Ghostbusters: Afterlife is “passing the DNA of the first two movies directly to the new generation”

Following the rather lacklustre reboot of the brand with 2017’s female-led take on the property, Ghostbusters appears to be looking stronger than ever with the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Planned for release in 2021, this will be a direct sequel to the two 1980s films, featuring a combination of the original stars and new actors to give the popular franchise the long-awaited follow-up it deserves.

Despite being released more than 30 years ago, those first two Ghostbusters films have developed a cult following with its combination of supernatural thrills and comedy which people still yearn for. It’s a formula though, which director Jason Reitman (son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman), is wanting to tap into with this new movie that is also getting made with franchise co-creator Dan Aykroyd’s full involvement. Which gives one hope that it will not just be a nostalgic cash-in, but something which can build upon what came before and take Ghostbusters forward.

A statement of intent which Aykroyd reiterated in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly about Jason Reitman’s plans for the movie:

He’s passing the DNA of the first two movies directly to the new generation. It’s just a lot of fun to see these terrific young actors slinging the old Cadillac around and having the equipment in their hands. The story that develops from that is scary and funny and heartfelt and also funny. And it feeds into the possibility of more follow-ups with this group and with others who want to join.

In fairness, Ghostbusters was a movie franchise that died far too early and it deserved many more sequels, so I’m glad that we may finally get that if this new film can prove to be a success. One aspect that won’t make it to this new sequel though is actor/writer Harold Ramis, who sadly passed away in 2014.

In the same interview, Aykroyd did reveal that Ramis will still be featured in the film in some way or another:

To have that formation without that man standing right there on the line with us was a pretty serious adjustment. He will be very well represented in the new film; I can tell you that. He’s very honourably represented.

What that means is anyone’s guess. Whether it’s an iconic tribute to the actor or perhaps a CGI recreation in some form will remain to be seen, though I would suspect that the latter may come across as potentially disrespectful to the actor and his family, so we will probably just see a tribute made to him. Either way, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is promising to be the movie fans deserve and hopefully, it will be able to deliver on all fronts. No pressure, guys.

Last Updated: June 26, 2020