‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ is finally happening

Image: Columbia Pictures

A third direct sequel to the legendary Ghostbusters movie franchise is something I thought would never happen. But one of those childhood dreams of mine of finally seeing a third Ghostbusters movie is just a matter of months away from being a reality. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is happening!

“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” feels right in so many ways, aside from its title. For one, Jason Reitman the son of Ivan Reitman who directed the first two Ghostbusters movies is the one directing the third-direct sequel. Secondly, every surviving original Ghostbusters cast member (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson except for the late Harold Ramis who portrayed “Egon Spengler”) is coming back to reprise their legendary roles. Thirdly, the upcoming movie follows the events of what happened in the first two Ghostbusters movies. Fourthly, this movie will bring back a familiar paranormal enemy from the Ghostbusters lore, and this time we got to ask ourselves: “Who you gonna call?”

In a time where so many childhood movie favorites of ours over the years have either been butchered, disrespected and totally trashed when rebooted and/or reimagined, thus practically erasing everything great we loved about these beloved movies, there is still hope that maybe, just maybe, the major movie studio can get this one right, honor the past and give the much-needed homage to such a beloved movie franchise.

This third-direct sequel is a very long time coming. Not years, but for decades, on and off, Dan Aykroyd and the late Harold Ramis along with the original director in Ivan Reitman, tried their very best to get their screenplay and numerous revisions of a third Ghostbusters to be made, bought and released. However, due to much-publicized reasons, the long-awaited third-sequel could never be made, much to the disappointment of millions of Ghostbusters fans worldwide.

That was very frustrating especially for Dan Aykroyd, Ivan Reitman and the late Harold Ramis, who were the original writers and creative minds behind the Ghostbusters movies. At some point, we fans all stopped hoping for it to happen. It felt like a lost cause, something better to not talk about, and a third sequel that will never happen in our lifetime or will never ever happen at all.

The 1990s rolled along, then the 2000s came in, and we all got old as a third sequel to the Ghostbusters was seemingly lost in the sands of time. We became resigned to the thought that Ghostbusters has entered into the realm of folklore. Seemingly, there would never be a new Ghostbusters movie that will star the surviving original cast members. Happily now, things have changed and what was an impossibility is now a confirmed reality for Ghostbusters.

Indeed, it is never too late for any major movie studio to give us longtime fans what we all want to see again and that is a Ghostbusters movie that will bring us back to those simpler, more carefree and innocent times, when we could simply watch a movie and just enjoy it. Yes, that is all we ever wanted. Yes, the magic, imagination and lure of the first two Ghostbusters movies can never be perfectly replicated, but there is always a way to capture the spirit of those two movies.

As I was watching the official trailer of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” I got a bit teary-eyed. Ghostbusters is a direct link to my childhood, and for many millions of others all over the world who got to watch the first two movies, who watched the cartoons, and purchased and collected the Ghostbusters toys while growing up. There are so many fond memories there for all of us and this is the first time in decades that those dormant memories are getting unlocked.

Ray, Winston, Venkman, Janine, Ecto-1, Proton Packs, Ghost Traps, etc. All those names ring a bell, don’t they? It will feel so great and wonderful to see all of them again soon on the big screen. Thanksgiving, literally, will be a time to give thanks, that in one of the darkest days of humanity, in this almost-horrifying period the world faces, there is a movie that can help bring back hope, restore our spirits, and make us all feel joyful and carefree again, like young children, albeit momentarily, via the movie “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.”

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