Ivan Reitman’s (Ghostbusters 1-2 director) son Jason Reitman (Juno, Young Adult, Up In The Air) was announced by Sony Pictures as co-writing and directing a new Ghostbusters film directly tied to the original 1984 version that his father directed. It was reported that four kids in the range of 12-13 would be cast in the film including two boys and two girls.
Well, looks like we have a name vying for one of those young girl roles.
HN Entertainment has uncovered a couple of audition tapes from 12-year-old Canadian actress Sarah Abbott (Black Mirror), who is auditioning for one of the four kid roles in the upcoming Ghostbusters film (working title Rust City previously revealed by THR).
The movie has been using the codename RUST CITY during its stealth development. https://t.co/cvfgOcU0QO
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) January 16, 2019
Abbott is likely best known for playing 9-year-old Sara Sambrell in the Jodie Foster-directed episode Arkangel from the latest season of Black Mirror and recently took a role in the upcoming horror film The Silence from Constantin Films.
From these tapes, it sounds like Sarah Abbott is reading for the social awkward 12-year-old science girl role, as she’s trying to learn how to tell jokes to make interacting in a social environment less awkward for herself and others.
We posted a character description for the girl role not too long ago.
The pre-teen girl certainly sounds like a Jason Reitman character, for sure, a science kid that has trouble connecting with others on an emotional level, understanding feelings and not be aware how hurtful her comments can be.
Here are Sarah’s audition tapes along with a transcription of her two scenes while speaking to someone off-camera that could easily be an adult or family relative.
SCENE #1:
GIRL: I’ve been working on a joke for people to feel more comfortable.
OTHER: Okay, let’s hear it.
GIRL: Two chemists go into a bar. The first one says “I’ll think I’ll have an H2O” the second one says “I think I’ll have H2O2″…and then he died.
OTHER: I don’t get it.
GIRL: H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide, you can’t drink it, it’s poisonous.
OTHER: That’s why it’s funny.
GIRL: Yeah, it’s a pretty hilarious joke.
OTHER: Hey, I got a call from Ms. Fannigan she seemed pretty upset.
GIRL: I asked her if she stopped dieting again.
OTHER: Why would you ask that?
GIRL: Because she’s been gaining weight.
OTHER: And this seemed like a good idea? To bring this up with her?
GIRL: Are you upset? Your forehead is tight that usually means you’re upset.
OTHER: That’s how you know I’m mad?
GIRL: That, and you start talking through your teeth. Like this [makes a grimace while talking through teeth]. When you really get angry your knuckles go white and your neck goes into a stress rash, and you have a sip from your whiskey you keep behind the towel.
OTHER: Got it. At your new school were you planning on making many friends?
SCENE #2:
OTHER: What are you reading?
GIRL: Joke book.
OTHER: You’re learning jokes to repeat?
GIRL: Apparently, the ingendered environment of trust and warmth.
OTHER: Sometimes they even make people laugh.
GIRL: I like jokes.
OTHER: Yeah, okay.
GIRL: I’m not a machine, I just don’t pick up on traditional social cues.
OTHER: Okay, what’s your favorite joke?
GIRL: Why do seagulls fly over the sea?
OTHER: I don’t know.
GIRL: If they flew over the bay they’d be bagels.
OTHER: It’s not awful.
GIRL: I didn’t write it.
OTHER: Noone writes jokes, they just kind of exist. Next time someone is telling you something kind of interesting just say ‘stop it’.
GIRL: Why?
OTHER: It makes it seem like your interested. Here try it and I’ll just talk about… Did you know there is more sand in New Mexico than the entire Sahara?
GIRL: That’s not true.
OTHER: I know, I’m just making it up, you know.. forget about it.
GIRL: Stop it!
OTHER: That’s not how it works.
HN also recently revealed that production is eyeing a late spring or summer start, which makes sense the announcement of a summer release next year.
UPDATE: Our pal Daniel Richtman pointing out to us that this new character is very well the main character of the movie.
That character was at the top of the list on the breadown, meaning she's the main character of the film.
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) January 26, 2019
Looking at Canadian actors could also suggest the film might be eyeing a shoot in Toronto, Vancouver, or even Montreal. Both that episode of Black Mirror and The Silence shot in the Toronto area. Jason Reitman has shot a handful of films in Canada such as Juno and Tully and happens to be Canadian himself.
One of the bigger issues with the last Ghostbusters film was how much they spent on the production of it, filming in Canada could save the studio a pretty-penny with the tax incentives various provinces offer to Hollywood productions.
A family returns back home to a small town.
While there have been claims the original cast could be returning this has yet to be announced/confirmed, but the film seemingly does take place in that universe as it ignores the Paul Feig installment and those characters. Sadly, the last film was a reboot and took place outside the original films’ continuity.
Sony Pictures has recently set the release date for Reitman’s Ghostbusters on July 10th, 2020.
SOURCE: HN ENTERTAINMENT
Great news, but let’s hope the movie won’t be a kiddiefilm like GB2 was. That was GB2’s undoing.