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Ernie Hudson Reveals Whether or Not He's Returning For Ghostbusters 4, Also Gives His Thoughts on the Reboot


Ghostbusters star Ernie Hudson has recently opened up about whether or not he'll be appearing in next year's Ghostbusters 4 (2023), while also giving his thoughts on the controversial 2016 Ghostbusters reboot.

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Related: All Ghostbusters Movies and TV Shows in Order

Ernie Hudson is as synonymous with Ghostbusters as Bill Murray. In Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989), Hudson plays Winston Zeddemore, a role he reprised in last year's Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021).

Sony Pictures recently announced that, along with a Ghostbusters animated series, a Ghostbusters animated movie, a new comic book, and two Ghostbusters video games, a live-action Ghostbusters sequel is in the works.

Ghostbusters 4 will serve as a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and as confirmed by director Jason Reitman, will return to the franchise's New York City roots while "continuing the Spengler family story".

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Related: Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Gets Release Date

Now, in an interview with Moviefone, Hudson, 76, has discussed the upcoming sequel, while also looking back at the failed reboot Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016). First, let's see what he had to say about the 2016 film:

Paul Feig came in with ‘Ghostbusters: Answer the Call.’ I love Paul, I really liked the movie a lot and definitely have a lot of love for the ladies who starred in it. But it was a reboot. I don’t like reboots, as we talked about earlier. But when Jason Reitman finally called and said they were moving forward with a ‘Ghostbusters’ that is an extension of the originals, that was really exciting.

Hudson makes an appearance in Answer the Call (a title that was seemingly retrospectively added), however, as the film is a reboot and therefore takes place in an entirely separate timeline, he doesn't play Winston Zeddemore.

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Related: Ghostbusters Afterlife ENDING EXPLAINED

Hudson was also asked about Ghostbusters 4, which will be the fifth Ghostbusters movie, but only the fourth in the main canon franchise. Here's what he had to say about the possibility of reprising his role:

“I think (Winston’s) definitely tied into the whole ‘Ghostbusters’ world. He’s a businessman now who has this international corporation, but I’ll always be a Ghostbuster. So, I think as long as there are ‘Ghostbusters’ movies, and Winston can put on the backpack and the jumpsuit still fits, we’ll see Winston involved.”

So, whether or not Ernie Hudson will be returning as Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters 4 remains to be seen, but he will be playing the character in an upcoming video game titled Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (2022).

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Related: Ghostbusters Afterlife Star Wants 2023 Sequel to Take Inspiration From Fan-Favorite Video Game

Dan Aykroyd will be joining him, reprising his role as Ray Stantz. However, it won't be the first time the original cast members have played their respective characters, with Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009) being the first one.

That game saw the return of Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), Bill Murray (Peter Spengler), Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), and Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz).

Check out the official trailer for Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed below:

Related: Is Ghostbusters The Video Game Worth Buying?

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will be released on October 18 this year. Ghostbusters 4 will be released in theaters on December 20, 2023.

The Ghostbusters animated series and Ghostbusters animated movie are currently in development with no release dates as yet. Ghostbusters: VR is also heading to all major consoles, while a Dark Horse comic book that will follow Ghostbusters: Afterlife is due out next year.

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As per the Ghostbusters website, here's the synopsis for Ghostbusters: Afterlife:

From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars McKenna Grace (Phoebe), Logan Kim (Podcast), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Carrie Coon (Callie), Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore).

Related: Ghostbusters Animated Series Title, Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer, Netflix, News, and Everything You Need to Know

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