Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel: Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace prepare to revisit their characters

Earlier this year, Sony announced that they will be releasing a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (watch it HERE) on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. At first, Afterlife director Jason Reitman was expected to take the helm, once again directing from a screenplay he’s writing with Gil Kenan (Monster House) – but two weeks ago, it was revealed that Kenan will actually be directing the new film. Filming will be beginning soon so the project can meet that December release, and in recent release dates Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace were asked about returning to reprise the roles of Trevor and Phoebe in the sequel. Both of them pointed out that the characters will be several years older than when we last saw them.

Speaking with CinemaBlend, Wolfhard said, “I don’t even think they have a title yet, from what I know of. But I’m excited to kind of play an older version of the character as he’s grown, and just get back with everyone.

Grace told NME, “It’s gonna be weird getting back into that character because I had just turned 13 when we started shooting [Ghostbusters: Afterlife], and now on our [new] set, I’m going to turn 17.

For a lot of us, the passage of four years probably doesn’t seem like much at this point in our lives, but for Wolfhard (who turns 20 later this week) and Grace four years is quite substantial.

Wolfhard and Grace are joined in the cast of the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel by Carrie Coon, playing Trevor and Phoebe’s mom Callie, and Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore. It hasn’t been confirmed whether or not Afterlife‘s Paul Rudd or Hudson’s fellow original Ghostbusters Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray will be showing up in the sequel. It has been said that “The character of Winston Zeddemore and Zeddemore Industries figures strongly into the future of Ghostbusters.”

When he took the directing job, Kenan said, “It’s an absolute honor to pick up the proton pack and step behind the camera for the next chapter of the Spengler family saga. I just wish I could go back to 1984 and tell the kid in the sixth row of the Mann Valley West that one day he was going to get to direct a Ghostbusters film.

Reitman added, “A few years ago, my father (Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II director Ivan Reitman) handed me the keys to Ecto-1 and together we made Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Words will never express how grateful I am to have made a film with my father by my side. It’s now time to hand those keys to my creative partner and fellow Ghostbuster Gil Kenan, a brilliant director who will keep the Spengler spirit alive. I can only hope to provide him the same producorial care and support that my father showed me.

Are you looking forward to seeing what Finn Wolfhard’s Trevor and Mckenna Grace’s Phoebe will be up to in the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Source: Cinema Blend, NME

About the Author

Cody is a news editor and film critic, focused on the horror arm of JoBlo.com, and writes scripts for videos that are released through the JoBlo Originals and JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channels. In his spare time, he's a globe-trotting digital nomad, runs a personal blog called Life Between Frames, and writes novels and screenplays.