CinemaCon 2023 is officially underway! Sony is bringing its Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel to the stage to kick the annual event off with a scare, and fans of the franchise couldn’t wait to check it out. The follow-up to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife busts into theaters on December 20, 2023, with filming underway.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Finn Wolfhard and McKenna Grace return for the sequel, reprising their roles as Trevor and Phoebe. They’re joined in the cast by Carrie Coon, playing Trevor and Phoebe’s mom Callie, and Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore. Paul Rudd, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, Kumail Nanjiani, Celeste O’Connor, and James Acaster also star.
During Sony’s Ghostbusters presentation, Jason Reitman and Gil Keanan greeted the crowd in a video from the set. Reitman mentioned Ghostbusters: Afterlife premiered at CinemaCon two years ago. The whole cast was wearing Ghostbusters uniforms, including Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon, who appeared to be legit Ghostbusters alongside their kids, Trevor (Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Grace). Rudd is clean-shaven this time, instead of being bearded like last time. The group is in New York at the original Ghostbusters Headquarters.
At first, Afterlife director Jason Reitman was expected to take the helm, once again directing from a screenplay he was writing with Gil Kenan – but then Sony revealed that Kenan would direct the new film. He previously helmed the animated movie Monster House, the live-action films City of Ember, A Boy Called Christmas, the Poltergeist remake, and an episode of the Scream TV series.
What do you think about Grooberson (Rudd), Callie (Coon), and the kids becoming full-fledged Ghostbusters for the sequel? Do you think the new film will feature more ghostly cameos like Aftermath? Are you surprised this is all Sony had to show for one of the year’s most anticipated films? I’m amazed we didn’t get a title, but with filming still underway, that aspect of the film is likely still in flux. Stay close for more from CinemaCon as the event continues through Thursday, with plenty more announcements from the big show.