Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (2024)

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Full Score Analysis

It’s always a pleasure to hear a new film score, doubly so when I get the rare chance to absorb and reflect on a new Ghostbusters film score. With Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Rob Simonsen composed a lovely tribute both to Elmer Bernstein’s original 1984 score AND the film scores of the 80’s we’ve come to know by heart. With the latest installment, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, composer Dario Marianelli takes themes from Elmer Bernstein, Rob Simonsen, and adds his own artist stamp to them. The result is a wonderful, big, sweeping score. With hints of the familiar and a lot of new music to pour over. There are a few new key themes that Marianelli has introduced, including a new romantic theme akin to Dana’s Theme from the original, and a new motif dedicated to the ancient Ghostbusters that have come before.

Marianelli’s score also holds the distinction of being the first Ghostbusters film that doesn’t contain a lot of needledrop, or popular music by other artists throughout. The original film obviously had a chart-topping soundtrack with all the artists Arista Records wanted to throw at the film. Ghostbusters II likewise with MCA. Answer the Call had a pretty rocking soundtrack, albeit so many variations and samplings of the Ray Parker Jr. theme song included, it may be what has given pause in the last two films from overusing the theme. Ghostbusters: Afterlife had several really great Americana cues and a full-volume featuring of the Buzzcocks’ Boredom. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire features only two needledrop songs: “Love is Strange” by Mickey and Sylvia (which will be familiar to fans of the 80’s Dirty Dancing), and a brief instance of diegetic music heard at the beach through a sunbathers’ radio. So the score has to do all of the heavy lifting throughout the film.

As has become custom since the long-awaited release of Randy Edelman’s amazing Ghostbusters II score, GBHQ is going to attempt to breakdown each of the music cues that appear on the soundtrack, provide a little commentary, and get a better understanding of the new music that we’ve been gifted with. If you haven’t seen the film, spoilers are plenty in the text below since detailing action on-screen to mirror the score is necessary.

Got your copy queued up and ready? Let’s go!

Manhattan Adventurers Society

Where Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s score had a lot of heavy-lifting to set the mood through a variety of studio vanity cards, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’s first music cue begins right as we see the Ghost Corps logo. The Yamaha DX-7, played by Peter Bernstein is front and center as that familiar synth chime kicks things off. While I wish the chime could have hit on that Columbia Pictures logo, since the studio is celebrating its 100th anniversary, they get a big and sweeping card with their theme. Which is fitting, and it’s great that Ghostbusters gets to be a part of this big studio celebration. Maybe from this point forward, the Yamaha chime becomes synonmous with the Ghost Corps logo? That would be fitting.

Some dark and ominous tones replicate the same draw that pulls you into the world of the film that Rob Simonsen created for Afterlife, but this go-round the Yamaha takes a little chime walk as we see the Ghostbusters firehouse. But wait, something is different. A lower third informs us this is the firehouse in 1907 as a steam bellowing horse drawn fire wagon bursts out the firehouse doors. This flashback sequence is fantastic and a welcome addition to Ghostbusters - our first period look to the past in the series. Marianelli’s score keeps tempo with a ticking clock sense of urgency as we follow the firefighters to a call. Dark bass-heavy piano and a large orchestra hit jar us from the spooky — there’s a little bit of a music edit here specific to the soundtrack that skips over the entirety of silence where the firefighters discover the frozen adventurers and straight to our look inside the orb at Garraka’s glowing, ominous eyes opening and then we’re into Ray Parker Jr.’s iconic them— wait a second…

Here we get to a moment that I’m sure will be widely debated and I was, frankly pretty surprised by: rather than the cold opening leading into a refrain from Ray Parker Jr.’s needle drop, Kenan and Marianelli have instead chosen to play a minor chord sting from the bouncy Ghostbusters rag theme over the materializing no-ghost logo and title. Timing-wise, I have a feeling it could have gone either way, and perhaps there even was an alternate edit at some point in post production where that RPJ song kicked into high gear over the logo just like the first two films. But here is something cool and unique.

Personal preference, I think the pop tune kicking into gear would have juxtaposed and really built energy into the Ecto-1 tearing through rush hour traffic in the next few shots. But what I think happened here was, Ghostbusters: Afterlife had a solemn challenge of putting a title card after the on-screen death of a character. If that character would have been a no-name victim of a ghost encounter, the energy is different and perhaps the Parker Jr. theme would have worked going from the attack into a title card. But this was the death of Egon Spengler and, sadly for the real world, seeing how Harold Ramis would be written out of the series. The theme song wouldn’t have been appropriate. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has the luxury of that aforementioned setup, but also chose not to give the movie theaters’ sound system a booming treat with the theme song and found a middle ground between what happened in Afterlife and what happened in the original two films. I’m guessing that, as the film is a passing of the torch, so too are we thematically passing the torch here too. The theme was for the OG’s in the 1980’s. The new crew either hasn’t earned that theme yet, or they’re forging their own territory where the bouncy Ghostbusters rag composed by Elmer Bernstein is their Hail to the Chief.

How do you feel about it? Let’s hear in the comments.

The Sewer Dragon

Arguably one of the best action sequences in the film, and possibly topping the Muncher chase in Afterlife as my favorite in-motion Ghostbusting scene, the Spengler Family chases the serpentine New Jersey Sewer Dragon through the busy streets as the aging Ecto-1 provides a few additional challenges for the team. A pulsating action cue with some sweeping orchestral lifts keeps the energy high at the top of the cue along with a few Mickey Mouse-d “uh oh” moments as obstacles are encountered. A military march of the Ghostbusters rag confidently tells us that this isn’t the Spenglers’ first rodeo, and they’re in charge, despite how things may look on screen.

At about the 2:40 mark, Marianelli starts to show us how his score might be a little different from his predecessors: a very Gothic and cathedral sounding rise of organ and percussion makes everything sound big. An almost Phantom of the Opera or more even Danny Elfman-esque moment that musically sets this score apart. Randy Edelman had a similar instinct in the Ghostbusters II score, to include these large organ and choir moments and it’s fun to hear Marianelli venture into similar territory as it really fits the world of Ghostbusters well.

FIREHOUSE

I’ve heard both Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan on a couple occasions refer to the family living in the firehouse in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire as being akin to The Royal Tenenbaums: a family living on top of one another in a place that shouldn’t be housing a family of four. This wonderful cue accompanies a shot that would make Wes Anderson proud, moving from window to window to show the residents interacting with one another. Curiously, there’s a heroic establishing shot of the Hook and Ladder No. 8 that pulls us out of the Mayor Peck scene and a sweeping music sting that isn’t present here on the soundtrack. This one’ll take some future viewings and listenings to determine, but I’m wondering if it’s a music edit from a piece in the score elsewhere.

Ray’s Occult

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

A Ghost in the Attic

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Chess in the Park

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

When the Light is Green

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Paranormal Research Center

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

A Call

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

The Orb

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

A Tour of the Firehouse

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Slimer

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Dadi’s Secret Room

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Should We Investigate?

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Dr. Wartzki

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Patience

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Golden Years

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

It’s Your Turn

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Ionic Separator

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Now He Can Control You

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

The Horns

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Back to Headquarters

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

New Proton Packs

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Possessor’s Mistakes

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Was Any of it Real?

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

Last Frozen Stand

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

The Thawing

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

In the Fabric of the Universe

(Write-up coming soon, keep checking back!)

This analysis will continually be updated until we’re finished. Keep checking back for new updates!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Now in Theaters!

Just a little over a year after it began principal photography, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now in theaters! Available in large format IMAX and other booming and crystal-clear theatrical experiences like Dolby Cinema, the latest installment of the Ghostbusters film franchise is not to be missed on the big screen. To find a theater near you and get tickets now, visit ghostbusters.com — and stay tuned to GBHQ for full coverage, reviews, and analysis to come!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Soundtrack Coming to Digital and CD

Sony Masterworks will be releasing composer Dario Marianelli’s new score for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on digital platforms March 22nd, and later on CD April 2nd. No word on a vinyl release, but keep in mind that Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s score was released on vinyl in very small quantities through Movies on Vinyl, there’s a good chance any album release of that nature might be the same.

A track listing is available out there, but we’ll withhold from posting here in fear of any spoilers that might be hiding. As always, plan on a lengthy score analysis here on GBHQ at some point in the future.

GBHQ and the Crossrip podcast will have a fun giveaway to celebrate the release thanks to our friends at Sony Masterworks, stay tuned for more details!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Premieres in NYC

This week in New York City, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire held its world premiere at the Lincoln Square AMC. After a fun event at the Hook and Ladder No. 8 firehouse (which had the iconic No-Ghost sign moved into its traditional place and was “frozen” over by production designers to appear as it does in the film), and a rockin’ Yes Have Some Podcast party on Wednesday evening, the red carpet was unrolled and celebrities and fans alike got their first glimpse at the new film.

Much of the main cast has been running the talk show circuit, with Paul Rudd appearing on Seth Meyers, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson being joined by Ray Parker Jr. on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and Patton Oswalt sitting in the chair on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Also at the event, Mercedes-Benz unveiled their Sprinter Van “Ecto-Z” that appears in the film, and fans got their first look at the amazing Proton Pack rack that is built into the car, offering a little backup to the Ecto-1 when the car is a little too full for that gurney o’ packs.

All-in-all, a fun and fan-filled event. Make sure to catch the film on March 22nd in a theater near you, and stay tuned to the HQ and the Crossrip podcast for more coverage!

New Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Trailers Drop

With March 22nd (still the 29th in international territories) fast approaching, the marketing campaign for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has kicked into high gear — and boy does this car have some zip. Two new trailers, one US-specific and another international dubbed into multiple languages that is almost entirely a second and different trailer have hit the airwaves and… well, I defy any fan of Ghostbusters who is reading this website to watch one or both of these and not be excited for what’s to come.

And something tells me that we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

US Domestic Trailer

International Trailer

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Will Arrive A Week Early!

Deadline is reporting that Sony Pictures has pushed the release date of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire UP from March 29th to March 22nd. According to the article, the extra week affords the film another shot at catching kids on their Spring Break, and also gives a lead-in to the previous release dates’ Easter holiday weekend for some.

Says Deadline:

Set to screen in IMAX and premium large formats, the latest picture in the storied Ghostbusters franchise watches as the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

The film was already under a tight schedule, so trimming off a week must mean that they’re nearing the finish line and the studio has a great deal of confidence in the film. And for us fans, it means one less week to wait to check out the latest installment in the series! See you all in theaters one week earlier!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - Teaser Trailer Full Breakdown

In the grand tradition of GBHQ trailer breakdowns, here we go with everything that’s fit to digitally print on the recently released teaser trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire!

The trailer pulls a great switcheroo in the style that has become common-place for large blockbusters like this, which really bums me out that the first experience many (if not all) of us have had with this teaser is seeing it on our phones, tablets, computers, what have you knowing that you’re watching a trailer for a new Ghostbusters movie. Can you imagine being in the theater, the lights darken, all the ads finish, the green band MPAA rating pops up, and then you see this not knowing it’s coming? The first 20 to 30 seconds of this trailer are wonderful and tense moments where you’re waiting for the turn. I have to imagine that circa-1988 Troy would have lost his mind with that unexpected firehouse reveal.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (more on the title a bit later) looks to be a great departure for the series, opening up the world both in terms of visuals and story, and seems to speak to literally all of my preferences and loves in life: Ghostbusters and the cold and snow. In other franchises like Star Wars, the ice planet Hoth continues to be among my favorites. Possibly the Colorado kid in me that I just love the aesthetic of a wintery snowscape. And it’s no secret that I hate warm weather and prefer the cold, give me those fall and winter clothes and coats and wardrobe any day.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s do it, eh?

IT’S A CRUEL SUMMER

The studio logos thud with the opening percussion of Cruel Summer and Lady Liberty is seen with some very orange-hue sunshine. It’s hot. It’s summer. Is this a Michael Bay summer blockbuster? Are we about to see a teen summer film trailer? What’s happening? I do love the fact that Bananarama’s Cruel Summer is used here both because it’s such a staple of the 80’s and immediately transports you into that mindset, but also because writer/director Gil Kenan is such a proud “formerly from Reseda” resident that there’s a little but of his Daniel LaRusso Karate Kid attitude present in the trailer here either consciously or unconsciously. You have to think it’s a little conscious given how close attention a scene of teens playing with a soccer ball on the beach gets.

A radio voice tells us that it’s a scorcher out there with heat alerts and record breaking temps on the horizon for New York and New Jersey. Kids are playing with an open hydrant. The Wonder Wheel is spinning with denizens at Coney Island splashing in the water. Eric Steelberg’s cinematography is on full display here as a slice of life has never looked better and more appealing. This idealized scene certainly won’t last, will it?

Sure enough. The song grinds to a halt, as does the Wonder Wheel. Something is amiss.

From the water, a storm cloud closes in and all the swimmers flee as if they’re leaving Amity in a hurry. Heavy Jaws vibes here, and that you know is intentional.

Spikes emerge from the ground and the Wonder Wheel flash freezes. Then comes this frame which: tell me I’m watching a Ghostbusters movie without telling me that I’m watching a Ghostbusters movie:

“Somebody get me the Ghostbusters.”

Chaos as the flash freeze hits Manhattan and the ice spikes emerge from the ground, we’re fully in disaster movie territory as we see a taxi cab impaled from street level. Fortunately for anyone in that cab, it looks to pierce right through the middle. Whew. The rumbling subsides as we follow the street toward a familiar looking building and Elmer Bernstein’s familiar Ghostbusters twinkle plays in the score.

I love this shot for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the camera move is evocative of that teaser trailer for Afterlife that followed the ground of a farm into the open barn to reveal the Ecto-1. Secondly, what an image, right? The Ghostbusters are surrounded. Claustrophobically closed in by the ice and spikes. The threat is visual. It’s overwhelming.

Hit It

The screen dips to black and we hear an engine rev. Could it be? You’re damn right it could be.

The Ecto-1 peels out, pulling off a full U-Turn at top speed and knocking over some trademark NYC garbage in the process. I’ve seen some criticism mainly on forums that the Ecto-1 in the original two films was slow and lumbering and it’s jarring to them to see the car pulling these high speed maneuvers. And, while I completely agree that the coughing and chunky Ecto of the 80’s was the car’s personality at that point in time, the car has obviously been souped up since the 90’s. Even if it was left to rot in a barn, a gearhead like Ray and someone who loves the car like Winston would have been futzing with that thing every day for decades. People change, so can cars. And the energy and excitement that a full-speed Ecto can provide for a film gives it a dynamic that harkens back to The Real Ghostbusters which we’ve learned from Kumail Nanjiani was a touchstone for this film and the filmmakers.

The Death Chill

The trailer kicks into high gear as we hear Patton Oswalt’s new character explain that for the first time, someone froze to death in New York City in July. Phoebe, in full (snow covered) Ghostbusting gear, stands next to the firepole in a darkened and ominous firehouse. Trevor, Lucky, and James Acaster’s new character stand side-by-side looking at something unseen. A very dapper looking gentlemen is suspended in frozen animation. Callie head turns with concern, also standing in what looks like the garage bay of the firehouse.

An apartment door bursts open having been frozen as Phoebe - standing next to Podcast who is seen for the first time asks, “What is it?” And, after a quick hero shot of Kumail’s new character, the answer comes from the one and only Ray Stantz. It’s the death chill.

As Ray gives us the exposition that you are literally scared to death and the last thing you see is your eyes freezing, the trailer rapid fires amazing and tantalizing imagery including a backdraft puff of smoke sucking back through the crack of a door, a hero shot of Paul Rudd’s returning Gary Grooberson, Winston Zeddemore and Peter Venkman, suited up and standing in front of the Ecto looking at an unseen threat, and one of the New York Public Library’s iconic lions snarling and roaring at what looks to be Ray based on the denim shirt he’s been wearing since 1984. Ha!

I Think We’re Going to Have to Put a Little Overtime Into This One

If ever Ray Parker Jr.’s theme song was going to kick in and we see flashes of the team saving the day, now would be about the time you expect it to happen. But this is, after all, just a teaser trailer and both of those particulars are saved for another occasion. Instead, a quick and violent shot of the firehouse doors being ripped away as we look over the shoulder of a couple of busters (and is someone holding some sort of new handheld piece of gear on the left? Dude. Can’t wait to see what that is.)

The street buckles and tears and threatens both our heroes and the Ecto-1. Trevor, Callie, and Gary are pinned against a wall in the firehouse with the ice spikes closing dangerously close to them. The wall around the containment unit cracks and shakes, threatening to collapse (and does that mean another containment breach could be possible?).

Bathed in ominous red light in a shot that looks straight out of a tense moment from James Cameron’s Aliens, Lucky appears to be in a bit of a pickle. From behind, we see a gnarly looking creature of some sort, perhaps the new big-bad, locking a broken horn into the socket on the side of its head. Oh man, is that creature design cool and we’re not even seeing the full breadth of it, I’m sure.

More flashes. James Acaster’s new character, surrounded by darkness and using a flashlight to illuminate something (and wearing one of the much touted by fans’ parkas, more on that in a second). Gary, Callie and Phoebe all suited up and trying to keep warm (love the turtleneck and gloves look with the flightsuit that Callie is sporting). Patton Oswalt slams an elevator gate as he escorts Ray, Phoebe and Podcast somewhere unknown. And perhaps one of my favorite and very mysterious shots in the trailer, Kumail’s character opening what looks to be a false wall in a pantry closet to reveal a secret room. I love a good secret passageway. One of these days, when I win the lottery, I’m going to have a basement with all sorts of cool secret doors and compartments.

Ray’s explanation of the death chill concludes and we see Lucky, fully suited up, seemingly on the verge of freezing to death and her eyes glaze to a frozen state. Certainly looks perilous for Lucky, could this be the character’s end? Or does someone hopefully come to save the day. Stay tuned until March of next year.

Gary states the obvious, that it sounds like Ray is explaining being literally scared to death. There’s a bit of a call and response here that I think is fully editorial as Gary and Callie are standing in what looks to be the firehouse during the daytime and Patton Oswalt’s character telling us how cool it is looks to be in a darkened room elsewhere. It’s a fun moment that shows both characters’ enthusiasm but a strong possibility these two moments are from two totally different parts of the final film that we’ll see.

Just before the title reveal, Trevor struggles to wield a proton thrower that seems to be amped up to eleven, while sporting one of his notable t-shirt choices - this time an old school YMCA shirt. And then, we see the title for the first time.

I’ll just flat out say it, subtitles to films are difficult. You’re sort of damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. For the same reason parents don’t reveal baby names to the general public before the kid is born, everyone has an opinion on names. A gut reaction. A feeling and opinion that they need to express. Movie titles have come under the same microscope. We’ve heard EVERY tired soap joke about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but the title was appropriate to the movie. Clear and to the point.

There’s something to be said for the good ol’ days of sequels where you just flat out said what it was: Back to the Future Part II, Beverly Hills Cop II, Star Trek VI. Also clear and to the point. But as the years progressed, a stigma around numerical titles developed where the higher the number of the film the perception of the quality decreasing became the punchline. Even if it wasn’t the case, adding a numerical value to a film title fell out of fashion and the subtitle became king. It’s also possible that increasingly complex titles started weighing on marketing and advertising and even just public perception of having to know a full title like Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. You’ve noticed that even the studios have bailed on the episode titles for Star Wars, opting just to ID them by their subtitle: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, etc.

All of that to say, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has the serial qualities of an old school sci-fi film while also immediately selling and stating what the film is. It’s the Ghostbusters sequel where everything freezes. Clear and to the point. And you can tell they were thinking about a play on words with the Empire State somehow but again — didn’t want to over complicate things. Forum and social banter have suggested, “Why not Ghostbusters: Death Chill?” Which yes, is a pretty evocative title but markets the film a little differently. You could see some parents resistant to taking their kids to a movie about the chill of death.

I love the title and think that it absolutely works. It also really frees up future story telling for the Ghostbusters films where they don’t necessarily have to be so wide in scope. They can be hyper focused on a scenario or threat. It takes the franchise in a great direction, in my opinion.

Okay, okay — what about the last two shots of the teaser. Which are outstanding. After the title reveal there are two more glimpses: one of presumably the big bad of the film and the other of our heroes standing atop the firehouse poised to tackle the threat.

Everyone loves the jackets. I do too. I want one of those things for this winter, that’s for sure. But I also love everything happening in the composition and blocking and pose of the characters here. It screams Shandor Rooftop. I love that Callie is wearing the Ecto-Goggles (tough to tell if they’re the Afterlife variant with the Polaroid camera capabilities) and that Phoebe has filled her grandfather’s shoes vigilantly manning the PKE Meter. You can see slight variations on the barrel of the Particle Thrower that Trevor is holding and — THE JACKETS, I MEAN COME ON. TAKE MY MONEY NOW. PLEASE.

If this composition isn’t part of at least one of the theatrical one-sheet posters, I would frankly be surprised. What a shot.

Final Thoughts

What a teaser. It gives us just enough without giving us too much. There are real stakes here. I’m worried about the futures of several of the characters and several of the inanimate objects like the Ecto and the Firehouse. And visually, I love how this film already looks in-step with the original film and Afterlife, but is opening the color palate and scope up a little bit. But also, how crazy is it that after decades of wondering when a third Ghostbusters film would be released, pouring over the glacial pace at the development of the film and every mention and update, to be sitting here dissecting a teaser trailer for a fifth Ghostbusters movie?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Teaser Trailer is Here!

After a week of teasing, which was discussed on the most recent episode of the Crossrip podcast, Sony Pictures has released our first look at the follow-up to Ghostbusters: Afterlife - and revealed the title!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will be coming March 29th of next year, and the teaser trailer gives us a great idea of what’s in store.

The teaser gives glimpses of returning cast and new cast, a preview of the epic conflict the Ghostbusters will have to face, and funny enough harkens back to Gil Kenan’s roots as a Reseda kid by featuring Bananarama’s Cruel Summer, famously known for its appearance in Karate Kid.


The teaser promises a huge scale adventure returning the Ghostbusters to New York City to once again save the day, and have a little fun in the process.

And wow, can the spruced up Ecto-1 cruise!

A full breakdown of the trailer will be available here on the HQ shortly, and you know we’ll be discussing it on the next episode of the podcast. But in the meantime, watch (many times) and enjoy and here’s the official synopsis and info straight from Sony Pictures!

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE
Adventure/Mystery/Comedy
Release Date: March 29, 2024

In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Directed by: Gil Kenan

Written by: Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan

Based on the 1984 film “Ghostbusters”

An Ivan Reitman film written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

Produced by: Jason Reitman, Jason Blumenfeld

Executive Producers: Dan Aykroyd, JoAnn Perritano, Amie Karp, Eric Reich, Erica Mills

Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt

Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts

The Firehouse WILL Open... At a Later Date...

Deadline broke the news last week that the still as-of-yet untitled sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife is sliding from its December 2023 release date to March 29, 2024 as result of the current union strikes in Hollywood. Though the film is wrapped in production, several key processes in post that require actors cannot be achieved because of the SAG strike currently in progress. Things like additional photography or pick-up shoots, or even the common ADR session needed to add in clean dialogue muddied by wind machines or other noises on set are forbidden under the current SAG strike. Not only that, but a film like Ghostbusters usually requires special dialogue looping to be done for the creatures or villains they encounter, all of which are usually also done in post production.

As we discussed in the most recent episode of the Crossrip podcast, a delay isn’t the worst thing for the film, as they were in a dead sprint trying to make the original December release date in the first place. It was going to be a photo finish.

The last film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife experienced several delays due to the COVID pandemic and movie theaters being closed for business. The end result was more time to work on visual effects, the benefit of time to add a post credits sequence setting up Firehouse, and more time to work on the edit of the film. All of which were to the benefit of the end product.

Firehouse (or Ghostbusters 4 as we’ve been calling it around these parts for clarity) will also benefit from a similar bit of breathing room. Both for the film and for the marketing and PR campaign to come, which will now have both a Halloween season, New York Comic-Con (traditionally where Ghostbusters has had a presence of some sort), and a holiday season where merchandise can also add to the awareness of the upcoming film.

While it’s a bummer for fans who have eagerly anticipated the follow-up to Afterlife, in the end it will be worth the wait. Here’s hoping the strikes can be resolved quickly and amicably, and everything can be underway once again.

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Ghostbusters Day 2023 Recap

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Once again it’s Ghostbusters Day around the world, celebrating the 39th anniversary of the release of Ghostbusters in theaters on June 8, 1984 - Ghostbusters Day has been established as the multimedia marketing touchstone for announcements, reveals, and to just celebrate our love for Ghostbusters (like we don’t do that everyday, but still). Last year, a full Ecto Fest presentation was made, but this year all of the creatives are understandably busy filming the new movie on two continents.

This year, the day kicked off with a filmed greeting by the cast of the Untitled Ghostbusters Afterlife Sequel (Ghostbusters 4, for brevity’s sake). Currently the video is only on the Ghostbusters social media accounts, but we’ll embed as soon as it’s on their YouTube channel.

Dark Horse Comics teased their upcoming bridge between Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the new sequel with some character sketches by Blue Delliquanti of the extended Spengler family. More information on the book will be available soon.

Illfonic teased an expansion to Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed the Ecto Edition with a quick teaser trailer. The trailer promises a Nintendo Switch release later this year and a creepy clawed apparition taking a chunk out of the Ecto’s hood - could that be Samhain? Also today, the game soundtrack by Mark Rutherford was released to multiple music platforms.

On her official TikTok account, McKenna Grace shared a choreographed video to the song “Ceilings” showing off the ground floor and exterior of the Hook and Ladder No. 8 firehouse (GBHQ), built entirely on a soundstage. Quick glimpses show you the lockers for the OGBs still in place, the car parked in the main bay and more!

@mckennagrace

Happy Ghostbusters Day😘👻

♬ ceilings Sped Up Version

At about 3pm, Gil Kenan went to bat on his Twitter and Instagram accounts giving us our first (frosty?) look at the teaser poster for the new film!

Magnoli Clothers, reproducers of costumes extraordinaire revealed they are working on Venkman’s “Hunting” shirt and should have it ready for purchase by the end of the month!

More to come as it develops!

Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Lind and James Acaster Join the Untitled Ghostbusters Afterlife Sequel

Deadline broke the exclusive this morning that fan-favorites Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt have boarded Gil Kenan’s upcoming sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife. In addition Emily Lind and James Acaster have joined the cast. All in unspecified roles. The sequel is currently in production in the UK, having started at the beginning of this week.

Nanjiani most recently has tackled both the Star Wars and Marvel Cinematic Universes in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Eternals respectively. Fans of his will know he and his wife’s deep love for the paranormal and the X-Files, having run a long series of podcasts and even appearing in the most recent revival of the series. Patton Oswalt previously worked with Jason Reitman on Young Adult. Comedian James Acaster is relatively new to large films, having just had a role in the Amazon Prime retelling of Cinderella. Emily Lind is a rising star, not unlike McKenna Grace having landed several high profile roles in Gossip Girl and Doctor Sleep.

The addition of Nanjiani, Oswalt and Acaster particularly are a boon for the film, knowing all are prolific and quick on their feet comedians who are also talented writers and creators in their own right.

The Deadline article also confirms, as if there were any doubt, that Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon are returning for the sequel.

Production Begins on the Untitled Ghostbusters: Afterlife Sequel

Exactly four years and a couple months since we were surprised with a bombshell teaser trailer for a new Ghostbusters film that eventually became Ghostbusters: Afterlife, cameras are once again rolling on a live-action Ghostbusters feature film. This will be the fourth film in the main continuity of the Ghostbusters universe, but will join Ghostbusters: Answer the Call as the fifth film in the franchise. For brevity, let’s just refer to it as Ghostbusters 4 from this point forward. For those of us old folks, it’s tough to believe after such a long drought of Ghostbusters content that we’re now talking about a fifth film on the way.

Details and plot continue to be under strict Containment Unit lockdown, but the film directed by Gil Kenan and produced by Jason Reitman will be filmed in the UK, though that does not necessarily mean the action takes place across the pond. First revealed at Ghostbusters Day under the working title Firehouse, the focus of the story will once again return to New York City and the statuesque headquarters of it all. Eagle-eyed Londoners spotted the Ecto-1 arriving overseas several weeks ago, and Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan posted a teaser image of themselves on a soundstage where the Ghostbusters HQ firehouse is being recreated from the ground up. The Ladder 23 filming location in Los Angeles is currently under heavy renovations for a community center and the Hook and Ladder No. 8 (exterior filming location) in New York City is most likely on alert for filming at any moment’s notice.

Production is expected to continue through June of this year.

(Production still from Ghostbusters: Afterlife)

Cast has yet to be officially announced but it stands to reason that Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson will return along side the newcomers from Afterlife and perhaps some new faces. The creators of the current and still popular-running Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed console game have informed us that the events and characters seen in their cutscenes and story are considered “tangentially canon,” so while some themes may carry over from that game, there’s a clean slate and the sky is the limit for what we may be seeing with the film’s release.

Outstanding Director of Photography Eric Steelberg, who lensed Ghostbusters: Afterlife and spent meticulous research and detail to assure the film looked and felt like Ivan Reitman and Laszlo Kovacs’ original 1984 film returns behind the camera. Passionate Special Makeup Effect and Creature Designer Arjen Tuten returns to lend his talents to the new film as does VFX Producer Kerry Joseph, who worked on the previous film. Veteran producer Jason Blumenfeld returns but yields the line producer floor to UK-based Jamie Lengyel. Producers Helen Estabrook, Erica Mills, and Ghost Corps’ ever-watchful Eric Reich all also return for the new film.

(Production still from Ghostbusters: Afterlife)

As more of the amazing craftspeople who work on the new film are revealed, we’ll be detailing them here on GBHQ and diving into what their addition to the film may bring.

It will be a race to the finish, as the film is still slated to release on December 20th of this year. More as it is revealed, stay tuned here to the GBHQ main page, our social channels, and keep an open ear as a certain audio formatted program may be returning in the near future! Definitely exciting times as a Ghostbusters fan, plenty of fun things on the horizon. Strap into that gunner seat and hold on tight.

Ghostbusters Afterlife Sequel Has a Date: December 20, 2023

Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Deadline are all reporting that Sony Pictures is staking a claim on December 20, 2023 for the release of Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan’s follow-up to Ghostbusters: Afterlife and as-of-yet Untitled Ghostbusters 4 film. As announced at Ghostbusters Day’s “Ecto-Fest,” the film will begin in New York City at the beloved Firehouse, but not much beyond that is known about the film.

This is huge news in the sense that it means the production team is lightspeed toward a release date that is less than 600 days away. But also great news for Ghostbusters fans in the sense that the wait for another live-action Ghostbusters film will not be that far away.

It also means 2023 will be the year of Ghostbusters, with all of the announcements from Ghostbusters Day coming to fruition and capping the end of the year with a brand-new feature film adventure.

The holiday December 20th release date is currently occupied by Paramount’s announced Star Trek film, Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Rogue Squadron film, and the musical adaptation of The Color Purple.

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Ghostbusters Day 2022 Recap

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Sony Pictures and Ghost Corps put on quite a show last night, as a Marvel Studios-like presentation and screening kicked off the first annual (yes, they’ve got the drive to do this once a year) Ecto-Fest celebration. Cast and crew from the films, Sony Pictures employees, lucky fans, and members of the press were all on-hand for the festivities which included announcements, teases, and a booming outdoor encore screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

The evening began with a wonderful behind the scenes featurette with b-roll footage of Ernie Hudson arriving at the Ladder 23 filming location in downtown Los Angeles to film the “end tag” scene from Afterlife.

The featurette served as an introduction for the man who needs no introduction, Ernie Hudson himself. Dressed in a power suit that would make the chairman of Zeddemore Industries proud, Hudson revealed that the Sony lot will forever remember Ivan Reitman by naming the street in which Ghost Corps and the Ecto-1 are parked “Ivan Reitman Way.” Hudson then teased that the future for Ghostbusters was in good hands and, “I’m not allowed to tell you much more than that, but rest assured, we have a lot of Ghostbusting ahead. I’ll just say, if need be, the flight suit still fits.”

With that, the floor was turned over to Hasbro where Jenny Whitlock unveiled a limited to two edition of an Ivan Reitman Plasma Series action figure. One of which will reside at Ghost Corps’ office in Culver City, and the second will be auctioned off for Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles at a later date.

Following that, Whitlock gave backers a glimpse at progress for the Spengler Proton Pack HasLab that was offered up for pre-sale crowd funding. The biggest reveals are that the Pack will weigh a mere 15-pounds and will be light on fans’ backs, includes real metal parts including the switches and Clippard Valves, and the Spengler Journal that was offered as an incentive will be double the page count than expected. A larger update is available on the Hasbro Pulse blog with photos of the most recent prototypes and more.

Next up was the head of Sony Pictures VR, Jake Zim (with special guest Logan Kim) who offered updates on their Meta VR experience and unveiled a new installation VR arcade called “Ghostbusters VR Academy,” which will be a two-story, two-part experience that allows players to train to be Ghostbusters and drive the Ecto-1 like a pro. The first part of the experience is a first-person perspective where you don a Proton Pack with a haptic feedback vest and capture ghosts in a team of four players. Following that, players head downstairs where they’re put in the driver’s seat for a simulated joyride of a new hover-prototype Ecto-1 through three levels of competition. The installation will be available at 400+ Hologate locations around the world later this year.

Zim and Kim yielded the floor to a filmed message from Dan Aykroyd himself, who taped a message from his family farmhouse. It is the same family farmhouse where his spiritualist great-grandfather served as the inspiration for Ghostbusters. Aykroyd teased that we’re all invested in the future of Ghostbusters, not just from an intellectual property and franchise perspective, but in the story that Afterlife opened up as well. We want to know what happened to Phoebe Spengler following the events at the Dirt Farm. We want to know what happened to the Ghostbusters in the time leading up to Afterlife and beyond. And with that, he was proud to announce the “spectral stewards and trusted keepers of the Cadillac keys” to the stage: Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan.

Reitman and Kenan had many announcements, all of which the running theme was inner-connectivity and a cohesive story that will fill in gaps, move the story into the future, and entertain Ghostbusters fans for years to come.

First up, the pair gave an update on the upcoming Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed console video game, which will allow players to compete either as Ghostbusters or as the ghosts themselves. Illfonic is working hard on the game for release later this year on consoles and PC.

Next, the first of the big reveals: Ghostbusters is returning to comics. Dark Horse Comics is the new license partner for Ghostbusters and Reitman and Kenan announced they are overseeing an in-canon mini-series that will be released at some point next year. A Variety article posted today says the Dark Horse series will bridge the gap between Afterlife and the upcoming sequel (more on that momentarily).

The duo then went on to announce the Ghostbusters animated feature film collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation has a creative team working hard on its development, and that the project was near and dear to the late Ivan Reitman’s heart. “This was a passion project of my father’s and it’s easy to understand why. The world of the unknown can only be properly explored through the limitless reach of animation,“ Jason Reitman told the crowd. Per Variety, Chris Prynoski (executive producer, “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe”) and Jennifer Kluska (“Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”) are set to direct, with Brenda Hsueh (supervising producer, “Disjointed”) on board to write. Not much about the film was revealed but there were hints that new characters would be introduced.

More animation news came after that, with an extension of the announcement from this morning that Sony and Ghost Corps have partnered with Netflix to create a new animated Ghostbusters series. Reitman and Kenan assured fans that the new series will navigate an unexplored era of the Ghostbusters canon, which will be intriguing. “Between gaming, comics, television, and movies, we are going to tell the untold history of Ghostbusters while reaching into the future with characters you haven’t met from places you haven’t gone,” said Kenan on the world’s they are exploring in building out the universe.

Last, but certainly not least, the creative pair provided an update on the next live action Ghostbusters film that they are feverishly writing now. Reitman reminded fans that the codename for Ghostbusters: Afterlife was Rust City, a security title that became very clear when the film was released as both the geographical location of where the story took place, but also symbolic of the characters and world we knew. Well, now that the rust has been shaken, Reitman and Kenan gleefully teased that the security title they’ve been using for the new film is Firehouse. While we’re not clear on what the story will be, the two proudly announced that Afterlife ended with the Ecto-1 pulling into the firehouse bay and that’s where the next story will start: back in New York City. Though many news blogs and pundits my scoff at the announcement of a film’s code name, the announcement spoke volumes: Ghostbusters will be back in New York, back in the firehouse, and ready to bust some heads. In a spiritual sense, of course.

The evening was capped off with an outdoor screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife in the cool Los Angeles air, with booming sound and a rowdy audience cheering and engaged throughout.

If this is the first of many Ecto-Fests to come, one can only imagine the scope and announcements and reveals that may be in store June of 2023. Until then, we let our imaginations run free and hang on tight for the future. It’s going to be a wild ride.

Return to the Afterlife, Sony Confirms a New Ghostbusters Film in Development

Last Monday at the annual CinemaCon trade show in Las Vegas, Sony Pictures closed out their presentation with a sizzle reel that concluded with the revelation that a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the next chapter in the Ghostbusters filmed universe was in the works.

While no specific details including casting, crew, or timing for the new film, were revealed at the convention, which is primarily to get theatrical partners and distributors excited for films coming to their venues, the chairman and CEO of Sony’s Motion Pictures group Tom Rothman was bullish on their offerings both in the near and distant future with another Ghostbusters film firmly in that lineup.

More on the upcoming film as it develops.

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