Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2's First Look Teases A Return To New York
"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" breathed new life, so to speak, into the classic supernatural comedy franchise. After the failed 2016 Paul Feig-directed reboot, "Afterlife" brought back Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson as their iconic characters from the original pair of films. The revival also paid tribute to the late Harold Ramis, who played lovable nerd Egon Spengler alongside the aforementioned three comedy all-stars. Director Jason Reitman simultaneously paid tribute to his own father, the late Ivan Reitman, who directed the first two "Ghostbusters" films, as "Afterlife" was a story about passing the ghostbusting business down to the next generation.
An after-credits sequence in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" seemed to suggest that Ernie Hudson's character, Winston Zeddemore, was taking over the enterprise and helping bring the new family of spirit capturers into the fold. Shortly after the film's success, a sequel was announced, with plans to continue this storyline. The film's co-writer, Gil Kenan, will be taking over the directing reins from Reitman for the sequel. Kenan is an established director in his own right, having helmed the animated Halloween classic "Monster House" and 2015's underrated "Poltergeist" remake. Now, it seems like the sequel will be bringing the franchise back home to the Big Apple.
The sequel is currently set for a December 20, 2023 release
"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" shifted the franchise's spiritual activity to a rural setting, establishing the characters who would take over the series for future installments to come. The family of the late Egon Spengler and their friends inherited the proton packs, and it seems they're headed to New York for "Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2," which also has the working title "Firehouse," according to a tweet from the official "Ghostbusters" account. The title suggests the return to the classic location used in the New York setting of the original two films.
Similarly, producer Jason Reitman and director Gil Kenan posted on Instagram a picture from the set. While the black-and-white image only shows the pair of filmmakers standing alongside some wall flats, it confirms that production is gearing up. Prior to this image's release, Kenan previously posted a picture to his Instagram in which he stood in front of the firehouse that inspired the one seen in the original as the gang's headquarters. Nothing else is known about the plot, or who for sure will be returning to the cast, at this time.
Jason Reitman told Deadline, "A few years ago, my father handed me the keys to Ecto-1, and together we made 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' ... It's now time to hand those keys to my creative partner and fellow Ghostbuster, Gil Kenan, a brilliant director who will keep the Spengler spirit alive." Kenan replied, "It's an absolute honor to pick up the proton pack and step behind the camera for the next chapter of the Spengler family saga. I just wish I could go back to 1984 and tell the kid in the sixth row of the Mann Valley West that one day he was going to get to direct a 'Ghostbusters' film."