Back in 1984, moviegoers were introduced to one of the most iconic franchises in Hollywood history when Ghostbusters premiered in theaters. The supernatural comedy captivated audiences across the globe, thrusting them into the heart of New York City as all hell breaks loose like never before. Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II would combine to generate over half of a billion dollars in box office receipts by 1989 on a combined budget of less than $70 million, representing a huge commercial win for all those involved. However the success of Ghostbusters went well beyond the commercial with many of the film’s characters persisting in pop culture to this day and new generations of fans continue to fall in love with the iconic franchise. The franchise has even been rebooted and reimagined in recent years, and the next installment of the Ghostbusters franchise is on its way with the first official photos of Ghostbusters: Afterlife hitting the presses this week.
This definitely isn’t the first time in recent years that the Ghostbusters universe has been revisited: in 2016 Columbia Pictures elected to reboot the classic 1984 film, but this time with a female cast starring the likes of Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. This project was a much greater financial investment than its predecessor, with its budget over quadruple the 1984 original, however did not resonate with fans quite the same. Regardless though, it reminded moviegoers how truly timeless the Ghostbusters films are and renewed fans’ interest in the universe once more. Now those fans are in for a treat, with the first official images for Ghostbusters: Afterlife releasing this week highlighting teen heartthrob Finn Wolfhard alongside Mckenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor and Logan Kim. The film is said to be a direct sequel to the 1980’s films that hold such a special place in Hollywood history, though it isn’t wholly clear as of yet what direction they intend to take the project in.
While the 2016 effort might have left something to be desired amongst die-hard Ghostbusters fans, it seems like Columbia is doing their due diligence this time. Instead of attempting to retell what is already considered a classic, they are instead going to build upon it and bring in some of the most promising young talent while doing so. Wolfhard is certainly no stranger to the supernatural, making him a perfect fit to star in the latest installment of the Ghostbusters franchise. Now that installment is just a few short weeks away, set to debut in theaters on November 19th.
