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Jinkies. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is on its way to proving nostalgia haters wrong.

“When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.”

Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman, Dan Aykroyd, Ivan Reitman
Staring: Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon
Release Date: November 11, 2021

In a rather shocking turn of events, the latest trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife has unified movie lovers and fans of the original. This teaser is enthralling, action-packed and dare I say…informative? The trailer toes the fine line of being forthcoming while not spoiling the entire story.

We know now that the focal point of Ghostbusters: Afterlife is around the family of Egon Spengler, who was played by Harold Ramis in the original two movies. His daughter Carrie (Callie), and grandchildren Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), move to a small quaint town and naturally, hijinx ensues.

The family as a whole begins to discover its connection, both in a physical and emotional sense to the Ghostbusters. Their new home is filled with secrets, including the old Ghostbusters vehicle, an old ghost trap and the PKE meter.

With the help of a mentoring a teacher Mr. Grooberson, played the the immortal Paul Rudd, and some other friends, Trevor and Phoebe discover what looks to be a wormhole to a ghost storage unit and suddenly all hell begins breaking loose. Have to give credit to everyone involved with this trailer because there are a ton of ghosts.

Quick side note on Rudd…the man just oozes teacher father figure. He was in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012), and here he is blending his welcoming-nature with his more well-known goofiness.

Credit to the writing team and director Jason Reitman for not shying away from the original. Based off this trailer, the screenplay seemingly has weaved the story of past to the one of the present in a natural way. It is not cameos just for cameos sake…there is going to be a purpose to every familiar face we see.

Speaking of familiar and faces….according to IMDB, all the major actors alive today have something to do with Ghostbusters: Afterlife. We see Jaine Melnitz as Annie Potts, and it would appear that she married Spengler in the years between the original and now. Also at the end of the trailer…we get the voice of Dr. Raymond Stanz. Dan Aykroyd.

The protagonists are not the only ones to come back for Ghostbusters: Afterlife. If you pause the trailer at certain points, there are glimpses of Gozer and her hounds…as well as the State Puff Marshmallow Man.

Also, to anyone who noticed this in my brief recap…It is really hard to acknowledge Ghostbusters 2 (1989). Ghostbusters (1984) is an all-time classic. And we also don’t talk about the 2016 Ghostbusters.

One last thing. For those who do not know Jason Reitman, he has been nominated for four Oscars for two movies. He was the director of Up In The Air (2009) and Juno (2007). The man knows his way around the camera.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is set to release in theaters November 11, 2021.

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