Dan Aykroyd Says He Doesn’t Think the OGGhostbustersActors Will Continue in the Franchise: ‘They Got a Whole New Cast’

Mar. 15, 2025

Dan Aykroyd in a ‘Ghostbusters’ scene.Photo: Everett

Dan Aykroyddoesn’t see a future for himself in theGhostbustersfranchise.While speaking toThe New York Postabout his History Channel seriesThe Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd, the actor — who starred and co-wrote the original 1984Ghostbustersmovie — revealed he doesn’t think he and former costarBill Murraywill return to the franchise.“I don’t see that coming,” Aykroyd, 72, said. “I don’t see where they would need us to carry it on.“TheSaturday Night Livealum spoke optimistically about the future of the franchise, specifically noting the success of 2021’sGhostbusters: Afterlifeand 2024’sGhostbusters: Frozen Empire, both of which starredFinn Wolfhard,Mckenna GraceandPaul Rudd.“They’ve got a whole new cast and they’ve got whole new ideas,” he continued. “I think probably they’re going to move on to advancing it beyond the originals, which they should.“Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd , Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson in ‘Ghostbusters’ in 1984.Columbia/Kobal/ShutterstockAykroyd played paranormal investigator Ray Stantz in the originalGhostbustersfilm, hunting ghosts alongside fellow ghostbusters Murray, 74,Ernie Hudson, 78, andthe late Harold Ramis, who died in 2014 at age 69.The franchise welcomed an all-female reboot in 2016, starringMelissa McCarthy,Kristen Wiig,Kate McKinnonandLeslie Jonesas the ghostbusters.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Inan exclusive interview with PEOPLEearlier this year, Aykroyd fervently defended the 2016 installment, which received mixed reviews at the time.“I liked the movie [director]Paul Feigmade with those spectacular women,” he said. “I was mad at them at the time because I was supposed to be a producer on there and I didn’t do my job and I didn’t argue about costs. And it cost perhaps more than it should, and they all do.““But boy, I liked that film,” he continued. “I thought that the villain at the end was great. I loved so much of it. And of course, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones and Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, you’re never going to do better than that. So I go on the record as saying I’m so proud to have been able to license that movie and have a hand and have a part in it, and I’m fully supportive of it, and I don’t besmirch it at all. I think it works really great amongst all the ones that have been made.“Dan Aykroyd in 2025.Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesAykroyd’s latest project,The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd,recently returned to television on Nov. 15 for a second season.“I’m back! The shocking ride continues,” theMy Girlactor wrote onInstagramahead of the release.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The series explores “the strangest-but-true stories in human history, brought to life through dynamic recreation, compelling graphics, and arresting archival,” per the show’s official synopsis.The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroydairs new episodes on the History Channel every Friday at 9 p.m. ET.

Dan Aykroyddoesn’t see a future for himself in theGhostbustersfranchise.

While speaking toThe New York Postabout his History Channel seriesThe Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd, the actor — who starred and co-wrote the original 1984Ghostbustersmovie — revealed he doesn’t think he and former costarBill Murraywill return to the franchise.

“I don’t see that coming,” Aykroyd, 72, said. “I don’t see where they would need us to carry it on.”

TheSaturday Night Livealum spoke optimistically about the future of the franchise, specifically noting the success of 2021’sGhostbusters: Afterlifeand 2024’sGhostbusters: Frozen Empire, both of which starredFinn Wolfhard,Mckenna GraceandPaul Rudd.

“They’ve got a whole new cast and they’ve got whole new ideas,” he continued. “I think probably they’re going to move on to advancing it beyond the originals, which they should.”

Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd , Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson in ‘Ghostbusters’ in 1984.Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock

Aykroyd played paranormal investigator Ray Stantz in the originalGhostbustersfilm, hunting ghosts alongside fellow ghostbusters Murray, 74,Ernie Hudson, 78, andthe late Harold Ramis, who died in 2014 at age 69.

The franchise welcomed an all-female reboot in 2016, starringMelissa McCarthy,Kristen Wiig,Kate McKinnonandLeslie Jonesas the ghostbusters.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Inan exclusive interview with PEOPLEearlier this year, Aykroyd fervently defended the 2016 installment, which received mixed reviews at the time.

“I liked the movie [director]Paul Feigmade with those spectacular women,” he said. “I was mad at them at the time because I was supposed to be a producer on there and I didn’t do my job and I didn’t argue about costs. And it cost perhaps more than it should, and they all do.”

“But boy, I liked that film,” he continued. “I thought that the villain at the end was great. I loved so much of it. And of course, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones and Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, you’re never going to do better than that. So I go on the record as saying I’m so proud to have been able to license that movie and have a hand and have a part in it, and I’m fully supportive of it, and I don’t besmirch it at all. I think it works really great amongst all the ones that have been made.”

Dan Aykroyd in 2025.Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Aykroyd’s latest project,The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd,recently returned to television on Nov. 15 for a second season.

“I’m back! The shocking ride continues,” theMy Girlactor wrote onInstagramahead of the release.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The series explores “the strangest-but-true stories in human history, brought to life through dynamic recreation, compelling graphics, and arresting archival,” per the show’s official synopsis.

The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroydairs new episodes on the History Channel every Friday at 9 p.m. ET.

source: people.com