Photo: All rights reserved.

Bill Murray

Bill Murray has opened up on his return to the Ghostbusters franchise in the upcoming movie, Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

The 69-year-old actor has long been rumoured to be reprising his role as fan-favorite Dr. Peter Venkman in the new movie, with co-creator Dan Aykroyd confirming the news during an appearance on The Greg Hill Show last November.

Now, Murray has opened up on his return for the first time, explaining to Vanity Fair how the flick will reunite original ghostbusters Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore (Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson), and explain the absence of Egon Spengler - played by Harold Ramis, who died in 2014. Sigourney Weaver will also return to play Dana Barrett.

"Well, we are a man down. That's the deal," he said. "And that's the story that we're telling, that's the story they've written... The script is good. It's got lots of emotion in it. It's got lots of family in it, with through lines that are really interesting. It's gonna work."

According to the publication, each member of the original cast "has a meaningful role in the movie, but they won't be the central heroes this time."

Ghostbusters: Afterlife, also starring Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Paul Rudd, hits theatres on July 10.