Speaking to the Sun media group, Ivan Reitman has confirmed the third draft script for Ghostbusters 3 is done and he has a copy (just as Dan Aykroyd does) – presumably Harold Ramis has a copy then as well then.

While not commenting directly on the script, Reitman did express optimism that this is the closest it’s ever been to seeing a third film get the greenlight.

He also commented on directing the film, and while it had been suggested in the past that he might not direct, Reitman is now being quite clear on the matter – having directed and produced the first two movies, he feels it’s his right to do the same on the third film.

“For me as a director it would be very hard to let anyone else direct it. I do feel very possessive of it. I’m the sole producer and director of the first two, so I feel it’s both my obligation and my right to do it. But I won’t do it and won’t allow it to happen unless it’s good.”

Also interesting is Reitman’s commenting on the flaws of Ghostbusters 2, though he still says he’s happy with the film.

“We got the first two acts in pretty good shape and then the last act of our story didn’t come up to it. I’m really happy with the movie, but it was certainly not up to the creative level of the first film.”

So, hurtles still remain, but we have a script and nobody is tossing it in the trash. We have at least two of the five parties who have to say yes being very positive on the matter, and another – Sony – putting a lot of time and energy into helping revitalize the franchise with the public (ie new products, the game, Blu-ray release, etc.)

For comparison and perspective, this puts us roughly en par with where we were ten years back, when Dan was pushing the script he and Ramis wrote to Sony/Columbia. Though arguably this is a bit beyond even that, as Sony wasn’t that interested back then, which helped lead to Dan Aykroyd splitting with the company and moving his production offices on the studio lot.

So, no, this is still not party time yet – but boy, it’s about as good a chance as it’s ever been. So, cautious optimism all round, eh?

Something’s going to happen. Dan [Aykroyd] did write a spec GB3 screenplay a few years ago, but no one was motivated to pursue it. Now, 25 years after the original, there seems to be some willingness to proceed and apparently a substantial public appetite for a sequel. We’ll introduce some new young Ghostbusters, and all the old guys will be in it, too. Think Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future … GB3 is progressing with plans to shoot next summer and release in 2011.

MarketSaw, a website that specializes in news about 3D movies, has it on good authority from someone inside ILM that preproduction on Ghostbusters 3 has begun, and in a decidedly grand way – apparently, if the rumours are true, Ghostbusters 3 will be in 3D.

Indeed this creates a lot of questions – most important is “how solid is this info?”, followed by “and if it is solid, how close is an official greenlight on the project.” After all, if production isn’t greenlit, all this SFX cloak and dagger stuff is moot. The 3D aspect aside, this rumour is more interesting as it is the first confirmation of ANY sort of pre-production being underway. New York, for example, has yet to see ANY location scouting (that’s my exclusive PC rumour of the day.)

But finally, should Ghostbusters be in 3D? It’s a question only recently being applied to predominantly live-action films, after a couple of years of big boxoffice for CGI 3D films.

I don’t know if it needs to be in 3D, but it certainly can’t hurt. And for those of you who weren’t around in the 80s, there’s something very oldschool about making the third sequel 3D.