After thirty years of waiting for a proper Ghostbusters sequel, director Jason Reitman has brought us Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The film tells the story of the late Egon Spengler’s (Harold Ramis) daughter, Callie (Carrie Coon), and her two children, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) as they move to Egon’s rural farmland home in middle-of-nowhere Summerville, Oklahoma, only to learn that Egon was actually protecting the world from a mysterious supernatural force. While it’s technically the fourth Ghostbusters film (if we count the 2016 reboot), most consider it the “true third” as it’s one part nostalgia, one part sequel, and one part coming-of-age comedy.
That said, much to the excitement of the Ghostbusters fanbase, there are plenty of cast, crew, and ghosts that have returned for Afterlife. Some you might know, some might shock you, but regardless, you know who you’re gonna call.
Be warned! If you haven’t seen Ghostbusters: Afterlife there are MAJOR SPOILERS ahead…
Producer - Ivan Reitman
Original Ghostbusters director and producer Ivan Reitman has been with the series since its beginning. After directing the first two features (with small voice cameo roles), he directed comedy films such as Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Evolution, and My Super Ex-Girlfriend. His final directorial feature, Draft Day, was released in 2014. Reitman didn’t completely excuse himself from the Ghostbusters franchise though as he was originally set to direct a third Ghostbusters outing back in the day. After those plans died out and Sony decided to go a different direction, he ended up settling as a co-producer (and had a cameo) on the 2016 reboot.
After working on the announced-but-unrealized animated series, Ghostbusters: Ecto Force, and an unmade animated Ghostbusters feature film, Reitman returned as the sole producer for the official third installment of the classic series. On Afterlife, he also served as one of the body doubles for original Ghostbuster Dr. Egon Spengler to honor the late Harold Ramis.
Writer/Director - Jason Reitman
The son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman followed in his father’s footsteps as a filmmaker. The director of cult classics Thank You For Smoking, Juno, and Up In The Air, and even two episodes of The Office, Reitman grew up on set and actually has a small cameo as the “Brownstone Boy #2” in Ghostbusters II, which earns him a spot here. According to Bill Murray, the young Reitman was somewhat of a pain while on the set of the second Ghostbusters, which Dan Aykroyd attributes to him being a director even “back then.”
When Sony decided to try again with Ghostbusters after Paul Feig’s box office bomb, Reitman and Gil Kenan penned the script to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, with Reitman taking his father’s place in the director's chair. Their script was praised by both Murray and Aykroyd, with the latter (who co-wrote/created the original films) even calling it “beautiful” and “heartfelt”.
Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray)
The original Ghostbuster himself, Dr. Peter Venkman returns in Ghostbusters: Afterlife to help the Spengler's defeat Gozer. The last time we saw Venkman was 30 years prior in Ghostbusters II when he and his fellow Ghostbusters had defeated the demonic Vigo the Carpathian (Wilhelm von Homburg) after he attempted to possess Dana Barrett’s (Sigourney Weaver) infant son, Oscar. In Afterlife, it’s mentioned that Venkman, now married to Dana, is currently a “Professor of Advertising,” having returned to teaching after Egon Spengler stole the Ectomobile and the majority of their ghost-busting equipment to run off to Summerville.
Bill Murray, who famously refused to commit to a sequel for years, returns as Peter Venkman for two scenes in the film, once during the climax to help defeat Gozer, and again mid-credits when he returns home to New York City with Dana. In the mid-credits scene, Dana uses the same ESP cards and shock machine on Venkman that he once used on college girls in the 1984 film.
Dr. Ray Stanz (Dan Aykroyd)
When last we officially saw Dr. Ray Stanz, he was busting ghosts in Ghostbusters II, but after his brief cameo in the 1995 film Casper, it seems like he’s given up on the ghost-busting dream. In Afterlife, Phoebe uses her one phone call in jail to call the Ghostbusters hotline, which re-directs to Ray’s Occult Books (which Ray ran back in Ghostbusters II). Here we learn that, after Egon stole their ghost-busting equipment, the team quickly fell apart. Ray mentions that Egon tried to reach out about ten years back to convince him about an apocalyptic event, but he ignored Egon’s warnings, telling her that “Egon Spengler can burn in Hell.”
By the end of the film, Ray has a change of heart and returns with Venkman and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) to defeat Gozer for good, this time answering “yes” to her question of whether or not he’s a god. Actors Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis were the original creators of Ghostbusters and wrote the first two films in the series. Aykroyd also served as an executive producer on Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis)
Possibly the most important character in the film, Dr. Egon Spengler is the catalyst for the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. After we witness his sacrificial death in the film’s opening moments, we learn that 30 years ago he stole the Ghostbusters’ equipment, left his family, and moved to Summerville, OK to try to stop a coming apocalypse. After his death, Egon becomes a ghost who helps (and inspires) Phoebe as she answers the call of a Ghostbuster. By the film’s end, Egon helps his granddaughter and former teammates finally defeat Gozer for good, giving him one last chance to make amends and say goodbye to his friends and family.
Although Harold Ramis passed away in 2014, the film manages to respectfully digitally recreate Ramis’ likeness as Egon Spengler, with Ivan Reitman and Bob Gunton serving as body doubles for his character. It’s a truly nice touch that not only is honorable to Ramis but to the character of Egon Spengler as well. The film is also dedicated to Ramis, signed “for Harold” as the credits roll.
Dr. Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson)
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Iconic fourth Ghostbuster Dr. Winston Zeddemore (yes, he’s a doctor now) also returns in Ghostbusters: Afterlife and, out of all the returning cast, his life has changed the most drastically. Crediting his work with the Ghostbusters as the push he needed, Winston earned his doctorate, started a global enterprise, and is now a family man. He also returns with Peter Venkman and Ray Stanz in the film’s climax, proving critical in the defeat of the Gozerian.
After the credits, Winston returns the Ecto-1 back to New York and purchases their original firehouse headquarters back from Starbucks, implying a possible future return. It would be great to see Ernie Hudson as Dr. Winston Zeddemore again someday, and the film seems to imply that, if a sequel to Afterlife were made, Winston could be the new Ghostbusters’ mentor, similar to Egon’s role in the sequel cartoon series Extreme Ghostbusters.
Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts)
After 30 years since being the Ghostbusters’ secretary (and a Ghostbuster herself if The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters are to be believed), Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) returns to inform the bereaved Spengler family about the debt they’d inherit from Egon upon his death. While she doesn’t appear for long in Afterlife, it’s clear from her end-credits conversation with Winston that she still harbors feelings for the departed Egon, even after all these years.
While it’s a matter of speculation whether or not Janine could be Callie Spengler’s real mother (and unfortunately the film provides no answers), it’s clear that Janine has remained faithful to the Ghostbusters, and Egon himself, still doing her best to “keep the lights on.”
Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver)
Last we saw Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters II, it was implied that Dana and Peter Venkman had rekindled their relationship after the Ghostbusters saved her son, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife confirmed that suspicion. While Sigourney Weaver only appears briefly as Dana in a mid-credits scene, her moments with Venkman, using his own ESP shock machine against him, prove that she’s the same Dana we knew and loved from the originals.
There are plenty of other allusions to Dana throughout the film as well, especially when Zuul takes possession of Callie Spengler, reciting the familiar “there is no Dana, only Zuul” line with an updated twist. We also learn where Dana’s change of clothing came from in the 1984 film as Zuul magically shifts Callie’s outfit into a golden dress before reuniting with the Keymaster.
Ivo Shandor (J.K. Simmons)
Mentioned in the original Ghostbusters as the Gozer worshipper who built Dana Barrett’s original New York apartment building, 1920s Gozer cult leader Ivo Shandor (J.K. Simmons) makes his first live-action appearance here. It’s revealed that in Summerville’s mountainous Gozer temple Shandor had his deceased body encased (much like the dead bishops and popes in the Vatican) to prevent decomposition so he could be resurrected at Gozer’s return.
However, Gozer had different plans as she quickly rips Shandor straight in half before he can hardly get a word out. While his return might not be terribly exciting, it’s an impressive Ghostbusters deep-cut that serves as a neat nod to the original film and Ghostbusters: The Game (written in part based on Aykroyd and Ramis’ original treatment for a third Ghostbusters) in which Shandor appeared as the primary villain.
Gozer the Gozerian (Olivia Wilde)
Speaking of the original film, original Ghostbusters protagonist Gozer the Gozerian (played to perfection by an uncredited Olivia Wilde) returns as the eventual “big bad” behind the Summerville quakes. Gozer is scarier here than she was in her initial appearance, creating a cyclone of spirit energy and even using the Ghostbusters’ crossed-streams against them. More powerful, and more vengeful, Gozer proves to be the Ghostbusters’ ultimate antagonist.
Familiar lines, such as “Are you a god?”, recur in Afterlife, but there are a few updates to Gozer’s schtick as well. Gozer’s mountainous temple in the Shandorian mine is a serious upgrade from the limited special effects of the 1984 original. Her doorway to the underworld, which looks like a direct portal to Hell, is incredibly terrifying and becomes the catalyst for Egon’s abrupt move to Summerville in the first place.
Stay-Puft Marshmallow Men
In the original Ghostbusters, Gozer asked the team to choose the form of their destroyer, only for Ray to think of the classic Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. Afterward, a 50-foot tall version appeared to decimate New York City before the Ghostbusters blew it up. A ghostly Marshmallow Man even appeared briefly in the 2016 remake but didn’t last terribly long.
Here in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, thousands of Mini-Marshmallow Men appear in Summerville and take over the local Wal-Mart completely. These Marshmallow Men return in the climax to destroy Trevor and Podcast’s (Logan Kim) proton-packs before Podcast can get them running again. As cute as they are, they’re pretty mean…
Vinz Clortho the Keymaster and Zuul the Gatekeeper
The Terror Dogs from the 1984 film, Vinz Clortho the Keymaster and Zuul the Gatekeeper originally possessed Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) and Dana Barrett during Gozer’s first attempt to conquer humanity. After the Gozerian’s defeat, the Ghostbusters rescued Louis and Dana from the burnt-to-a-crisp corpses of the Terror Dogs. While it seemed like we had seen the last of Vinz Clortho and Zuul, it’s much harder to kill a ghost than that.
In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, one of the Terror Dogs is seen stalking and even attacking Egon in the film’s opening moments, leading to his death. Later on, the Keymaster and the Gatekeeper possess Phoebe’s teacher Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), and her mom Callie. Their union opens the way for Gozer’s return. Although Phoebe and her Ghostbusters manage to trap Zuul, Gozer frees her loyal servant who then possesses Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), but only until the original Ghostbusters arrive and help take down Gozer for good.