course, if you're talking about after the containment unit is destroyed and they defeat Gozer... yes it is one ghost (actually a God) and all their previous ones got away, but I would still say they had busted them. If I caught a bunch of rats, and someone else came and let them out... I still caught the rats, even if they're no longer caught.
Godammit, i can absolutely hear Charlie Day as Ted. A+ Casting choices all round
Wonderful storytelling once again Max, would have loved this Ghostbusters movie
Day definitely has Big Ghostbuster Energy
This really took me back to 2015 or so when the pitch was published in Max's old blog.
It’s always a good day when there’s a new upload here 💜
Not gonna lie... the "he'd be proud of you" moment made me tear up. Thank you for a fantastic story
charlie day would be perfect casting 💔 glad u decided to upload this anyway 🤘
"Let's get Ella Henderson's Ghost playing"
Well congratulations, you've managed to find the one thing that was meant for me.
Man what a ride!
Having Ray go god mode only makes his dismissive answer to Winston about god: “Never met him.” Just that much more funny.
Man the idea is so overloaded with things but out sounds like a wild time. What a thrill!
9:08 "...but I didn't want to do this big thing, where I do a whole performance the way I do on RUclips..."
*Proceeds to do a big thing where he does a whole performance* 🤣🤣❤
I love to watch you pitch, man. The creative energy is contagious.
The hundred-year-old Ivo Shandor and his 'illusion' as Ryder makes me wonder: Is he actually 100-years-old, masking his identity and prolonging his age with occult magicks? Or rather has he 'ascended' in to an ectoplasmic form, much like Spengler senior (Using dark rituals instead of hard science), possessing new hosts from within the cult as needed? Since old Ivo's spell was revealed with use of psychic powers, I'm leaning towards him being an evil, body-swapping ghost. At least, that's the head-canon I like best.
This was great - made me go watch your Man of Steel 2 pitch again, you know - for nostalgia
Egon accidentally transporting himself to a higher plane of existence is the most Egon thing to do
Luckily he probably didn’t suffer as he was no doubt beyond the capacity for rational thought.
I highly identified with the comment, "No one thinks I"m funnier than myself."
I'm nine minutes in and tearing up. This is so beautiful.
I cried through most of this 💔
I wish this was our 2015 movie instead of the one we got. It's incredible and builds on the history of the first 2. Boy did Sony mess up going with the Paul Feig version.
Loving the beard, Max looks like the father in like Johnny Quest type family. Like it's summer break time to take the family to figure out the ancient axtec ruins secret to immortality, before Dr. Morphestus steals it.
I hope one day Max can tell us something more complex about Chronicle 3, like this video. I know Martyr is a bit of an old script and somewhat conclusive to the story he wanted to tell, but i'm really curious how Matt's story arc would have ended in a hypothetical third movie.
Maybe by this point i'm done with chronicle after what happened with Fox and the recycled sequel plans. Even so, certainly after reading both scripts, the dissatisfaction of not seeing the original idea completed remains.
I'd be excited to see Matt fully realized as a full on Superman taking on a town of mind controlled people with the same level of power as Andrew or Matt from the end of the first entry in the series
I missed Max, I’m glad I watched this. Hope everything works out and improve, and his talent as a storyteller and a fan get to be put to use in fun stuff for people to enjoy.
Masterfully done. Pure, authentic, true to the source material. This is way better than the last two GB...things.
Alway thought Miles Teller would make a perfect Venkman Jr. Nice pitch Max. Hope Hollywood sees sense and backs you soon.
Finished it and that was amazing. Thanks for a great hour of my life, Max! Slimer does deserve a better agent.
what an amazing story teller you are :) great stuff
Thanks for listening
I enjoyed Ghostbusters Afterlife thoroughly, but I gotta say, I love this.
One thing I pictured when you were talking about all the now defunct Ghostbusters branches was one of the branches being one that did a paranormal investigation TV show.
of course, found footage ghostbusters is perfect I've been saying that for years
“This movie’s rated PG-13 but as a person I’m rated R”😂😂😂😂
I couldn't have loved this more. Thank you for sharing this
Ya know, I liked Afterlife, mostly. If anything, my biggest quibbles fall with the ending. Too much Egon, the old guys deserved a better moment, the traps being powered by a proton pack, blah blah blah.
That said, it was the NEW stuff that was engaging. I didn't mind the kids. I rather liked Egon's grand daughter. That's what I like about this version you've told - you don't let the old stuff hold it back. You use it to GROW the story and universe. Hollywood seems entirely too cowardly to really do that now. I'd have much rather seen this rendition on screen. Thank you for sharing it.
They passed this over in favour of the 2016 schlock? Oh my god. Petition for Max to write every film ever.
As parasocial creepo as I know this sounds, I think it'd be totally cool to be friends with Max. His ability to not only make everything sound like the best thing ever, but to be so unabashedly joyful about creativity in general is such a rare energy. I'm glad he hasn't let the bastards win.
10/10 would play star wars with him.
(And Jedi DID wrap everything up best, flame teh hatrez!)
Quaid’s upbringing had me SHOOK
"You know he'd be proud of you right now" fuck Mr. Landis.. you got me chocked up
World building is something Max has a real talent in. Both with this and his Kryptonian epic shows that. I actually think this pitch works better as a Ghostbusters tv show than movie.
Dude I read your treatment months ago and it blew my fucking mind. Watching you tell the story just brought it to a cosmic level. Afterlife was ok... but THIS is the movie the GB franchise needed. My god I'd do anything to see this movie.
I have never actually seen a Ghost Busters movie, but this engaged me so heavily. Max is one of my favorite storytellers.
You should watch the original ASAP my favorite movie of all time
Holy shit he did the episode 9 ending but this one actually made me feel something
Thank you Max for this video. I never got to read the treatment, but this was incredible and would probably have been a great film for Ghostbusters fans.
There are so many times during this pitch that I wanted to hit that thumbs up button, but I can only hit it once.
The Bill Murray part is perfect. That's exactly what he'd be doing and how he'd react.
If Hasbro heard this pitch, they’d have your back. I was imaging all the possible toys. It would’ve been 90s Kenner all over again…. Hollywood might have listened. Like you said, Hollywood works in weird ways.
But in all honesty, I hope you get in on the future Ghost Corps movie or Netflix animation show. Appreciate your ideas man!
I actually don't really dislike any of the ghostbusters movies, I think they're, at worst, a fun couple of hours, but its hard to deny that only the first one has that special something that not many movies have.
But I really loved your pitch, Max. Its always fun to hear you talk but in this case I think your movie would've been the GB3 everyone has always wanted to see.
I know Reitman is already writing the Afterlife sequel, but with so many GB projects getting greenlit and what I think you've suggested here is a good relationship with Aykroyd, I truly hope you can do something in this universe one day.
More entertaining than the last 3 Ghostbusters. Feel like I owe Max the price of a movie ticket.
Love that this is Epic quality production, will always come back to see what ur making 🎉
OMG, this was such an mfing fun ride! I feel like I saw a really fun movie that even got me a little emotional at times! Fantastic video, I will certainly be watching this again! I am not a paid shill! I almost never use exclamation points! I'm making it a little joke now! But the exclamation was true the first 3-4 times! Thanks for this one, Max. Very cool.
This movie utterly shitted on the Paul Feig version. As much as I loved Afterlife and see that as the true sequel to Ghostbusters, this version was just as amazing and I viewed it all in my head and Max read it along.
Before watching any of this, I’ll write here my prediction that this will be Max’s version of the Superman script story by Kevin Smith. Hopefully Max crosses paths with a Jon Peters-esque figure too.
I wish I could like this video more than once, like hundreds of times.
I love these so much, I can see the movie in my head. Max rules.
This would be a 3 hour movie and it probably wouldn't seem long enough. Your storytelling talent is incredible.
Paul Feige... *shakes fist in air* 😡
"No one thinks I'm funnier than I do" I'm getting that tattooed
"This movie is rated PG-13 but I, as a person, am rated R."
I definitely relate to that, Max.
I Need More Unhinged Mayor Walter Peck in my life!!!😂
This was genuinely fun to watch especially since I really don’t give a dang about the ghostbusters movies
I've never actually watched any of the Ghostbusters movies before, so I'm interested to see what your vision for it is from the perspective of someone completely clueless about the movies.
This sounds so awesome! This is the movie Ghostbusters deserved.
2016 was an overlong SNL skit. Afterlife was fine. This was incredible.
If this had gotten made back in 2015, Ghostbusters would be one of the hottest franchises in the world right now.
God damnit, Sony.
This was awesome, thanks for sharing. They should lean into a Danny Phantom-style story for one of the spinoffs
Ghostbusters being my all time favorite movie , this video brought me to tears , man 😢. Beautiful
This, this needs to be a comic.
I feel like this is your most "RUclipsr" like video and it's good.
really!? it's meant to be a callback to my first Death and Return pitch
16:38 Who is the guy as Brian Quaid? I recognize everyone else except for him.
Sony needs to do a big budget series and incorporate this over a couple seasons.
Max this is amazing. Thank you for it. This is the Ghostbusters mo ie we deserve. Any chance to make a novel from your script? Thanks again. I'll re watch in a few days.