Ghostbusters Filmed Before Columbia Owned Title
Dan Aykroyd says production began shooting before the studio secured rights to the Ghostbusters name.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Comedy
Dan Aykroyd revealed in a Halloween tweet that the Ghostbusters cast and crew started filming before Columbia owned the title, which was previously held by Taft Broadcasting for a half-hour sitcom. The production prepared alternate titles while Columbia later paid $500,000 to acquire the name.
Why it matters
The account shows how a studio's late acquisition of a title can shape a major film's production planning. The revelation also adds behind-the-scenes detail to the origins of a film that remains widely recognized.
Columbia paid $500,000 to acquire the Ghostbusters name from Taft Broadcasting, which had used it for a half-hour sitcom starring Larry Storch and Forrest Tucker. The timing of the purchase relative to filming has not been detailed in the public statements cited.
The players
Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd is an actor and screenwriter who co-wrote and starred in the original Ghostbusters film.
Ernie Hudson
Ernie Hudson is an actor who has worked for roughly 60 years and played a lead role in Ghostbusters.
Harold Ramis
Harold Ramis was a writer, director and actor who co-wrote Ghostbusters and was credited by Hudson with making the film possible.
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures is the Hollywood studio that paid $500,000 to acquire the Ghostbusters name for the film.
The details
Aykroyd made the revelation in a tweet celebrating Halloween, and Ernie Hudson later credited Harold Ramis with keeping the cast and crew together when disagreements arose on set. Aykroyd said he first heard the Ghostbusters term from Dean Martin in the 1953 film Scared Stiff and studied ghost comedies while researching the original film.
Timeline
1953: Dean Martin's Ghostbusters line appears in Scared Stiff.
1984: The Ghostbusters film is released.
December 2024: Ernie Hudson speaks at Galaxy Con Columbus.
October 31, 2026: Aykroyd posts the Halloween tweet revealing the title issue.
Legal Context
The Ghostbusters name had been used in Scared Stiff in 1953 and later in a Taft Broadcasting sitcom before Columbia bought it for $500,000. The episode illustrates how title rights from earlier media can become a production obstacle for a later film.
Viewers interested in the film's history can revisit the 1984 Ghostbusters release. The account does not indicate any new screenings, streaming changes or events tied to the title issue.
The takeaway
Studio title acquisitions can arrive after production has already begun, forcing teams to plan contingency names. The Ghostbusters case shows how a film's identity can depend on rights negotiated behind the scenes.
Further reading
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Source note: This article includes information reported by People.
