Ghostbusters: Afterlife is coming to theaters November 19, bringing audiences back to the world of the beloved franchise for the first time since the reboot in 2016. Set thirty years after the events of Ghostbusters II, this latest film revolves around a family who moves to a small town in Oklahoma, where they encounter strange occurrences and learn of their connection to the Ghostbusters.
Fans of the series can look forward to seeing original cast members like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Annie Potts making a comeback to the franchise. The film will also feature some new faces strapping on a proton pack and driving the Ecto-1, some of whom have already made themselves fairly well-known in the science fiction genre, and some who are just getting started.
Mckenna Grace - The Haunting Of Hill House
Mckenna Grace plays Phoebe, the granddaughter of the late Dr. Egon Spengler, who moves to Summerville, Oklahoma with her mom, Callie, and her brother, Trevor. This isn't Grace's first time as a character going up against ghosts though, as viewers will likely recognize her from the highly acclaimed Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House, for her portrayal of a young Theo Crane.
Her role as Theo Crane is similar to her character in this film as they are both curious children who make discoveries relating to their families and the supernatural. While Grace has also had a number of roles in both movies and TV shows, Ghostbusters: Afterlife will mark her first big part in a science fiction film.
Finn Wolfhard - Stranger Things
Starring alongside Grace is Finn Wolfhard, who plays Phoebe's older brother, Trevor. Wolfhard got his breakout role in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things as Mike Wheeler, and he will be returning for season four of Stranger Things in 2022.
Wolfhard is a face that will likely draw more viewers to the franchise due to both his Stranger Things role and his role as Richie Tozier in It. Both of these parts also featured Wolfhard as a character in a small town facing off against a supernatural being, so it will be interesting for fans to see how his character in this film compares to his other performances.
Paul Rudd - Ant-Man
Paul Rudd joins the cast of Ghostbusters: Afterlife as Phoebe's teacher, Chad Grooberson. Rudd has starred in a number of well-known movies and TV shows, but one of his most notable roles is Scott Lang, or Ant-Man, in several movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Rudd's performance as Ant-Man shows off his likability and comedic timing, especially when faced with a new or mind-blowing experience. Viewers are likely to see similarities with his Ghostbusters character, as he will definitely encounter some strange phenomena in the film.
Bill Murray - The French Dispatch
Reprising his role as Dr. Peter Venkman is Bill Murray, which is especially notable due to his longtime refusal to be a part of any sequel in the franchise since Ghostbusters II. While Murray has had an expansive career in film and television, his most recent film fans may have seen him in is The French Dispatch.
Murray's character Arthur Horowitz differs greatly from his iconic Ghostbusters role as his humor is more dry and deadpan, as is a trademark for a Wes Anderson film. This would be an interesting movie to watch prior to Ghostbusters: Afterlife to see the varying sides of Murray's humor and talent.
Dan Aykroyd - The Blues Brothers
Also returning to the cast as Dr. Raymond Stantz is Dan Aykroyd, who made a cameo appearance in the 2016 reboot as well. Aside from this role, Aykroyd may be most known for playing Elwood J. Blues in The Blues Brothers and the sketches the film was based on in Saturday Night Live.
His performance as Elwood J. Blues shows off his comedic skills that are present throughout the original two Ghostbusters films. Since Aykroyd has not had many large movie roles in more recent years, fans can look forward to seeing his return to the franchise.
Ernie Hudson - Oz
Ernie Hudson joins the returning Ghostbusters as Dr. Winston Zeddemore, coming back to the franchise after also making a cameo appearance in the 2016 film. Viewers may also recognize him from his performance as Warden Leo Glynn in the HBO drama series Oz.
While this role is a much more dramatic part for Hudson, viewers are able to see a different side to the actor in the series revolving around a men's prison. It will also allow fans to appreciate his return to comedy when he rejoins the beloved ghost-fighting franchise.
Sigourney Weaver - Galaxy Quest
Ghostbusters: Afterlife also features the return of Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett, the original Ghostbusters' first customer. A seasoned actor, Weaver is no stranger to the science fiction genre, including the 1999 film Galaxy Quest, in which she played Gwen DeMarco, a former actor in a Star Trek-like series.
Weaver has become a household name largely due to her portrayal of Ellen Ripley in the high-grossing Alien franchise. However, Galaxy Quest is a notable film to watch before Ghostbusters: Afterlife because viewers really get to see her shine in a science fiction comedy.
Annie Potts - Young Sheldon
Adding to the returning cast is Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz. While most will always remember her as the snarky but sweet secretary from the original films, she is also known for her current role as Constance Tucker or "Meemaw" in Young Sheldon.
While this is a much different role for Potts, it is definitely worth a watch as it shows another side to the talented actor, and fans will enjoy seeing her in a more mature role before her return to the Ghostbusters franchise.
Carrie Coon - The Leftovers
The mother of our two main characters and daughter of Dr. Egon Spengler is Callie, played by Carrie Coon. She is well-known for playing Nora Durst in the HBO series, The Leftovers, which launched her popularity in 2014 along with her role in Gone Girl.
In The Leftovers, Coon plays a widow dealing with the aftermath of an unexplained supernatural event. It will be interesting for viewers to see how this role differs from her character in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a mother living in the middle of a paranormal phenomenon.
Celeste O'Connor - Freaky
A new face to the Ghostbusters franchise is Celeste O'Connor, who plays Trevor's classmate, Lucky. Although this is only the fifth film O'Connor has starred in, their most recent role that viewers may recognize them from is that of Nyla in the 2020 horror comedy movie Freaky.
While O'Connor is much more of a newcomer to acting than their fellow cast members, their performance in Freaky as the main character's friend helping her through an unexplainable phenomenon shows promise for their character in this film as it will be a similar role.