Ivan Reitman, the producer behind Animal House and the director of 1984’s Ghostbusters, has passed away. He was 75.
“Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life,” Reitman’s children Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman, and Caroline Reitman said in a statement. “We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always.”
In 2021, Jason directed the newest spinoff of his father’s iconic legacy, Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
“It was a very personal and sometimes tear-inducing experience,” Ivan said of bringing the original leads back for Afterlife. “The day that all three of them showed up for the first time and were just checking stuff out — it was just extraordinary; just feeling the vibe, not just for me, but I felt it in the crew and cast. I felt it everywhere.”
According to his family, Reitman died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday night in his home in Montecito, California.
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