The reason I'm not interested in the "reboot not a sequel" thing at this point, is, I don't know, it's kind of disgusting hearing so many fans going, "I wanted, I wanted, I wanted, Me, Me, Me..." We all want a lot of things in life. Doesn't mean what we get is worthless.
I feel that would have been the result regardless of what Ghostbusters movies they would have made. What should be perfectly clear is that Sony was going to make another movie, and if it wasn't the one we got, it would have been something else the fanbase wouldn't have liked. What I really can't stand are those who desperately want decades long sequels and cheer them on all the way until the movie comes out and then
something rubs them the wrong way and it's immediately the worst movie ever and an affront to fans even if the original team was behind it. I don't think a GB3, even one written by Akroyd and Ramis would have got really good reception. I do remember that when the idea of a "next generation" concept, one sanctioned by the original writers, popped up, fans were quick to dump on it.
I personally feel the franchise didn't need to come back. Ghostbusters was popular enough when it came out, though it was outgrossed by Beverly Hills Cop at the box office. But it became a big cult thing to the point where it transcended and became a classic movie with a massive following. Unlike, say, Avatar which made a crapload of money, sure, but then everyone kind of forgotten and stopped caring about. But I feel the fact that Sony wanted another movie and to bring it into franchise territory, we got at least not the worst option. I have horrible thoughts (as I mentioned earlier) of Sony making it an Adam Sandler and his buddies film. Shudder. or not quite as bad, but still not preferable, something with Jonah Hill and Seth Rogan. Indeed, their names were tossed around as a rumor in the "next Generation" movie.
I actually never saw Ghostbusters 2, I hear it really wasn't good, but I agree with you on Men In Black. The second movie was terrible seriously was it trying to pander to kids or something, having the pug from the first movie and the worms go from small cameos to full blown side characters, the plot and effects were flimsy, just a bad movie. Men In Black 3 did redeem the franchise though, now that one is a great movie.
I'll agree that the actors acted the heck out of Ghostbusters 2. If anything it's not a
bad film by that aspect, but conceptually there are things that worked and things that didn't. Maybe it rubs me the wrong way as a fan of the cartoon series which used the concepts stronger and wiser, and overall a better sequel than the movie sequel. But the mood slime bringing the Statue of Liberty to life? Ehhhhh... There's a difference between campy and pushing it. Same reason I hate the Batman 66 episode with the Surfing Joker. They crossed the fine line between acceptable level of tongue in cheekness and delved into of the wall schtick that makes you groan. Not to mention the villain was weak. It has its moments, and some darn good ones. Chemestry
does save the film from being a total disaster. Just...the cartoon had some great stuff about Peter's con-man father...even had an episode lampshading ABC's idiotic S&P meddling towards Janine. If there's 3 second movies that bug me due to the cartoon series, it's Ghostbusters 2, Men in Black 2, and TMNT: Secret of the Ooze. Of course for TMNT:SOTO, my problem was it pandered too much to the cartoon fans (i.e. young kids) and especially the suburban mommies who wanted to tone down the violence and replace Awesome Casey Jones with generic Japanese karate man. I still don't see how
that's the preferable to TMNT3 film, but somehow it is.
That said, MIB3 may not have been perfect or great, but I gave them credit for being more experimental with the plotline. The cartoon did a
far superior time travel episode, though.