The cast of the "Ghostbusters" reboot is officially in place -- Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon will be suiting up for the flick -- and original 'buster Dan Aykroyd could not be happier with the ensemble.

In a statement, Aykroyd (who starred in and co-wrote the first two flicks) told The Hollywood Reporter that the fierce foursome had his blessing.

"The Aykroyd family is delighted by this inheritance of the Ghostbusters torch by these most magnificent women in comedy," Aykroyd's statement said. "My great grandfather, Dr. Sam Aykroyd, the original Ghostbuster, was a man who empowered women in his day, and this is a beautiful development in the legacy of our family business."

While Aykroyd's stamp of approval is pretty great, his reference to his great-grandfather is especially worth noting. Some diehard "Ghostbusters" fans may already know, but Aykroyd's family member was an early follower of parapyschology, and even corresponded with "Sherlock Holmes" writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about his Spiritualism beliefs. Aykroyd's own later interest in the subject, coupled with his family history, was part of the inspiration behind "Ghostbusters."

Suffice it to say, having Aykroyd get on board with the new cast is a coup for the production, and perhaps could even signal a cameo for the original Ghostbuster. We can't wait to see what director Paul Feig and writer Katie Dippold have up their sleeves.

"Ghostbusters" is due in theaters on July 22, 2016.

[via: The Hollywood Reporter]

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