A new series of Ghostbusters: Afterlife figures offer a first look at the classic Ghostbusters team in jumpsuits. Since it first arrived in theatres in 1984, the Ghostbusters franchise has had more than its share of tremendous highs and lows. The first film, which was the brainchild of Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis, is largely regarded today as one of the greatest comedies of all time. It was followed up with a sequel in 1989 that while successful, wasn’t as highly regarded by most fans as the original Ghostbusters was.
At its core, however, the greatest strength of the Ghostbusters franchise was arguably its cast. Compiling some of the most popular comedic actors of its time, the first two films brought Aykroyd and Ramis onboard as part of the team, alongside Billy Murray and Ernie Hudson. When the demand for a third film in the series grew too loud to ignore, the result was a reboot of sorts, which replaced the original team with an all-female cast. The 2016 Ghostbusters barely managed to break even and was generally dismissed by critics as well as fans. Now at long last, Ghostbusters fans are getting an official third entry in the series and, judging by the most recent trailer for the upcoming film, there’s much to be excited about. This time around the Ghostbusters are headed up by a group of teenage paranormal experts, but the surviving original team still manages to make their presence known.
In recognition of the original Ghostbusters and their involvement in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Hasbro is releasing a new set of poseable action figures. Officially known as the Ghostbusters Plasma Series Afterlife figures, Hasbro has offered a glimpse at the first wave of action figures available in the lead-up to Afterlife’s November 11th, 2021, release date. The 6-inch figures depict the original team in their jumpsuits, complete with film-inspired accessories. In addition to these accessories, select figures come with “Build-A-Ghost” pieces that form the Sentinel Terror Dog seen in the new film. Check out the photos of the new action figures, which are currently available at most major retailers and Hasbro Pulse.
Other action figures available in the Plasma Series are Trevor, Lucky, and Podcast. Fans of the original series will notice that the original team is missing key member Dr. Egon Spengler, who was played by Harold Ramis. Unfortunately, Ramis passed away in 2014 at the age of 69. Clearly, it would have been nice for fans to have the comedy great acknowledged in these new action figures, but as he does not appear in Afterlife, Hasbro has made the decision to keep the toys accurate. Nonetheless, it will be great to see Aykroyd, Hudson, and Murray back in their jumpsuits once again in Afterlife, and these action figures are an excellent way to remember the team’s return to the big screen as Ghostbusters.
It will be interesting to see just what sort of role that the original Ghostbusters play in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Fans will undoubtedly wish to see the three remaining stars have as much screen time as they did in the first two Ghostbusters films. However, as Afterlife is about setting up a new generation of paranormal investigators to fill the shoes of the franchise’s past, it’s unlikely that Aykroyd, Hudson, and Murray will get too involved in everything. That being said, if Hasbro’s new action figures are anything to go by, the three original Ghostbusters bust at least a couple of ghosts in the new film while showing the kids the ropes.
Source: Hasbro
