Deadline report that Sony Pictures is eyeing an early 2015 start for its third Ghostbusters movie, but without Ivan Reitman on board as director. Reitman decided to pass on the gig after the death of his close friend Harold Ramis, who was also lined up to reprise the role of Egon Spengler in the film -- but he will apparently help Amy Pascal find a new director, with a shortlist already being looked at. Reitman goes into great detail regarding this decision, and here's an excerpt.
“It’s a version of Ghostbusters that has the originals in a very minor role. When I came back from Harold’s funeral, it was really moving and it made me think about a lot of things. I’d just finished directing Draft Day, which I’m really happy with and proud of. Working on a film that is smaller and more dramatic was so much fun and satisfying. I just finally met with Amy and Doug Belgrad when I got back. I said I’d been thinking about it for weeks, that I’d rather just produce this Ghostbusters. I told them I thought I could help but let’s find a really good director and make it with him. So that’s what we’ve agreed will happen. I didn’t want all kinds of speculation about what happened with me, that is the real story.”
Reitman also says that although he won't comment on how many team members we'll see in the movie, but that they are
"determined to retain the spirit of the original film". Much more at the link below.