Last week, we finally got a glimpse at some photos for the new Ghostbusters movie. This is the actual sequel to the two originals – it takes place in the same universe, with the same history, and even some of the same cast (or so we’ve been promised) – as opposed to the reboot thing with Melissa McCarthy and Kate McKinnon that so many people cried about.
There shouldn’t be too much crying today, because Ghostbusters: Afterlife just dropped its first trailer! It’s full of callbacks to the original, including the franchise’s familiar ghost traps, proton packs, and Ecto-1. Unfortunately, while few tears will be shed watching this trailer, few laughs will be had either. It strikes a largely serious tone, give or take some youthful hi-jinks with the Ghostbusters gear, and despite Paul Rudd’s genial presence.
As we mentioned last week, the new movie, from original director Ivan Reitman’s son Jason, focuses on Carrie Coon’s single mother who uproots her two kids (including Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard) from NYC and moves them to Oklahoma to live in the house they inherited from their late grandfather.
The trailer reveals some strange, potentially supernatural goings-on in the area, provoking interest from Ghostbusters fanboy Paul Rudd (who notes that no ghosts have been seen in 30 years), and soon the kids discover that their grandfather might have been one of the original four members of the crew that was famous in the 80s.
The trailer teases the family’s heritage, with some shots of molds, spores and fungus, the daughter’s (Mackenzie Grace) oddly-familiar spectacles, and an old jumpsuit with the Spengler name. Grandpa seems to have been Igon Spengler, who was played by Harold Ramis in the first two films.
Take a look. Does the serious tone work for you? Do you want more laughs? (With Paul Rudd involved, surely there will be some.) How do you like the voice-over that takes Venkman’s fun, ironic speech from the first movie and turns it into something portentous?
