10 Stars Who'd Shine In Ghostbusters 3
Bustin’ loose with some younger spirit-catchers
Amy Adams
So Dan Aykroyd foresees the old team in Ghostbusters 3 passing the torch to five new team members.
Here's our suggestions for the rookie slime-stoppers…
Why recruit her: She’s juggled various genres, including solemn drama in Doubt and more than proved her comic chops in the likes of Talladega Nights and Charlie Wilson’s War .
Plus, with Enchanted , she convincingly acted alongside a load of special effects. She’s also just about to crop up in Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian.
She’s spunky and bright and the perfect blend of brains and action.
Classic line we could imagine her saying: “It’s here, Ray. It’s watching me…”
Anton Yelchin
Why recruit him: If you can sell a joke based around a Russian accent, you can pretty much do anything. Which is why Star Trek’s Chekov is a top choice.
He’s capable of portraying cheeky brains on screen (see: Charlie Bartlett) and with Terminator Salvation , he's proved he can handle both action and CG work.
We’ve wanted him to break out for a long time now – since around the time of House Of D and Alpha Dog , and now he has enough genre cred to appeal to studios.
Classic line we could imagine him saying: “Why worry? Each one of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.”
Alyssa Milano
Why recruit her: She’s one of Aykroyd’s picks and has just earned her Bustin’ stripes playing one of the characters in the GB video game. So we know she can handle herself.
And while she’s not quite as youthful as some of the other picks (stupid studio age goggles), that extra chunk of experience actually works in her favour.
She could easily lead the new team and, having played a witch on TV (Charmed), has proved she can handle spirits.
Classic line we could imagine her saying: “That's great. Actual physical contact. Can you move?”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Why recruit him: Come on, who wouldn’t want one of the most respected actors in his age range busting loose and joining the ensemble of a big Hollywood action comedy?
Before you scoff at the idea that he’d take the film, he’s in GI Joe this summer, and surely Ghostbusters 3 will be a better script? (Our fingers, toes and everything else are crossed on this point).
He was in Brick . ‘Nuff said. The man can do anything. He’s charming, capable and believable in anything he takes on.
Classic line we could imagine him saying: “I make it a rule never to get involved with possessed people. Actually, it's more of a guideline than a rule...”
Alison Lohman
Why recruit her: What, being put through the Sam Raimi Campbell Bashing Wringer™ isn’t enough qualification? She’s battling a hell demon this year! (in Drag Me To Hell ).
She’s also displayed superb comic timing mixed with dramatic abilities in Matchstick Men and it’s high time she got a truly decent straight comedy (albeit with some action stuff).
She’s sweet yet spiky and could look great springing a trap. Just don’t look at it…
Classic line we could imagine her saying: “There's definitely a very slim chance we'll survive…”
Dominic Monaghan
Why recruit him: Because he’s too much fun to waste on screen in tiny roles sunk into the likes of Wolverine .
If Lost proved anything, it’s that his enjoyable turn in LOTR wasn’t a fluke. We’d like to see him move up from supporting character actor to, well, leading man/character actor.
And if they let him keep his accent, he’ll add a little edgy Blighty flavour to the team. Simon Pegg needs that particular monopoly wrestled away soon.
Classic line we could imagine him saying: “Everybody can relax, I found the car. Needs some suspension work and shocks. Brakes, brake pads, lining, steering box, transmission, rear-end…”
Anne Hathaway
Why recruit her: She’s crossed the border between hefty drama ( Brokeback Mountain ) and comedy ( Get Smart ) with no trouble whatsoever.
And, although Get Smart was hardly a classic, her turn as Agent 99 showed she could do action, too – while trading quips with master laugh-stealer Steve Carell.
Finally, she survived a hosting gig on Saturday Night Live (and won plenty of kudos for the job). Surely proof that she’s ready for another full-on comedy.
Classic line we could imagine her saying: “Somebody blows their nose and you want to keep it?”
Neil Patrick Harris
Why recruit him: Pure comedy gold. Like Hathaway, he won credit for a sublime job hosting SNL and has been proving himself on the screen (both big and small) and the stage for years.
He can do smart-mouthed and he can do emotional. He even managed to avoid embarrassing himself in Starship Troopers .
Once you’ve matched wits with a giant bug, you ain’t afraid of no ghost…
Classic line we could imagine him saying: “Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, no job is too big, no fee is too big!”
Amy Smart
Why recruit her: She’s made it through two Crank films, and still has a career after The Butterfly Effect .
And anyone who saw her on TV’s Scrubs would argue that she can do more than just be 'the girl'. We want her bustin’ ghosts, pronto.
Sexy, yet savvy, she could bubble over with enthusiasm as the inheritor of Aykroyd’s Stanz-flavoured charm.
Classic line we could imagine her saying: “I was present at an undersea, unexplained mass sponge migration.”
Joshua Jackson
Why recruit him: He’s been out of the limelight for the past few years – let’s face it, his film career never really bloomed, post-Dawson’s Creek.
Now he’s back on TV, cracking wise and hunting all manner of pseudo scientific weirdness on Fringe, and it’s brought him rocketing back to our attention.
The man can do sarcasm perfectly and would bring some much-needed, Bill Murray-like cynicism to the team.
Classic line we could imagine him saying: “Yes it's true. This man has no dick.”
James White is a freelance journalist who has been covering film and TV for over two decades. In that time, James has written for a wide variety of publications including Total Film and SFX. He has also worked for BAFTA and on ODEON's in-cinema magazine.