It has been the subject of speculation for years now. Will the original boys-in-grey get back together for a Ghostbusters III? After 2008's Ghostbusters: The Video Game featured all of the film's original cast members, the answer was looking optimistic for the first time. Bill Murray was said to be walking the streets of New York whistling the theme song to himself. He showed up in his 'buster outfit at the 2010 Spike Scream Awards. A third script was written and sent his way.

And then the wait. Director Ivan Reitman repeatedly put the movie's fate in Murray's hands as he waited for the elusive star to read the script and give his blessing. Howard Stern pressed Murray about the script last year around this time and Murray was careful to say nothing binding, though he admitted he hadn't read the script yet.

It has been radio silence from Murray ever since. He filmed Hyde on Hudson Park in and around Manhattan over the summer, so one assumes he is not out of the business of making movies in New York. Rumors have come and gone, it was untrue that Murray shredded fellow GB Dan Aykroyd's script (then again it was reported by the National Enquirer so that was a given) and Murray's dropout was alluded to in Empire a few weeks ago, but no quote was given on the matter.

Well, now Aykroyd has finally come out and said it - Murray won't do Ghostbusters 3. In Aykroyd's words from a Telegraph interview today, "I honestly don't know. At this point it's in suspended animation. The studio, the director Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis feel there must be a way to do it, but Bill Murray will not do the movie. He doesn't want to be involved. He's got six kids, houses all over America. He golfs in these tournaments where they pay him to turn up and have a laugh. He's into this life and living it. I know we'd have a lot of fun [but] I can't be mad at him. He's a friend first, a colleague second."

Murray is out, yet the director, studio and costars are in. Do you think the film has a ghost of a chance at this stage?