A highlight of 2021’s film releases was the hotly anticipatedGhostbusters: Afterlife, directed by Jason Reitman, son of originalGhostbustersdirector Ivan Reitman. Part of that anticipation was attributed to its delayed release due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Afterlifedid well for the franchise, being warmly received by critics and audiences. This rejuvenation was validated by itsnearly $200 million box-office haul. Audiences are eagerly anticipating a sequel.
DuringApril 2022’s CinemaCon, Sony teased thatGhostbusters: Afterlife 2had been greenlit. According toDeadline, the movie was officially confirmed by the first film’s director and writer,Jason Reitman, and writer Gil Kenan, in June of that year. It was initially supposed to be released in December 2023 butis now set for a March 2024 release. While Reitman and Kenan also wrote the new film together, this time,Kenan directed it.
But where will they take the story next? For the moment, that remains to be seen. Thankfully, the latest film was full of new characters, a new setting, and, most importantly, a renewed interest in busting ghosts. With these ingredients, there is lots of ground to potentially explore for the upcoming sequel.
Update June 21, 2025: Happy Halloween!Ghostbustersis a great watch for the whole family on Halloween, so in honor of the holiday, this article has been updated with more of what we want to see in the sequel toGhostbusters: Afterlife.
The Torch Officially Being Passed
Ghostbusters: Afterlifeeffectively acted as a pilot program, a testbed to see if the legacy of zapping poltergeists could translate to a new generation. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. The character of Phoebe (McKenna Grace), a descendent of Egon Spengler, effectively picked up the proton pack where her predecessors had left off. Not only did Egon pass on his brains, but he passed on his curiosity to his granddaughter.
While drawn as emotionally guarded, Phoebe showed that her love of exploring, science, and connection was matched evenly with Egon. Her social clumsiness balances her sharp intellect. It is given that there will be some time to pass before the sequel releases. So, when Phoebe returns, she’ll most likely have come into her own as a confident young scientist, perfecting what her grandfather and his team of ghostbusters had started.
WhileAfterlifespent much of its time unraveling the mystery of Phoebe’s familial origins, the sequel can now move past this benchmark. With ostensibly a few years of hunting the paranormal under their belts, Phoebe and her brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) can assume the mantle on a structured, professional level.
Related:Ghostbusters: What Is in Store Next for the Franchise?
Of course, there will be partnerships of other characters introduced inAfterlife,such as Podcast (Logan Kim), Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), Phoebe’s mother Callie (Carrie Coon), and the affable Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd).William Atherton is rejoining the world ofGhostbustersfor the new film, and somenew faces joining theGhostbustersworldare Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster,and Emily Alyn Lind, among others.
It was indeed a treat (and frankly, super expected) to see the originalGhostbustersshow up at the end ofAfterlife. The sequel definitely incorporates Winston (Ernie Hudson), because his actorconfirmed that they’d finished filming the sequel toAfterlife.It will most likely incorporate the likes of Venkman (Bill Murray) and Ray (Dan Aykroyd) somewhat too. How little or how much is yet to be determined.The sequel will surely include callbacks and references to the group that gotGhostbustersstarted. However, it is time for the new crew to take the stage.
A Solid Villain
One of the criticisms ofGhostbusters: Afterlifewas the recycled plot of defeating Gozer. As fun as it was seeing Paul Rudd turn into a demon dog and hearing familiar banter from Venkman during the film’s climactic battle, the sequel’s antagonist should be a new face. This may or may not happen, however. On theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, Jason Reitman has already teased the eventual return of Vigo the Carpathian, who nearly defeated the heroes during the events ofGhostbusters 2. Arguably the scariest of the main original villains, Vigo’s return could be a fantastic reappearance. History has looked back kindly onGhostbusters 2and Vigo as a villain by extension.
But having him be the big baddie once again would undermine this new path being forged by Phoebe and the company. There is so much left to explore in a supernatural world. Whether a new villain is based on lore, a folk tale, or something fresh and completely original, there is much ground to cover. The two critical components for making a solid ghost villain would be a fresh motivation song and presenting a personal challenge to the new Ghostbusters.
The ever-present problem with “re-quels” (reboot-sequel) is that they have to balance so much in every beat. FromStar WarstoScream, and evenGhostbusters, tempering fans’ dubious assumptions from what is expected, coupled with developing and delivering a robust and compelling story that speaks to the appropriate audience, can be a steep challenge. It’s a precarious path that studios will take a shot at because it’ll usually make money either way.Ghostbustershas already proven to be a lucrative franchise.
A Return to Comedy
One notable aspect many noted aboutGhostbusters: Afterlifewas how it was a more serious venture than the previous entries in theGhostbustersfranchise. The movie took a lot of reverence for the original movie, which is odd given that the original was a comedy. While the approach for mythic storytelling worked for legacy sequels to a galactic fairy tale likeStar Warsor a sports icon likeRocky, translating it toGhostbustersfelt out of place.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s Ecto-1 Joins Other Iconic Movie Cars in L.A. Museum
Petersen Automotive Museum is launching a new exhibit featuring many iconic movie cars with the rusty Ecto-1 among them.
With the pieces in place, a sequel can now really embrace the comedy of the original film. That is what audiences loved aboutGhostbusters.The forces of evil were vanquished not by priests or magic all-knowing wizards…but by four comedians looking like pest control. Now with the Ghostbusters as kids, there is a lot of comedic possibilities to explore with that concept.
Justice forGhostbusters: Answer the Call
Paul Feig’s2016 reboot of theGhostbustersfranchise was not very well received. Even before the film came out, it fell victim to attacks online from trolls, and much of the criticism was due to the fact that the Ghostbusters in this film were all women (viaVox). This led to the movie being review-bombed. Worth noting is thatGhostbusters: Answer the Callearned 74% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, and many audiences did enjoy it.
A few years back, Feig saidhe’d love to do a sequel. Another time, he saidhe’d want to do a crossover with theGhostbusters: Afterlifeteam and his Ghostbusters(played by Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Kate McKinnon). IfJason Reitman really wants to make it up to Leslie Jones for his comments on their version ofGhostbusters, including the leading actors for cameos in theGhostbusters: Afterlifesequel, it would be a great way to do it.
Plus, many of the originalGhostbustersactors had cameos (as new characters) inGhostbusters: Answer the Call,soit’s only fair that Jones, Wiig, McCarthy, and McKinnon (and maybe even Chris Hemsworth) get their chance to do the same. We know thatthe action is returning to New York, which is where the 2016 film is set. While the two stories take place in separate continuities, apotential multiverse situationwould be interesting, but even if that isn’t explored, there can still be a connection to the 2016 film.
The other films in theGhostbustersseries have beena family affair between the father/son Reitman directors, andGhostbusters: Afterlifemostly worked because it relied on its originality with fun homages, fresh characters, new setting, and strong heart. Sequels already have enough of an uphill battle as it is (as do reboots, as seen in 2016). But Reitman and crew could have something truly special on their hands with theAfterlifesequel as long as the next chapter of Bustin’ Ghosts retains these elements.
