Jason Reitman Made Sure Ernie Hudson's Winston Gets His Due In Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 - Exclusive

"Ghostbusters" and its sequels are horror-comedy royalty, leaving a massive cultural impact ever since the original's 1984 premiere. In the original, canned parapsychology professors Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) start the Ghostbusters ghost-hunting business, your one-stop shop for all one's paranormal needs. With supernatural phenomena on the rise, the team takes on a fourth member — Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) — and combats the growing supernatural threat plaguing New York City. The movie launched a soon-to-be five-film franchise, alongside a series, merchandise, and more.

As Winston, one of the original Ghostbusters, Ernie Hudson is sci-fi-horror royalty, but he didn't always feel that way with how he and his character were treated by the film's marketing. With Winston's welcome return in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," the talented star finally had another opportunity for Winston to shine. In a new, exclusive interview with Looper, Hudson revealed that Jason Reitman — the writer and producer of the upcoming "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" sequel — has not only kept Hudson involved in the sequel's writing process, but has also assured him that Winston will get his due in the upcoming sequel.

With "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" being one of 2021's hottest films, it's understandable that precise plot details for the sequel are being kept under wraps. At the same time, Ernie Hudson noted that he's excited for what's to come in the next franchise entry. There's "probably not a lot I can tell you other than I think everybody's coming back, which I'm excited about," he said.

Hudson plainly acknowledges that there have been recent reports about his dissatisfaction with some of the circumstances surrounding elements of the franchise. "There's been a lot of things out recently about me not being happy about certain treatments or whatever," Hudson said, but he's extremely optimistic about Jason Reitman's newest entry. 

"Jason Reitman, who is producing this one, from the very beginning when he got involved," Hudson explained, "made sure — and in fact, we talked about it — that Winston would be very much included." With Reitman effectively inheriting the trilogy from his father, Ivan Reitman, surely the franchise's legacy is at the forefront of his concern. And Hudson assures franchise fans that Jason Reitman told him that Winston will be "very much part of the franchise and appreciated for what he brings to it." The future's never been brighter for Winston's return, and Hudson promises the forthcoming sequel is "a lot of fun."

Ernie Hudson's newest film, "Champions," is now available in theaters.