Online reaction mixed as Ghostbusters 3 announced for 2020

Fans and critics did not shy away from sharing their opinions.

A new Ghostbusters film is due for release in 2020 and is set to be directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman – who directed the first two movies.

While the casting for the fourth outing is still unclear, fans and critics of the earlier three movies have not shied away from sharing their opinions online.

Some people saw the news as a reaction to the backlash the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot received for featuring female comedians in the lead roles.

“I’m totally fine with there being a new Ghostbusters movie set in the original universe – I just hate that the worst people will take credit for ‘winning’ because they were so against the idea of female Ghostbusters. Sigh.,” wrote Twitter user Eric Goldman.

Another user, Eric Goldmark, wrote: “Boy, I can’t wait for all the ‘I’m not sexist, I just hate unnecessary reboots!’ people to get frothing-at-the-mouth angry at THIS unnecessary reboot too.”

Others agreed that a fourth Ghostbusters film felt like a step too far.

“I say this as someone who grew up loving Ghostbusters, watching the cartoon, seeing the movie over and over and over again to a degree which is probably unhealthy but whatever: stop trying to make Ghostbusters happen,” tweeted writer Zack Handlen.

Some thought it would be impossible to recreate the magic of the original films, described as “lightning in a bottle” by Liz Finnegan.

She tweeted: “I said it last time they tried this, I’ll say it again – I don’t see how they can make that magic happen again.

“Almost none of the scenes were filmed as scripted. Most of Bill Murray’s lines were ad-libs. You can’t write the magic that happened on that screen, and I really wish people would stop trying to. Let it go.”

While others noted the creeping trend of sons remaking films their famous fathers had directed.

Jason Reitman confirmed the news on Twitter, writing simply: “Finally got the keys to the car. #GB20”

GENEVA (AP) — Iranian soccer officials are set to meet soon with FIFA in Zurich about their World Cup games in the United States in June.

Iran’s top soccer official Mehdi Taj said on Friday “we have many issues to discuss” on his return home from Canada where he failed to attend FIFA’s annual congress held on Thursday in Vancouver.

FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström has invited an Iranian delegation to its headquarters by a May 20 deadline, a person familiar with the proposal told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing sensitivity of the issue.

That target date in Zurich is three weeks before the Iran squad is due in the U.S., staying at a training base in Tucson, Arizona, to prepare for three group games in Inglewood, California and Seattle.

“Our position is that we will soon have a meeting with FIFA,” Taj told Iranian media on Friday.

Iran is an Asian soccer power but its ability and willingness to come to the World Cup has been questioned since the U.S. and Israel launched military attacks on Feb. 28. The tournament is being co-hosted by Canada and Mexico,

On Thursday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino opened his keynote speech to global soccer leaders — with only Iran missing of the 211 member federations — insisting again that Iran will come and play as scheduled in the U.S.

At the White House later Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed his support for Iran’s team, adding: “If Gianni said it, I’m OK.”

Trump and Infantino have closely allied over the World Cup preparations which has challenges, beyond Iran with fans from several African countries, over granting entry visas and security concerns.

Taj and two more Iran officials had issues this week on landing in Toronto en route to Vancouver where they were expected at the FIFA annual meeting.

Taj, who is also a vice president of Asia’s soccer body, detailed on Friday the problems with Canadian authorities though he said he was not deported.

“In Canada they asked us, ‘Are you members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?’ We told them, ‘In Iran, 90 million of us are IRGC,’” Taj was reported as saying in Iranian media.

After being detained for two hours at Toronto airport, the Iran soccer delegation which had arrived from Istanbul was told it could continue the journey.

“There was some discussion and he said, ‘It’s up to you,’ and then we decided as a group to go back” to Istanbul, Taj said. “They did not officially deport us, there is nothing labeled as deportation in our file, but in practice it was like that.”

Taj had a valid visa to enter Canada after he was denied one by the U.S. to attend the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5. At that event, Infantino presented Trump with the first FIFA Peace Prize.

Iran has World Cup group games against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, respectively, from June 15-26. The first two games are at the NFL stadium of the Los Angeles Rams and the third is at the Seattle Seahawks’ stadium.

If Iran advances as runner-up in its group, the team could face the United States in the round of 32 at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium on July 3.

The Iranian soccer league shut down after the war started and is not due to resume before the World Cup. The squad played two warmup games in March at a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, where it could return this month to prepare for the World Cup that opens on June 11.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, second from right, speaks during the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Iran is marked absent as FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, fourth from front left, conducts roll call during the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino addresses the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)