Ghostbusters: Bill Murray officially announces return as Dr Peter Venkman in new film

Ghostbusters fans will be overjoyed to learn that one of the key members of the original cast has officially returned for the new film.

Jason Reitman – the son of Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman – directs the forthcoming sequel, which also stars Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd.

After months of reports, though, it has now been confirmed by Bill Murray himself that the actor will return as Dr Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Murray last appeared on-screen as Venkman more than 30 years ago in Ghostbusters II (1989). He also showed up in Paul Feig’s all-female reboot, but played a different character.

He told Vanity Fair in a behind-the-scenes interview: “The script is good. It’s got lots of emotion in it. It’s got lots of family in it, with through lines that are really interesting. It’s gonna work.”

Murray’s co-stars Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson will also return as Dr Ray Stanz and Winston Zeddemore, respectively.

Harold Ramis, who played Dr Egon Spengler, died in 2014.

“We are a man down,” Murray continued. “That’s the deal – and that’s the story that we’re telling, that’s the story they’ve written.”

Ghostbusters: Afterlife will be released in cinemas on 10 July.