Reitman's old contract — made at the height of his and Ovitz's powers — still gives him exceptional creative control over the series, including director approval. "Those deals were made in the eighties,” explains one insider. “So his rights in this circumstance have a great deal of teeth.” Therefore, while it’s true that Reitman can’t force Columbia to make Ghostbusters III with him, he can make it nearly impossible for the studio to make the film without him....says Vulture in a detailed article HERE. Complicating matters? Vulture says:
...all three original principals (Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis … sorry, Ernie Hudson!) have a deal that says that if any of the four of them don’t like any element of a new Ghostbusters, they can singlehandedly veto and kill the project; it has to be unanimously approved before going forward. (Considering that both Aykroyd and Ramis have been consulting on the story, Murray is likely the only unknown quantity on the actors’ side.) However, the key difference is that Columbia would love for these actors to be onboard to pass the torch and cross the streams. Not so with Reitman.So, whose side will the actors take? Does this news signify the drawing of battle lines? Or, is this merely a predictable shaking out process that'll eventually be resolved through perseverance and the strategic application of money? Or, was Bill Murray right during his recent Letterman appearance?