After a very long wait throughout a global pandemic, Ghostbusters: Afterlife Is thisclose, and with every poster, trailer, teaser and tidbit released, the fans of the franchise are at the ready with their proton packs in tow, on the off chance they need our help. We'd never cross the streams. I don't know about you, but I ain't afraid of no ghosts! Check out the international trailer and let's all grin with delight together! More about Egon's past is discovered, with so many Ghostbusters Easter eggs unleashed, it's hard to keep count. There are Terror Dogs, Mini-Stay Puft Marshmallow Men, and Slimer's distant cousin Muncher. And some very cool callbacks to the 1984 original that will give fans goosebumps. Just wait until Huey Lewis...I mean, Ray Parker Jr.'s theme music kicks in.
The film stars Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd, while Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts reprise their roles from the original films. Set thirty years after the events of the second film, a single mother and her two children move to a small town in Oklahoma, where they discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and their grandfather's secret legacy.
Director Jason Reitman, who co-wrote the screenplay with Gil Kenan, has been living in the Ghostbusters world created by father Ivan Reitman since he was seven years old. He knows the lore; he knows that it's a precious treasure to the audience, and he is ready to not only wow us, but especially give it all he's got for his dad and daughter. I feel confident that the next installment of our demon destroyers is in the perfect set of hands.
"I wanted to make a movie for my father. And I wanted to make a movie for my daughter... Ghostbusters is one of those rare franchises, where it doesn't belong to the filmmakers anymore. Unlike any other movie I've ever made, it doesn't belong to me. It doesn't belong to my father. Technically it belongs to Sony, but really it belongs to all of you. ...We wanted to make a movie that had mystery, had laughs, had you singing the theme song as you walked out of the movie theater. A film you could bring your families to."
Seeing the Ecto-1 surrounded by our new 'busters with the sky filled with menace truly transports you back to that point in time when we were introduced to our crew of misfits set with the task of saving New York City. Paul Rudd giving the kids a primer, while it serves the purpose to catch up an audience unfamiliar with the stories of the first two films, invites more excitement from diehard fans, knowing we are returning to the source material we fell in love with.
With all the nostalgia the trailer brings, I will say, I mildly embarrassed myself at the store this weekend. Bummed that I had to stop watching Little Darlings for the millionth time and pick up fabric softener, so I didn't walk around feeling vacuum-sealed in my clothes, I spotted THEM. The nostalgia grenade hit hard seeing the Ghostbusters costumes and accoutrements on display with the EGON badge front and center. I squealed. I couldn't help it! Parents were checking for sizes for their kids and themselves! They had Ghostbusters candy, Slimer bags for collecting said candy, Ghostbusters everything! Here's our chance to complete our set or replace our costume that our moms' made for us. We're gonna see a gaggle of new little Ghostbusters fans this Halloween! As if I have to even say it, see you in the theaters November 19.