According to star Paul Rudd, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the perfect sequel to the original movie. The original Ghostbusters was released in 1984 with its sequel, Ghostbusters II, released in 1989. Although an all-female Ghostbusters reboot movie starring Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig came out in 2016, the film failed to capture the attention of many original Ghostbusters fans and was criticized in a slew of sexist comments. Ghostbusters: Afterlife marks a return to the original world that the 1984 film created and will see the return of stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson, among others.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife follows a mother and her two children (Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard) who move to a secluded home in a new town. After discovering some old ghost-busting equipment and a family connection to original team member Egon Spengler, the family finds itself at the center of a world-threatening supernatural phenomenon that rivals the "Manhattan Crossrip of 1984." The film is directed by Jason Reitman, son of original film director Ivan Reitman, and features new cast members Rudd, Wolfhard, Grace, Carrie Coon, and Celeste O'Connor.
In a new interview with The Kansas City Star, Rudd, who plays likable teacher and seismologist Mr. Grooberson in the new film, says Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a "perfect" follow-up to the original movie. Rudd said he was "moved" by the new film and the ways in which returning characters are honored. The actor added he thought Afterlife was an "amazing" project to be involved with. Check out Rudd's full comment below:
“What a perfect way to continue this story about these people [from the original] and I was moved by it. And I thought, oh, wow, what a cool and amazing thing to be a part of.”
Featuring returning cast members and a direct continuation of plot threads set up in the initial films, Ghostbusters: Afterlife seems to represent a marriage of both old and new. Previous trailers indicate the movie will bring together beloved elements from the classic films while also welcoming new fans to the franchise. After the passing of original Ghostbusters star Harold Ramis, who played Egon Spengler, the new film will also likely have some touching moments that address the late actor's death. And while the film's younger stars are very much in the spotlight this time around, Ghostbusters: Afterlife will also have to explain why the original Ghostbusters are no longer together and why history seems to have forgotten them, which is sure to provide some moving moments of redemption.
Ultimately, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is shaping up to be the sequel that fans have now been waiting over 30 years for. If the film can address stories and characters of the past and effectively weave them together with new characters, it is sure to gain a more favorable reception than the much-maligned 2016 reboot. It's not yet clear to what extent the original Ghostbusters characters will feature in the film (trailers have been careful to not give too much away), but it seems likely that Dr. Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore will get back to their busting action in no time, and oversee a passing of the torch to a new generation in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Source: The Kansas City Star
