Ghostbusters: Afterlife's Second Post-Credits Scene Explained
This week, Jason Reitman returns to the franchise that his father kicked off in 1984, with the new movie "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." Secrets are unearthed, traps are opened, and above all, ghosts are well and truly busted.
In a finale that sees the old crew meet the new, the film ends with ghosts back causing havoc among the land of the living, begging the question of what that means for the future of the franchise that has been brought back to the brink. Could we be getting another visit from Muncher, and just what other way could see a Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man?
Thankfully, Reitman has that covered with not one, but two post-credit scenes after the day is saved. While one is a nod back to the original film (with a shocking cameo saved just for it), the final post-credit scene in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" plants the seeds for something more, all because of the tools and the talent involved.
Winston to the rescue
When the credits finally finish rolling for "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," we're treated to the second post-credits scene, which begins as a flashback from the original '84 movie. Originally a deleted scene (via YouTube) from the first film, it's moments before the team heads off for their first encounter with Gozer (Slavitza Jovan), and Annie Potts' deadpan receptionist, Janine Melnitz, gives Egon Spengler (the late Harold Ramis) her lucky coin. Flash forward, and Janine is sitting in the reception of a high-rise building holding another lucky coin (or is it the same one?) with Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson). As Ray (Dan Aykroyd) explains early on in the film, the last addition to the original team ends up going into finance, becoming a business titan in New York.
Together, Winston and Janine reminisce about what made the team so great and how he could never let go of being a Ghostbuster. This is intercut with scenes of Zeddemore at the old abandoned firehouse that is once the team's iconic headquarters. Dressed in a sharp business suit, he opens the main doors to allow the old Ecto-1, presumably being ridden by Phoebe, Podcast, and co., to roll inside. From there, deep within the belly of where all of this first starts, the iconic containment unit begins flashing red before the screen cuts to black.
Is the Ghost Corps alive again?
Given this tantalizing post-credit scene, it's clear that following "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," thoughts are back on track to tell even more stories surrounding the iconic paranormal investigators. The moment with Winston talking of plans for the future really does feel like a Nick Fury, "Avengers"-level scene, sowing the seeds to expand this beloved franchise. Of course, it's not the first time this has been attempted in recent years.
In 2015, Sony launched Ghost Corps (via The Hollywood Reporter), a production company set on making a cinematic universe of "Ghostbusters" movies, beginning with Paul Feig's 2016 effort. However, even with a critical rating of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes (12% higher than the new film at the time of writing), Feig's film wasn't well-received by audiences, seemingly putting the Corps on ice.
"Afterlife" clarifies from the beginning that the organization is back in business, with the Ghost Corps logo shown at the very start of the film. Where they're headed next, however, has yet to be revealed.
What's after Afterlife?
Depending on the box office outcome of Jason Reitman's new addition to the franchise, hopes are high at Sony for audiences to get back to busting in the future. With honor brought back to the Spengler name following the events of the new film involving his granddaughter Phoebe (played by brilliant McKenna Grace), there's certainly space for a few more movies. The question is, what exactly would they look like?
In a recent interview with The Digital Fix, Reitman said that he had hopes for the future of the world's most famous paranormal investigators and exterminators. "I think it's no secret that my father and I would love Ghostbusters mythology to keep growing from 'Afterlife,'" Reitman said. "We wanted to make a movie that would set the table for all kinds of 'Ghostbusters' films." Hopefully, with the new film currently aiming for $45 million on the opening weekend (via Deadline), that could finally come to pass.