The first trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterflife premiered this morning and further cemented what we already know about the upcoming film: the movie is a direct sequel to the first two Ghostbusters and follows a transplanted family in Oklahoma who are somehow related to the original crew. And when the time is right they are called upon to follow in their family’s footsteps.
The trailer above is pretty promising but definitely feels more like a Jason Reitman-meets-Stranger Things project than I was expecting. Of course it isn’t really fair to compare a new Ghostbusters to Stranger Things since the latter is greatly influenced by (and wouldn’t exist without) the former but you can’t help but get those vibes. As for Reitman’s approach to the material, he seems to be focusing on the family aspect of the film a lot which isn’t surprising given his track record. But still, seeing family drama in a Ghostbusters film will definitely be new. So while this is certainly a true sequel, it is bringing in some new things.
But it looks fun! I like the way they’ve shot the film, it looks a bit spooky and quiet like an old campfire tale come to life. I also think I can get behind the locale: a small town in Oklahoma adds an extra layer of mystery and creepiness. And the cast seems to be aces too, including Paul Rudd as the enthusiastic and well-informed teacher.
There is a lot they’re not showing here, including appearances from the original cast and the true relation that ties the new characters to the old. But what we do see is very promising. It looks more toned down, more family-friendly and more character-driven than the original films but that doesn’t mean that Afterlife is a repudiation of the Ghostbusters franchise, it means it’s an evolution of it.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife hits theaters July 10, 2020.
