Melissa McCarthy, who was already in talks for one of the leads, has signed on for the Paul Feig-directed reboot, and the studio is now negotiating with Kristen Wiig, as well as Saturday Night Live players Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Negotiations are ongoing but the quartet are expected to sign on as the specter-seeking, poltergeist-punishing and phantom-phollowing foursome in the reboot, which is eyeing a summer shoot in New York.
McCarthy and Wiig have worked with Feig before, both breaking out with the director’s Bridesmaids comedy.
Read more Female Ghostbusters? Why Studios Want More Women-Led Blockbusters
Jones, who is currently on screen in Chris Rock’s Top Five, joined SNL early last year and this fall was promoted to feature player status.
McKinnon has been on SNL since 2012 and last year was nominated for an Emmy for her work.
The Ghostbusters reboot has seen a long development process. Original director Ivan Reitman was on board to return, but while original castmembers Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson had agreed to reprise their characters, Bill Murray proved elusive. Then Reitman bowed out of the project when Ramis passed away last year. Feig was then approached to direct and reconceived the project as a reboot starring an all-female cast.
What's everyone think of this? I could see this going very badly.
