In a new interview with The Direct, Ernie Hudson shared his thoughts on the ever-expanding Ghostbusters franchise, his admiration for Harold Ramis, and what the future may hold, including his willingness to return to the role of Winston Zeddemore, writes Jason over at Ghostbusters News.
Looking back on the original films, Hudson credited Harold Ramis as the “glue” that held the production together, saying, “When you’re working on a show with such dynamic personalities that don’t always come together, Harold was a guy that everyone respected enough to put aside their own stuff and get the job done,” he shared.
For years, Hudson never expected another sequel, as the gap between Ghostbusters II and Ghostbusters: Afterlife stretched over three decades.
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That all changed when Jason Reitman took the reins, crafting a heartfelt continuation that honored his father’s work while introducing the Spengler family: “I didn’t want to do another just to make some money. I wanted to do something that was unique,” Hudson recalled. “When I first read the script, I loved it. And then when I saw Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd in their jumpsuits again, it was very, very emotional.”
Hudson also praised Afterlife’s tribute to Harold Ramis, particularly the film’s climax, where Egon Spengler’s ghost aids his old teammates and family in their showdown against Gozer. “The way they put together the tribute to Harold… I couldn’t have imagined it, but it was just wonderful and very touching,” he said. “I really appreciate it because I know just how important Harold was to this.”
Following Afterlife, it wasn’t long before another sequel, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, was announced, thankfully, this time, fans didn’t have to wait over 30 years. “I thought maybe we were done after Afterlife, but then they came up with Garraka, and I thought, ‘Okay, this will be fun.’ I love Paul Rudd, the whole new family… So, it’s nice to see it pass on to generations, because the thing for me is one of those films that transcends generations.”
Lastly, Hudson touched on the development of his character and the franchise’s future, making it clear that if approached, he’d be interested in returning for future installments, including the upcoming animated project from Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation. “I don’t want Winston looking for a steady paycheck 40 years later. I wanted to see him grow, and they allowed that. He’s a businessman now, and that’s really exciting… And so I’d love to see more. And I think there will be because I think it is kind of a family thing. It’s not getting that Marvel dynamic. It’s a billion dollars, right? But I think it’s steady enough to where, hopefully, it’s probably, I’m sure, it’s profitable. They wouldn’t be doing it if it weren’t… I heard there was an animated feature that was being planned. But like I said, I’m always game.”
As for whether Hudson will be part of any upcoming projects? It’s a safe bet. After all, as he jokingly put it, “I guess [Sony Pictures] know, if we have enough money, Ernie will be there. So if there’s a steady paycheck in it, Ernie will show up.”
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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