5 Surprising Cinematic Universes (And 5 Which Never Got Off The Ground)

10. Abandoned: The 'Ghostbusters' Cinematic Universe

Paul Feig's 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters, the beloved supernatural comedy hit starring Bill Murray, was an all-round critical and commercial disaster. Starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Kate McKinnon, this all-female remake flopped upon release, failing to break even given the film's surprisingly high production costs.

To make matters worse, Sony had initially hoped that the reboot would then launch a new Ghostbusters franchise, with multiple sequels and spin-offs in various stages of planning. Both Feig and the principal leads had actually signed on for at least two more films within the series.

However, following the film's abysmal box-office performance, any plans for further films in the franchise were promptly scrapped, and there has been little chatter since regarding the future of this particular series.

Fortunately for Ghostbusters fans however, a direct sequel to the original, well-loved films has recently been announced, and the movie is slated for a 2021 release. Starring Paul Rudd and Finn Wolfhard, the film will also feature supporting roles for Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife will hopefully evoke the spirit of the original Ghostbusters series far more successfully than Feig's veritable flop.