Nearly two decades passed in which fans believed that a true Ghostbusters III film would never become a reality. Ghostbusters premiered in 1984 and delighted audiences with the story of three former parapsychology professors who create their own ghost-catching business after being fired. The film’s blend of comedy and horror and unique premise saw Ghostbusters become a true cultural phenomenon and one of the greatest comedies of the 80s.
Naturally, Columbia Pictures was eager for a sequel after the success of Ghostbusters. However, trouble with the film franchise was already brewing as it was exceedingly difficult to get the cast on board for a sequel. Eventually, though, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis did write a script, but filming didn’t go very smoothly. The production was rushed and disagreement about the framing of the sequel led to numerous rewrites and reshoots. What was produced was a sequel that was only a shadow of what the original had been and that, generally, wasn’t well received.
After Ghostbusters II, Bill Murray staunchly refused to return to the franchise, despite multiple attempts for a Ghostbusters III. When Ramis passed away in 2014, it seemed to spell the end of Ghostbusters III. Instead, the franchise was rebooted with Paul Feig’s film Ghostbusters (2016). However, finally, Jason Reitman, son of the franchise creator, Ivan Reitman, decided to produce a sequel to the original two films. This would be a film that was truly its own unique story, but that also connected to the original franchise. The result, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, proved impactful and nostalgic with a stellar cast and a particularly heartfelt tribute to Ramis.
Will there be a Ghostbusters 4, 5, or 6?
Ghostbusters: Afterlife set the stage for the continuation of the Ghostbusters franchise. The film introduced the granddaughter of Egon Spengler, Phoebe (McKenna Grace), who proves that truly anyone can be a Ghostbuster. She offers a new, young, and vibrant individual to carry on the franchise—while bearing ties to the original Ghostbusters. Meanwhile, Ghostbusters: Afterlife also succeeded in getting the original Ghostbusters on board and features them at the end of the film. This means that the franchise really has limitless possibilities in either exploring what happened between Ghostbusters II and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, exploring the next generation, or even focusing on the original Ghostbusters.
With all these possibilities, audiences have naturally been anxious for news regarding an Afterlife sequel or sequels. Fortunately, at CinemaCon 2022, Ghostbusters 4 was officially confirmed. Absolutely no other details about the film have been released, but a Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel is definitely happening. The confirmation of a Ghostbusters 4 also raises hope for a Ghostbusters 5 or even 6.
Even before Ghostbusters 4 was officially confirmed, Ghostbusters‘ star and writer, Aykroyd was already teasing a 5th and 6th film. Aykroyd revealed he has ideas for the next three Ghostbusters films already. In fact, he wants them to specifically feature the original Ghostbusters. This isn’t surprising as the Ghostbusters: Afterlife post-credit scene sees Ernie Hudson’s Winston Zeddemore buying the original Ghostbuster home, Ecto-1. This perfectly sets the franchise up to explore the original Ghostbusters further. Director Reitman, as well, has expressed interest and enthusiasm at continuing the franchise.
Hence, it seems as if the cast and crew is more than ready for a Ghostbusters 5 and 6. If Ghostbusters 4 proves successful enough, there wouldn’t be anything standing in the way of the visions of Aykroyd and Reitman.
(featured image: Sony)
