"Ghostbusters" scares up "Office" writers

By Borys Kit and Leslie Simmons

TORONTO/LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Who's Sony going to call to pen its reboot of "Ghostbusters?"

Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg.

The studio has recruited "The Office" writer-producers to work on a new installment of the 1980s franchise that starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis as bumbling ghost-hunting scientists.

The original filmmakers, including director Ivan Reitman, and cast are aware of the project and involved in its development. Some original cast members might be involved, but not in central roles.

Stupnitsky and Eisenberg, who are nominated for an Emmy for the NBC sitcom "The Office," already have the support of one Ghostbuster in Ramis. The duo penned with Ramis the biblical comedy "Year One," which is produced by Judd Apatow and directed by Ramis, and scheduled for release in 2009 by Sony.

"Ghostbusters" was Sony's top-grossing film ever until it was surpassed by "Men in Black," which in turn was outdone by all three "Spider-Man" films. The 1984 film grossed $292 million worldwide, and its 1989 sequel brought in another $215 million globally.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter