Advertisement

Jimmy Kimmel Shares Photo of His Son in Ghostbusters Costume to Honor 'Great' Director Ivan Reitman

jimmy kimmel
jimmy kimmel

jimmykimmel/Instagram

Jimmy Kimmel is remembering late Hollywood filmmaker Ivan Reitman.

On Monday, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host, 54, shared a photo of his son, William "Billy" John, 4, wearing a costume from the movie Ghostbusters in honor of Reitman, who died Saturday at the age of 75.

"May the great #IvanReitman rest in peace," the comedian captioned the sweet tribute. "As long as little boys believe in ghosts, your work will never be forgotten."

Kimmel joined many celebrities who mourned the loss of the prominent producer and director, who died in his sleep over the weekend.

RELATED: Ivan Reitman on Ghostbusters 3: 'We're Going to Do It'

Actress Mindy Kaling wrote on Twitter that he was "old school in the best way, and kind," adding: "I loved working with him. It's sad he's gone, it makes me feel older and like my childhood movies are more faraway than ever. RIP ❤️."

Kumail Nanjiani called Reitman a "legend" in a tweet after learning about his passing, adding: "Ghostbuster is my first favorite movie ever."

Paul Samuel Feig, who directed the comedy film Bridesmaids, tweeted about a memorable moment he shared with Reitman when they collaborated.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

Jason Reitman, Ivan Reitman
Jason Reitman, Ivan Reitman

Theo Wargo/Getty Images Jason and Ivan Reitman

"One of the most special moments to me was after our last test screening of Ghostbusters:ATC after we did some reshoots and our scores went through the roof. Ivan met me out in the lobby and said 'I'm so happy for you I feel like crying.' That's the kind of generous man he was. ❤️," Feig recalled.

Reitman — the driving force behind popular movies such as Animal House, Ghostbusters, and Stripes — died at his home in Montecito, California, his family confirmed to the Associated Press.

"Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life," said his children, Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman and Caroline Reitman, in a joint statement. "We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world."

RELATED: Paul Feig Slams Ghostbusters Box Set for Excluding His 2016 Reboot: 'Must Be a Mistake'

The statement continued, "While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through films will remember him always."

Reitman's film credits also include Kindergarten Cop, Junior, Beethoven, Old School and Six Days, Seven Nights, among others.

His son Jason, who directed Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which was released last year, also posted a heartfelt tribute to his father following his passing.

"I've lost my hero," Jason captioned a series of photos of himself with his dad on Instagram. "All I want in the world is the chance to tell my father one more story. He came from a family of survivors and turned his legacy into laughter."

Jason concluded his note by thanking fans for their "many messages of kindness" about his dad before asking them to "please enjoy his movies and remember his storytelling gifts. Nothing would make him happier."