Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a film Vanity Fair described as existing “solely to restart a moribund franchise, so that a dormant conveyor belt of product may groan back into motion,” is getting a sequel. I mean, of course it is. As the review said, the first film existed in order to restart a franchise, and here we are, back on the nostalgia train, with one small change. According to Deadline, Afterlife director Jason Reitman (son of Ivan) is giving up the director chair to Gil Kenan.
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Kenan is probably best known for directing Monster House, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. He also made the disappointing City of Ember adaptation and 2015’s Poltergeist.
Reitman the younger is still involved in the film as writer and producer; Kenan is also a writer and executive producer, and Jason Blumenfeld rounds out the writing team. Also returning are stars Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon and possibly more of the first film’s ensemble. Deadline notes that “not much is known about the sequel, but sources say the plan is to return to New York City and the iconic firehouse made famous in the original Ghostbusters films.”
As Hubert Vigilla wrote in his epic review of Afterlife, “Each Ghostbusters movie after the first one feels diminished because of an obligation (probably studio mandated) to hew closely to a formula. In Afterlife, there are hints of a charming children’s adventure, but it’s straightjacketed by the fetishization of nostalgia in the form of fan-service and lazy references.” It doesn’t sound like much is going to change for round two.
The Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel is expected to premiere in December 2023.
