Sony has revealed that a Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel film is now in the works, making it the 5th film in the Ghostbusters franchise.
The announcement was shown on Sony’s closing sizzle reel during the company’s presentation at CinemaCon. Not a lot of information was said about the production of the fifth film, nor was a release date or official cast list given. However, Ghostbusters veteran Ernie Hudson previously expressed interest in reprising their roles in future movies in the franchise.
Ghostbusters‘ popularity following the original film’s 1984 premiere led to the release of multiple TV shows and video game titles, with the most recent one, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, to be released in late 2022 on PC, Playstation, and Xbox.
In 2016, a reboot Ghostbusters film was released featuring an all-women cast, featuring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon, playing the lead characters. The reboot received a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned $46 million during its domestic opening.
Many were critical of the film despite its success. Film director Paul Feig addressed the backlash the film received, comparing it to bullying, and Hudson commented about the film, saying that the 2016 Ghostbusters movie should not have been a reboot.
Later in 2021, Ghostbusters: Afterlife was released as the third film in the original 80’s franchise, with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson reprising their roles. The film earned $44 million during its opening and is ranked 63% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Much of Sony’s CinemaCon presentation was centered on the company’s ongoing expansion of its stand-alone Spider-Man universe, with more details around the forthcoming Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse shared.
