The sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife will be arriving sooner than expected – just in time for next year’s holiday season. According to Aaron Couch of The Hollywood Reporter, the release date has been set for December 20, 2023. That is a quick turnaround, so it must mean that production on the sequel is starting soon.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife was directed by Ivan Reitman’s son Jason, and made over $200 million at the box office when it was released in in November 2021. The sequel brought back Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson who were last seen together in 1989’s Ghostbusters II. Janine (Annie Potts) and Dana (Sigourney Weaver) also appeared. New cast-members included Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd and prolific child/teen stars Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard.
“I think it’s no secret that my father and I would love Ghostbusters mythology to keep growing from Afterlife,” Jason Reitman told The Digital Fix when we asked about a sequel. “We wanted to make a movie that would set the table for all kinds of Ghostbusters films.”
While we don’t know which cast-members will be returning for the sequel, it seems likely that mother-daughter duo Callie (Coon) and Phoebe Spengler (Grace) will be back. If Wolfhard is too busy with other projects, his absence could easily be explained by his character Trevor going to college. Whether Rudd will return remains to be seen. Fans will be keen to know if this new Ghostbusters movie will be set in New York City – the setting of the original 80s movies.
Another source of speculation will be which members of the original cast will return, if any. In the 1989 sequel to the original Ghostbusters, Rick Moranis’ Louis Tully steps up and becomes a member of the ghost-busting crew. He would be an amazing (but unlikely) get, as he’s been retired from acting for some time.
If you’re a fan of all things Ghostbusters, check out our guide to the best comedy movies.