Jason Reitman to helm new 'Ghostbusters': 'It is not a reboot'

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Filmmaker Jason Reitman has signed on to direct and co-write a new Ghostbusters film following the events of the first two Ghostbusters films from the 1980s.

Reitman, who is the son of director Ivan Reitman who helmed 1984's Ghostbusters and 1989's Ghostbusters II, is co-writing the new film with Gil Kenan (Monster House, Poltergeist). His father is producing.

Reitman confirmed that he was attached to the new film on Twitter Tuesday. "Finally got the keys to the car," he said.

Production is set to begin in the coming months. Studio Sony has dated the project for summer 2020.

"I've always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan, when I was a 6-year-old visiting the set. I wanted to make a movie for all the other fans," Reitman said during an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

"This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the '80s happened in the '80s, and this is set in the present day," he continued.

Reitman said that the new film will feature new characters. It remains to be seen if original stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray or Ernie Hudson will be making appearances. Original star Harold Ramis died in 2014.

Aykroyd, Murray and Hudson had cameo roles in Sony's 2016 Ghostbusters film, which featured an all female-cast consisting of Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Melissa McCarthy. The 2016 film did not take place in the same timeline as the originals.