The Weekly Ketchup: "Ghostbusters 3" Close To Fruition, Direct-To-Video Sequels Galore, "Ghost Rider" Screening Or Not Screening. Who Knows?

In this week’s Ketchup, Dan Aykroyd has used the considerable time on his hands to pitch a third "Ghostbusters" flick, and Warner Premiere will satisfy the needs of those of us who are eager for low-budget sequels of our favorite 80s films.

Also, ‘will it or won’t it screen?’ is the question surrounding "Ghost Rider," yet another "Spider-Man 3" promo appears (or does it?), and two new names appear on the "Dark Knight" casting rumors list. Read on.

This Week’s Most Popular News:

Aykroyd’s "Ghostbusters 3" Pushing May Soon Pay Off
Canadian comedian Dan Aykroyd recently went on the air with a country music radio station, and that’s where he chose to break some stunningly, well, kinda interesting news: There will be a third "Ghostbusters" movie (and it will feature Bill Murray) — but it will also be a movie of the CGI persuasion. I’ll believe it when I see it.

"Goonies 2?" "Gremlins 3?" "Scooby-Doo 3???"
We’ve been hearing all sorts of rumors about Warner Bros. unleashing a direct-to-video sequel to "The Lost Boys," and that particular project does seem to be moving forward … but those nutty folks over at the newly-formed "Warner Premiere" simply MUST have grown up in the 1980s.

Guess the Tomatometer as "Ghost Rider" Flies Past the Critics
The New York Post’s Lou Lumenick informs us that Sony’s (very) long-awaited "Ghost Rider" would be landing in theaters next week without making a pit stop with the movie press. And that means two things: 1. The movie is probably not very good, based on the average Tomatometer (15 percent) of unscreened movies; 2. It’s time to play Guess the Tomatometer!

Followup: "Ghost Rider" Update: Sony Confirms Early Screenings

Very Mysterious New "Spider-Man 3" Promo!
I think it’s really great that this movie marketing company called National CineMedia has some as-yet-unseen "Spider-Man 3" footage residing on its website — but know what would be even better? If I could actually watch the clip!

Gyllenhaal and Eckhart to Show Up During "The Dark Knight"?
Boy, is there anything more fun that gossiping and speculating about which actors will get which supporting roles in the next superhero movies? Well, yeah, actually. There’s lots of things more fun. But this is what we do here at RT Newsday, so here’s the latest: Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal are the latest names to be tossed into the "Dark Knight" pool.

That Ghost Rider. Such a tease.

In Other News:

• Director Darren Lynn Bousman will reteam with his "Saw 2" and "Saw 3" producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules to make "Repo! The Genetic Opera," a futuristic clone-age fantasy adapted from a stage play of the same name.

• Martin Scorsese will partner with Graham King to produce "The Young Victoria," a period drama about the young Queen Victoria, to be directed by Canadian Jean-Marc Vallee.

• Disney will bring "Toy Story 3" to audiences in 2009, with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen returning and Lee Unkrich taking over directing duties from John Lasseter.

• Senator Entertainment will finance "Fireflies in the Garden," a family drama starring Julia Roberts, Carrie-Anne Moss, Ryan Reynolds, and Emily Watson, with Dennis Lee making his directorial debut as well as penning the script.

• Chris Rock and David Spade will team up on an untitled comedy about three families who fight over a camping spot over one weekend. Adam Sandler and Fred Wolf will produce the film for Happy Madison Productions.

• John Cusack and Hilary Duff will star in "Talking to Dog," writer/director Mark Roper’s post-apocalyptic drama.

• William H. Macy is set to make his feature directorial debut with "Keep Coming Back," starring Salma Hayek, and featuring Steve Buscemi, Mos Def, and Macy himself.

• Oscar nominee Alan Arkin has joined the cast of "Sunshine Cleaning," an indie-comedy starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Clifton Collins Jr., with Christine Jeffs directing.

• Dimension Films has acquired "Buried Alive," a horror film from special effects extraordinaire Robert Kurtzman, with Tobin Bell and Terence Jay set to star.

• Patrick Fugit, Lou Taylor Pucci, Clifton Collins, Jr., Barry Shabaka Henley, Neal McDonough and Peter Stormare have joined the supporting cast of "Horsemen," a crime thriller headlined by Dennis Quaid and Ziyi Zhang.

• Lionsgate has acquired U.S. distribution rights to "The Bank Job," (also known as "Baker Street"), a thriller starring Jason Statham and Saffron Burrows with Roger Donaldson directing.

• Barry Levinson is poised to direct "Boone’s Lick," an adaptation of Larry McMurtry‘s old west novel, which Diana Ossana co-scripted. Tom Hanks and Julianne Moore will headline.

• Sean Penn, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro and Kristen Stewart have joined Robert De Niro in "What Just Happened," the comedy produced by De Niro with Barry Levinson directing.

• Finally, Granada America has optioned the film rights to the story of Lisa Nowak, the astronaut (or astro-nut, as some prefer) who was arrested for the attempted murder of her love-triangle nemesis. Granada America has also brought us the reality series "Hell’s Kitchen," "Nanny 911," and the Lifetime Network’s "The Fantasia Barrino Story."

1967-2007