UPDATE: Badass Digest spoke with the folks at Sony and gathered some kind of amazing new details about the project, which the studio says will not be male-centric or have an all-male cast. Sony wants real-life friends Chris Pratt and Channing Tatum to headline, as both are interested in starring in the film together. This other Ghostbusters film isn’t intended to undermine Feig’s all-female film, but to expand the universe, creating a Ghostbusters world that’s similar to that of Marvel’s expanded universe. After both films are released, Sony wants to combine the casts in a third film—basically a Ghostbusters version of The Avengers. On top of that, Sony is planning a prequel for these films that will not feature any of the original Ghostbusters, instead tying directly into the new universe.

That’s a lot of information to take in, but it adds some much-needed clarity to Sony’s current Ghostbusters plans.

The original story continues below…

Here’s something strange in the movie news neighborhood: Deadline reports that Sony isn’t waiting for Paul Feig’s all-female Ghostbusters reboot (with its cast of comedy all-stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon) to debut before planning additional Ghostbuster sequels or spinoffs. They’re already getting to work on what the trade describes as a “guy-themed” offshoot with an all-male cast.

Deadline also notes that Sony is putting together a brain trust (dubbed “The Ghost Corps”) to oversee all their Ghostbusters-related operations. The team would include original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, star and co-writer Dan Aykroyd, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo, Iron Man 3 writer Drew Pearce, and actor Channing Tatum, who would serve as producer and potentially star in the dude-heavy film. Reitman’s comment to Deadline:

“We want to expand the Ghostbusters universe in ways that will include different films, TV shows, merchandise, all things that are part of modern filmed entertainment. This is a branded entertainment, a scary supernatural premise mixed with comedy. Paul Feig’s film will be the first version of that, shooting in June to come out in July, 2016. He’s got four of the funniest women in the world, and there will be other surprises to come. The second film has a wonderful idea that builds on that. Drew will start writing and the hope is to be ready for the Russo Brothers’ next window next summer to shoot, with the movie coming out the following hear. It’s just the beginning of what I hope will be a lot of wonderful movies.”

You had to assume that Sony was going to launch a whole bunch of new Ghostbusters movies on the back of Feig’s interpretation, but it is pretty shocking to hear that they’re already prepping a (in Deadline’s words) “male-driven” film with a totally different cast. I suppose two Ghostbusters movies are better than one, but it doesn’t it feel like they’re undercutting Feig’s movie? I guess we’ll have to wait and see how these two films will relate and connect (because you know, in this world of Cinematic Universes, that they absolutely will). Hopefully Channing Tatum and his crew will not steal McCarthy and Wiig’s spotlight.

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