For fans of the franchise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a winning combination of a trip down memory lane and an expansion of the franchise, placing a new family at the center of the story while tying itself directly to the events of the 1984 original.
Almost every single strand of the plot was connected to the first film in some fashion, whether it be cameos from a multitude of legacy cast members, references to events that unfolded in New York City or the villains being more than familiar to audiences that have seen the supernatural comedy classic ten times over.
Director Jason Reitman did go on record saying that Ghostbusters II was also regarded as official canon after it didn’t get a lot of love in terms of Easter Eggs and callbacks, but in an interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the filmmaker teased that we might be seeing Vigo the Carpathian in what feels like an inevitable sequel.
“There is a lot of time and opportunity for Vigo The Carpathian to make his return. Look, are you saying that’s the only painting of Vigo The Carpathian? Maybe, he’s riding a horse in another one, maybe, impaling someone in another one.”
That’s about the most uninspired idea possible for a Ghostbusters: Afterlife follow up, and it would simply be replicating the formula that worked so well by recycling plot points and villains for the sake of fan service. The series has finally gotten a new lease of life, and now is the perfect time to forge its own path and leave the past behind.
