Efforts to produce a canonical threequel to 1984’s “Ghostbusters” have been surprisingly fraught. The arduous journey stretches back to at least 2005, when cast member Harold Ramis tried to entice studios with a new story that would add Ben Stiller to the mix. However, attempts to rekindle the old magic repeatedly lost momentum, and by 2014 plans for a third film were scrapped in favor of a full-scale reboot. That led to 2016’s controversial female-fronted remake (also titled “Ghostbusters”), which despite decent reviews ended up a box-office disappointment.
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Now, one of American movies’ most beloved franchises is back in action once again. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” the official follow-up to 1989’s “Ghostbusters II,” will finally hit theaters after an extended delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although they won’t be the stars, the original cast — including Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver — will be reunited in supporting roles. (Ramis passed away in 2014.)
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The main cast features Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, and Paul Rudd. The film was directed and co-written by Jason Reitman (“Juno,” “Up in the Air”), Oscar-nominated son of original director Ivan Reitman. Apparently, the project’s family-focused script impressed Bill Murray enough to conquer his years-long skepticism about participating in a third movie.
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Here’s the official synopsis:
“After being evicted from their home, a single mother and her two children are forced to move to a decayed farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma, left to them by the children’s late grandfather, where a series of unexplained earthquakes are occurring despite not being situated on any fault and strange things are happening in an old mine once belonged to the alleged occultist Ivo Shandor. The children discover their grandfather’s history with the original Ghostbusters, who have since been largely forgotten by the world beyond their fan base. When supernatural phenomena relating to New York City‘s “Manhattan Crossrip of 1984” arises and threatens the town, the kids, along with their family and friends, must use the Ghostbusters’ equipment to save it.”
“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is scheduled for release on November 11.