Read more on insidethemagic.net

‘Ghostbusters’ Series Confirmed, Gets 2024 Release Date

There”s something strange in the neighborhood once again, as the first official trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) finally arrived last week.

It follows the first two films in the series, Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989), which were directed by the late Ivan Reitman, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), which was directed by Reitman”s son, Jason Reitman, who also co-wrote it alongside Gil Kenan.

While Reitman and Kenan are back on co-writing duties for Frozen Empire, this time, Kenan is in the director”s chair.

Per Sony Pictures, here”s the trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire:

Related: Sony Releases Brand-New ‘Ghostbusters’ Short Film Online

The trailer keeps its cards close to chest, though it does reveal a little bit about the new threat known as “Death Chill,” seemingly a horned beast that plunges New York City into a deadly winter (during the heart of summer).

Per Sony Pictures, here”s the official synopsis for the film:

In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who”ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

We also see Ghostbusters old and new teaming up to save the city.

Related: All the Main Villains in the ‘Ghostbusters’ Movies Ranked Worst to Best

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire sees the return of several characters: the Afterlife ensemble — Carrie Coon (Callie Spengler), Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), Phoebe Spengler (McKenna Grace), Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard), Lucky Domingo (Celeste O”Connor), and Podcast (Logan Kim), and several legacy characters from the original two films, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts), Walter Peck (William Atherton), Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray).

Franchise newcomers Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind also star in undisclosed roles. Oswalt, however, is named Hubert, according to the captions on the trailer. But many fans aren”t happy that The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) actor is in the film and have taken to X/Twitter to vent their frustrations.

Related: All 13 Ghostbuster Characters (Including a Guest of Honor!) Ranked Worst to Best

Either way, Frozen Empire isn”t the only upcoming Ghostbusters sequel. There may be “something strange in the neighborhood” again, but soon, something else will be “back in town.”

During the Ghostbusters Day celebrations last year, a number of upcoming projects were announced, including an animated series, an animated movie, Frozen Empire, and a comic book that would also follow the 2021 sequel.

Related: Returning ‘Ghostbusters’ Actor Slammed by Fans After Appearing in New Trailer

Since then, we”ve heard very little about the projects outside Frozen Empire. We know that the two animated projects are heading to Netflix; however, nothing was revealed about the comic book, except for some concept art revealed on this year”s Ghostbusters Day.

Now, almost 18 months after the announcement, Dark Horse Publishing has finally revealed the official title for the new comic book series.

Ghostbusters Series Title

Per Screen Rant, who shared the exclusive reveal, the comic book is titled Ghostbusters: Back in Town (2024), whose first of four issues releases in March, 2024.

A sneak peak was also revealed, which teases characters from Afterlife such as Gary Grooberson, Callie Spengler, Trevor Spengler, and Phoebe Spengler, who are played in the films by Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and McKenna Grace, respectively.

The title leaves nothing to the imagination, referring, of course, to the returning Afterlife characters in question. In the 2021 sequel, the franchise took a break from the Big Apple and set up shop in the fictional backwater town of Summerville in Oklahoma.

It”s nice to see that the franchise will be coming home in Frozen Empire, and Back in Town will act as a sort of connective tissue between both films.

Related: “Unforgivable”: “Ghostbusters” Star Slams “Afterlife” Director

Ghostbusters Series Synopsis

Back in Town bridges the gap between Afterlife and Frozen Empire by explaining why the Spengler family — Callie and her two children, Phoebe and Trevor — along with Gary Grooberson, relocate to New York City, where they can be seen as fully-fledged Ghostbusters in the trailer for Frozen Empire.

Per Dark Horse Comics, here”s the official synopsis for Back in Town:

A new generation of Ghostbusters is back in NYC!

An all-new ghostbusting adventure arrives March 2024 in the form of a new series from Dark Horse Comics: Ghostbusters: Back in Town! This new four-issue series bridges the gap between Ghostbusters: Afterlife and its upcoming sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

A year and a half after the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the Ghostbusters are officially back in business and headed to where it all began: New York City! Callie, Gary, Trevor, and Phoebe are moving into the Firehouse and ready to take on the Spengler family business…or are they?

Ghostbusting on top of changing family dynamics has a way of going awry––and that’s exactly what one paranormal force is counting on.

Per Dark Horse Comics, Afterlife director and Frozen Empire co-writer Jason Reitman said, “Our friends at Dark Horse have picked up the Spengler family and hand delivered them to Manhattan where they will begin their journey back into Ghostbusting! It has been a personal thrill to collaborate with this incredible group of artists and storytellers on new chapters in the proton jungle.”

Related: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Trailer Breakdown

Ghostbusters Series Characters

The synopsis reveals that Callie, Phoebe, Trevor, and Gary Grooberson are all “back in town.”  The cover art for the comic book series, as revealed by Dark Horse Comics, also shows Winston Zeddemore (played by Ernie Hudson in the films) standing outside the iconic Ghostbusters Firehouse in New York City.

This makes perfect sense considering we last saw Winston Zeddemore re-opening the Firehouse in Afterlife”s post-credits scene. Hudson also reprised his role opposite Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz) in the multiplayer video game Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (2022), which was recently made official canon with Afterlife and Frozen Empire.

As for other members of the Afterlife ensemble, such as Lucky Domingo and Podcast (played by Celeste O”Connor and Logan Kim, respectively), and legacy characters Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts), Walter Peck (William Atherton), Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), and Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), all of whom have returned for Frozen Empire, it remains to be seen.

None of these characters are mentioned in the official synopsis, nor do they appear in the cover art. It”s likely Back in Town will focus primarily on the Spengler family, who are the backbone for this new era of Ghostbusters movies.

Back in Town Trailer

Some comic books have been known to get trailers, however, there isn”t one for Back in Town — at least not yet.

Back in Town Canonicity

Ghostbusters: Back in Town is canon with the main film series. However, it”s not the first Ghostbusters comic book in the franchise.

Dark Horse Publishing takes over from IDW Publishing, who, until recently, held the rights to Ghostbusters comic books for over 10 years, creating a rich universe that featured main characters Peter Venkman, Winston Zeddemore, Egon Spengler, Ray Stantz, and Janine Melnitz, to name a few, as well as characters from installments within the expanded universe, such as Extreme Ghostbusters (1997), and even the widely hated 2016 movie reboot. However, the IDW comic books exist in their own continuity.

The comics have even seen the Ghostbusters team up with characters from other franchises, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

It seems Frozen Empire has taken some inspiration from Ghostbusters: International, one of the IDW run”s many storylines. Earlier this year, it filmed in London, which may suggests that there are Ghostbuster establishments being set up in other countries.

It has also been revealed that the upcoming sequel takes inspiration from the popular animated series The Real Ghostbusters (1986 — 1991). Nevertheless, the four main films (not including the 2016 reboot), along with the upcoming comic book, are “primary canon,” and are in no way connected to the two animated shows, the IDW Publishing comic books, or any of the several Ghostbusters video games, with the exception of Spirits Unleashed.

Back in Town Release Date

Ghostbusters: Back in Town #1 (of 4) releases on March 27, 2024. Frozen Empire releases on March 29, 2024.

There are no release dates for the animated series and animated movie currently in development at Sony Pictures and Netflix.

Will you be purchasing Ghostbusters: Back in Town? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!