Ever since the Marvel Cinematic Universe became a huge success, there were immediate imitators trying to follow that same model. From the 'Justice League' films to 'Amazing Spider-Man' to even the upcoming 'Star Wars' movies. It all seemed a bit much, to be honest. But, this latest news might take the cake (or donut?) when it comes to biting style. Dan Aykroyd, the only one involved with the original 'Ghostbusters' who seems to want to have anything to do with the new 'Ghostbusters' says he wants to relaunch the franchise following the Marvel "shared universe" strategy.

Before we try to parse exactly what's going on in Aykroyd's brain, let's let him first explain himself (via THR):

It’s up on blocks, it needs new electronics, new everything. That’s what we have to do. The whole vehicle of 'Ghostbusters' has to be rebuilt. That’s the ambitious thinking that’s going on now. Taking on the model of Marvel where we take all of the elements that are in this movie and we put them out there as different ideas.

OK, we'd agree that the 'Ghostbusters' franchise has to be rebuilt, and we'll even buy his analogy that it's a classic car that needs a lot of work to actually run again. But, he kinda lost us at the "we take all of the elements...and we put them out there as different ideas." Well, like what exactly?

Another movie or another TV show, but what’s the totality of it? The whole mythology from the beginning of their lives, the end of their lives. Ghostbusters at nine years old, Ghostbusters in high school.

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We say this with love because Dan Aykroyd is a legitimate comedy legend responsible for some of the funniest TV ('SNL') and movies ('Ghostbusters' and 'The Blues Brothers') of the past 30 years, but...NO. We do not want to see a movie (or TV show) that follows the 'Ghostbusters' at nine years old. Or, in high school. That's almost literally an 'SNL' sketch.

There is a chance, we suppose, that this 'Ghostbusters' reboot they're cooking up might not be horrible. They're making some steps in the right direction (director Paul Feig, the potential for an all-female cast), but turning 'Ghostbusters' into some half-assed Marvel Cinematic Universe is just wrong-headed. That worked for Marvel because it's germane to the comics that inspired them. Comic crossovers have been going on since before anyone wanted anything to do with making a superhero movie. Heck, the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it right now, is loosely based on a big comic crossover ("The Infinity Gauntlet"). Saying you want the 'Ghostbusters' to have some sort of expanded universe isn't natural to the franchise, it's just lopping the head off the goose that lays the golden eggs.

We'll leave you with a quote from our Mike Ryan in his editorial from earlier this summer on this very issue: "Just make some fun movies."

Forget about the spinoffs and sequels and TV shows and whatever else you're thinking about, Dan. Just worry about making one 'Ghostbusters' movie that's not horrible. That alone seems difficult enough.

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