Sony Wants 'Bridemaids' Director Paul Feig to Helm 'Ghostbusters 3'; Movie Will Focus on Female Team

Sony's long-simmering Ghostbusters sequel could finally get a director. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio is targeting Bridesmaids and The Heat director Paul Feig to helm the new Ghostbusters movie. It sounds like Feig is interested in the job, but we're still very early in the process here, with THR reporting that "no formal negotiations have taken place and a lot must be worked out before the casual discussions turn serious and Feig accepts the job."

THR also reports that Ghostbusters 3 won't be a direct sequel to the original two Ghostbuster movies, instead being "a reboot focusing on female Ghostbusters."

Here's why these pieces of news worry me: I like Feig. As the creator of Freaks and Geeks, he was responsible for shepherding an entire generation of stars into the public eye. That said, Feig has also worked with Melissa McCarthy on both Bridesmaids and The Heat. Since her Oscar-nomianted turn in Bridesmaids, McCarthy has become a caricature of herself, turning into one giant pratfall.

If the new Ghostbusters movie is directed by Feig and winds up focusing on a team of female Ghostbusters, the announcement that McCarthy is the movie's lead can't be that far behind. Based on McCarthy's Tammy disaster, that's the last thing a Ghostbusters fan would want to hear.