Male-led ‘Ghostbusters’ in the works with Channing Tatum, Russo brothers

The “Ghostbusters� universe is making room for guys once again.

Sony Pictures has formed Ghostcorps, a new production company to develop movie and TV content and merchandise based on the supernatural comedy franchise, The Times has confirmed, and first up is a male-led “Ghostbusters� movie.

Deadline Hollywood first reported the news.

“Ghostbusters� helmer Ivan Reitman and writer-star Dan Aykroyd are among those heading up the new banner, which is eyeing Anthony and Joe Russo (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier�) to direct the next movie installment, after Paul Feig’s female-led one with Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. (Feig’s film is to open July 22, 2016.)

“Iron Man 3� scribe Drew Pearce is to write the new film, with Reitman, the Russos, Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan producing. Tatum, who already anchors Sony’s “21 Jump Street� movies, could star in the new “Ghostbusters� as well.

Sony, which has at times struggled to keep up in the franchise arms race compared to rivals such as Disney and Warner Bros., has been looking to rejuvenate the “Ghostbusters� brand for several years.

Until fairly recently the plan had been to reunite the original on-screen team of Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis (who died in 2014), but the latest strategy is to build out a new shared cinematic universe, à la Marvel Studios’ superhero movies. Thus characters can have their own separate adventures but occasionally team up and cross over into interrelated films (as in “The Avengers�).

If the approach works, it could give Sony a big blockbuster sandbox to play in. On the other hand, it also runs the risk of franchise fatigue. It’s been more than 25 years since the last “Ghostbusters� movie, and now all of a sudden there are two more on the way.

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