gil kenan

Ghostbusters: Night Shift - Everything We Know So Far

Want Troy’s cheat sheet of everything we know about Ghostbusters: Night Shift so far (as heard on this week’s Ghostbusters Interdimensional Crossrip podcast)? Here it is!

  • Takes place in 1994, in between Ghostbusters II and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

  • Logline presented at Annecy states, “New York City, 1994 — Five years after the Ghostbusters took the Statue of Liberty for a walk, a new wave of supernatural terror hits the Big Apple, forcing a group of scrappy, young New Yorkers — untrained, underappreciated and kinda sorta responsible for the problem — to put on proton packs, face their fears and bust some ghosts.”

  • According to What’s On Netflix, our new heroes and their archetypes are:

    • Belladonna (The Goth)

    • Mitzi (The Punk) - “A badass riot girl who jumps headfirst into action, but is also extremely protective of her sister, Zephyr.“

    • Zoe (The Kid) - “our adorable kid who’s also a real wise-ass, really gets on my nerves.” 

    • Travis (The Con Man) - “A charming, petty criminal who needs to be charismatic and cool, but also kind of a loser.” (Potentially being played by The Boys and Lower Decks’ Jack Quaid)

    • Mike (The Scientist) - “Our engineer and tech wizard, he needs to be a scientific genius who also exudes warmth and emotional inner strength.”

    • Zephr (A Mysterious Unknown Sister of Mitzi)

  • Walter Peck is embarking on his “original” mayoral run, indicating that maybe he took a stab at the head office many years prior to being mayor in 2025.

  • Much like The Real Ghostbusters, it won’t hold back on the scares.

  • Follows a scrappy bunch of new characters who have kitbashed together their own Ghostbusting equipment, and drive around in their own makeshift Ectomobile van called the Ecto-94. New tech also includes The Ghost Drive (a skateboard-like piece of tech), and a DIY PKE Meter made from an original PlayStation.

  • A terror dog puppy will be featured, perhaps as the new group’s de facto firehouse Dalmatian, “When he pees on things, they burst into flame. A puppy, you know.”

  • According to The Wrap, a work in progress scene from the second episode was shown at Annecy that featured, “the Ghostbusters confronting an evil conductor in Grand Central Terminal. It seems like one of the members of the team is possessed by some spirit and another older member (who Netflix and Sony would not publicly name but is very clearly Jack Quaid) is trying to break her from this very real spell. There is a giant ghost creature (a bigger version of the conductor) and ghost trains flying around GCT.”

  • Concept art was also shown at Annecy indicating that Ray’s Occult Books will feature into the show in some shape or form.

The Netflix Show Is Officially Ghostbusters: Night Shift and other Ghostbusters Day 2026 Updates

I’ve had the Commodores’ “Nightshift” in my head all day and for good reason: once again the streets of New York City down in Tribeca were lined with Ghostbusters fans making the annual pilgrimage to Hook and Ladder No. 8 to celebrate June 6!

The event, which continues to get larger and larger every year, started with a pre-party hosted by Yes Have Some with special guest Celeste O’Connor. Rodney’s (a venue named after Mr. Dangerfield himself) was the location and YHS will most likely have that conversation up in their feed in the days to come.

Then today on Saturday, right in front of the iconic firehouse, fans, celebrities, and local heroes all came together for a presentation that can be seen via the official Ghostbusters livestream.

Ghostbusters fans have done enormous charity work over the last year, and the Ghostbusters Give Back initiative was a tremendous success. In total over the past year, fan franchises and groups have raised over a half-million dollars for charities of their choosing. The LA Ghostbusters and Buffalo Ghostbusters were honored with Golden Trap trophies for their excellence in fundraising.

Accoriding to the official press release, “Jay Levine, EVP, Chief Strategy Officer & Business Operations, Sony Pictures, Reitman, and Kenan presented a $150,000 match donation check on behalf of Sony Pictures to Adam Garone, CEO of Starlight Children’s Foundation, on behalf of Starlight Children’s Foundation as part of the ‘Ghostbusters Give Back” charitable program. Ghostbusters chapters around the world raised over $516,000 for local causes with the total reaching an incredible $666,000 with the match donation from Sony Pictures. The moment celebrated the remarkable fundraising efforts of Ghostbusters fan communities across the globe and the positive impact they continue to create in local communities through volunteer work and philanthropy.”

But the marquee moment of the day was the first bit of tangible news we’ve gotten officially on the upcoming Netflix animated series…

Now called Ghostbusters: Night Shift, a logo was revealed that shows tonally that this may be a little bit edgier and gnarlier than the Ghostbusters animated series of old. Ghostbusters brand stewards Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan joined showrunners Ben Hibon and Elliott Kalan for the logo reveal and promise more in the future leading up to the series 2027 release.

Sony Pictures Consumer Products also heavily leaned into the upcoming series at the latest Licensing Expo, but details and everything shown at the trade show have been kept under a tight lock and key.

More bulletpoints on the day from our friends at Ghost Corps:

  • Hasbro showed off a new SDCC exclusive Ecto-Glow Copter (for more on that and how it never saw the light of day, pick up The Real Ghostbusters: A Visual History wherever books are sold), and Mondo revealed exclusive Citizen Ghost spectral Ghostbuster figures.

  • Fundraising for the FDNY Foundation: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Ghost Corps and the Buffalo Ghostbusters, 501 (c)(3), fan group teamed up with the FDNY Hook & Ladder 8 firehouse to host the special presentation, with all proceeds from the event and live auction raised by Buffalo Ghostbusters’ 501 (c)(3) fan group going towards the FDNY Foundation

  • Ghostbusters in Concert National Fall Tour Activation: Schirmer Theatrical, with Black Ink Presents, Ghostbusters in Concert National Fall Tour celebrated the day with a special GBDAY26 code, with Black Ink donating $2.12 to the FDNY Foundation for every ticket sold using the code.

  • New Exciting Merchandise and Collaborations: To celebrate the day, Mattel launched a new Gozer doll under their Monster High brand. Additionally, Rubber Road revealed their Ghostbusters-themed rubber ducks and Hasbro unveiled their San Diego Comic-Con Ghostbuster toy exclusive.

  • Local Hospital Visit: In addition to the special presentation on June 6, Reitman, Kenan, Ghost Corps, and the Starlight Children’s Foundation continued their ongoing collaboration alongside actress Celeste O’Connor and a local Ghostbusters fan chapter with a visit to the Maimonides Children’s Hospital in Brooklyn the day prior, delivering Ghostbusters-themed Starlight hospital gowns and toys to pediatric patients.

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 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

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.

Ghostbusters Returns to Animation on Netflix

Happy Ghostbusters Day, everyone! This morning, Variety exclusively revealed that a new Ghostbusters animated series is in the works for release on Netflix, and the series will be overseen by the minds behind Ghostbusters: Afterlife, producers Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan. It should be noted that the series is still in development, and details are sparse.

The announcement comes early in the morning on Ghostbusters Day, the annual celebration of all things Ghostbusters which has quickly come to also mean reveals and announcements for the future of the franchise from those at Ghost Corps and their licensing partners. An event will be held on the Sony Pictures Studios lot this evening, where fans have been invited through the chocolate factory doors once more with promise of more reveals and a special screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Jason Reitman also posted a heartfelt greeting to fans on social media this morning, leaning up against the original Ecto-1 in front of Ghost Corps:

I have a feeling there’s much more in store for us fans today, so be sure to stay tuned here to the GBHQ main page and on our socials via Twitter and Instagram for all the up-to-the-minute details!