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Three hosts of the 3 Guys and a Flick movie review podcast with movie-themed background.
🎙 Podcast Episode 35

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Join the Guys as they review Jason Reitman’s 2021 supernatural comedy starring Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Celeste O’Connor, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, and Bob Gunton, where a struggling family moves to a dusty Oklahoma farm and discovers that Grandpa left behind more than unpaid bills, weird dirt, and suspiciously familiar ghost traps.

Release Date November 19, 2021
Runtime 124 minutes
Director Jason Reitman
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3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 35

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

ⓘ Details

Movie TitleGhostbusters: Afterlife
Release DateNovember 19, 2021 in the United States
TaglineDiscover the past. Protect the future.
Runtime124 minutes / 2 hours 4 minutes
DirectorJason Reitman
Screenplay Written ByGil Kenan and Jason Reitman
Based OnThe Ghostbusters franchise created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis
Is It a Remake?No. It is a legacy sequel to Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, set decades after the original films.
BudgetApproximately $75 million
Box OfficeApprox. $129.5 million domestic / approx. $204.4 million worldwide
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👥 Main Cast

Carrie CoonCallie Spengler
Finn WolfhardTrevor Spengler
Mckenna GracePhoebe Spengler
Paul RuddGary Grooberson
Logan KimPodcast
Celeste O’ConnorLucky Domingo
Bill MurrayPeter Venkman
Dan AykroydRay Stantz
Ernie HudsonWinston Zeddemore
Annie PottsJanine Melnitz
Sigourney WeaverDana Barrett
Bob GuntonThe Ghost Farmer
Bokeem WoodbineSheriff Domingo
J. K. SimmonsIvo Shandor
Olivia WildeGozer
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🏆 Awards

⭐ BAFTA Nominee — Best Special Visual Effects
⭐ Saturn Award Winner — Best Fantasy Film
⭐ Saturn Award Nominee — Best Director, Jason Reitman
⭐ Saturn Award Nominee — Best Actress, Carrie Coon
⭐ Saturn Award Nominee — Best Younger Performer, Mckenna Grace
⭐ Critics Choice Super Awards Nominee — Best Science Fiction / Fantasy Movie
⭐ International Film Music Critics Association Nominee — Best Original Score for a Fantasy, Science Fiction or Horror Film, Rob Simonsen
⭐ No Academy Award nominations were verified for the film.
⭐ The film’s biggest legacy is its emotional connection to Harold Ramis, Egon Spengler, and the original Ghostbusters generation.
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📖 Short Plot Summary

Callie Spengler and her kids, Trevor and Phoebe, move to a rundown Oklahoma farmhouse inherited from Callie’s estranged father. What looks like a dead-end family reset turns into a paranormal scavenger hunt when Phoebe discovers old Ghostbusters equipment, strange seismic activity, and a hidden connection to Egon Spengler’s unfinished work. With help from summer school teacher Gary Grooberson, new friends Podcast and Lucky, and eventually some very familiar faces, the kids uncover a buried supernatural threat tied to Gozer, Ivo Shandor, and a whole lot of proton-pack nostalgia.
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❝ Key Quotes

“Who you gonna call?” — Ray Stantz
“There hasn’t been a ghost sighting in 30 years.” — Gary Grooberson
“I believe that everything happens for a reason.” — Phoebe Spengler
“I collect spores, molds and fungus.” — Ray Stantz
“Hey, flattop!” — Peter Venkman
“We’re ready to believe you.” — Classic Ghostbusters slogan
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💡 Trivia

Director

  • Ghostbusters: Afterlife was directed by Jason Reitman.
  • Jason Reitman is the son of Ivan Reitman, who directed the original Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II.
  • The screenplay was written by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan.
  • The film serves as a legacy sequel, connecting a new generation of characters to the original Ghostbusters team.
  • The movie is dedicated to Harold Ramis and producer Tom Pollock.

Cast / Casting

  • Mckenna Grace plays Phoebe Spengler, Egon Spengler’s science-minded granddaughter.
  • Carrie Coon plays Callie, Egon’s daughter and Phoebe and Trevor’s mother.
  • Paul Rudd plays Gary Grooberson, a summer school teacher and seismologist with strong Ghostbusters nostalgia.
  • Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver reprise their original franchise roles.
  • Logan Kim plays Podcast, which is both a character name and a perfect reminder that someone in the movie has better branding instincts than most adults.
  • Olivia Wilde appears as Gozer, with Shohreh Aghdashloo providing Gozer’s voice.

Soundtrack / Score

  • Rob Simonsen composed the film’s score.
  • The score incorporates elements of Elmer Bernstein’s original Ghostbusters musical identity.
  • Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” remains part of the franchise’s musical DNA.
  • The music leans heavily into nostalgia, mystery, and family adventure rather than the straight-up comedy tone of the 1984 original.
  • The score earned an International Film Music Critics Association nomination for fantasy, science fiction, or horror film score.

Location

  • The story is set primarily in the fictional town of Summerville, Oklahoma.
  • Filming took place largely in Alberta, Canada.
  • Key production locations included Calgary, Drumheller, Fort Macleod, Crossfield, and Beiseker.
  • The rural setting shifts the franchise away from New York City and gives the movie more of an Amblin-style small-town adventure feel.
  • The farmhouse, mine, cornfields, and empty roads help the film feel like the Ghostbusters gear has been buried in a very dusty time capsule.

Behind-The-Scenes

  • The film was produced by Ivan Reitman.
  • It was produced by Columbia Pictures, Bron Creative, Ghost Corps, The Montecito Picture Company, and Right of Way Films.
  • Sony Pictures Releasing distributed the film.
  • Production took place from July to October 2019.
  • The film was originally scheduled for 2020 but was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The reported budget was approximately $75 million, and the film grossed about $204 million worldwide.

Nostalgia

  • Ghostbusters: Afterlife is built as a nostalgia machine, complete with proton packs, ghost traps, PKE meters, the Ecto-1, Gozer, Terror Dogs, and tiny Stay Puft Marshmallow Men.
  • The movie trades some of the original’s sarcastic New York comedy for a softer family adventure tone.
  • For longtime fans, the film’s emotional centerpiece is its tribute to Harold Ramis and Egon Spengler.
  • The return of the original Ghostbusters cast gives the final act a major “OK, now we’re clapping” franchise moment.
  • The movie’s fan-service level is extremely high, so your mileage may depend on how much proton-pack nostalgia you are willing to inhale.

Easter Eggs

  • The Twinkie wrapper, stacked books, spores, molds, fungus reference, and old Ghostbusters commercials all point back to the 1984 film.
  • The farmhouse and hidden lab reveal Egon’s long-running effort to contain Gozer’s return.
  • Ivo Shandor, mentioned in the original movie, appears as part of the Gozer mythology.
  • The Ecto-1 gunner seat gives the classic car a new action upgrade.
  • The Mini-Pufts are a tiny, chaotic riff on the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
  • The final scene with Egon’s presence is the movie’s biggest emotional callback to the original team.

Misc.

  • Ghostbusters: Afterlife is rated PG-13.
  • The movie runs 124 minutes.
  • It is the third mainline Ghostbusters film and the fourth theatrical film overall in the franchise.
  • A sequel, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, was released in 2024.
  • Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Ghostbusters: Afterlife as Episode 35, with Don rating it 3.50, Ken rating it 4.50, Jon rating it 4.75, and an overall rating of 4.25.
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🔗 Sources Cited

3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 35: Ghostbusters: Afterlife 3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings IMDb — Ghostbusters: Afterlife IMDb — Full Cast & Crew IMDb — Awards IMDb — Quotes IMDb — Taglines IMDb — Soundtrack IMDb — Filming Locations IMDb — Trivia Box Office Mojo — Ghostbusters: Afterlife Box Office Mojo — Release Details The Numbers — Ghostbusters: Afterlife Rotten Tomatoes — Ghostbusters: Afterlife Metacritic — Ghostbusters: Afterlife
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