Are you ready for the ultimate team-up between old and new Ghostbusters?
Sony Pictures went public with the first details for the next entry in the sprawling Ghostbusters universe, and we’re definitely intrigued.
The next entry is a sequel to the 2021 action flick Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Logan Kim, Carrie Coon, and Paul Rudd are all returning to reprise their roles from that movie.
The big selling point, though, is the addition of original Ghostbusters cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson.
“In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level,” the logline teases.
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“But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.”
Ghostbusters burst onto screens in 1984, with the original cast appearing in the 1989 sequel.
The franchise was rebooted in 2016, with Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones headlining a female-fronted movie.
That entry stalled at the box office, leading to the franchise taking a new direction that honored what came before it.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife launched to a stronger response, which explains why Sony Pictures pressed ahead with a sequel.
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Adding in the original cast, including Annie Potts, is sure to get even those who were on the fence about Afterlife curious.
As we’ve learned from the success of movies like Halloween, bringing back original cast members is a big draw, even if people aren’t as invested in the overall franchise.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, featuring a mix of old and new(er) cast members, should lead to some good results if the first trailer is any indication.
The new film is directed by Gil Kenan and written by Kenan and Ghostbusters: Afterlife filmmaker Jason Reitman.
There had been an indication that we would get returning cast members when it was revealed the movie would be set in New York City.
How can you take the franchise back there without some of its most iconic faces?
The big question will be how this movie sets up future entries.
Will the door be left open for more stories, or is this a team-up to bring the franchise to a close?
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It is 2023, so there’s a good chance we’ll get a live-action TV series to keep the franchise going.
Either way, we’ll be seated for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire when it launches in theaters in March 29, 2024.
Check out the trailer below.
What are your thoughts on it?
Do you think it’s the right call to merge the two different casts to tell this sprawling story that takes us back to New York City?
Where do you envision the franchise going next beyond the movie?
Hit the comments below.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
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