Ghostbusters III still on, but script needs rewrites

Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd in their hit comedy Ghostbusters.

Harold Ramis' death will not put a halt to Ghostbusters III but the script will need reworking, it has been reported.

Ramis was due to make a cameo appearance in the sequel with fellow original co-stars Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, but he died on Monday aged 69 from a rare autoimmune disease.

The actor, writer and director played Dr Egon Spengler in the first two Ghostbusters movies (1984 and 1989) and became a comedy legend for his work on Groundhog Day and Meatballs.

Director Ivan Reitman will meet with Sony this week to discuss how best to progress with the film, according to industry insider The Hollywood Reporter.

The script, written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, who also penned The Office, will be edited to account for Ramis' passing but, as his involvement in Ghostbusters III was minor, it is unlikely to be heavily effected by the tragic news.

"There will be some repercussions," the film website reports. "(Ramis) was always great to bounce something off of, and that will certainly be missed, but it won't affect the script."

Ramis, Murray and Aykroyd were set to feature in the third Ghostbusters instalment for a "baton-passing to a trio of newcomers" but that plan must now be reconsidered.

Shooting was not scheduled to begin in 2014 as the script had not been finalised and actor deals have yet to be signed.

Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore in the original Ghostbusters told TMZ that Ramis was "the glue" of the franchise.

"There wouldn't be a Ghostbusters without Harold Ramis. Harold pulled it together," he said.

"There can't be another Ghostbusters without Harold. There can be another 'Ghost-something'. That was always my fear, was that something would happen before we all got together."

- Independent