Following the GHOSTBUSTERS reboot from 2016, it wasn’t entirely clear what the future would hold for the beloved franchise. But with the start of a brand-new decade, we are now once again getting a chance to revisit the world of proton packs, ectoplasm and reconfigured firehouses. One of the most anticipated big films of 2020 is GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, and while we still have more than a few months before it arrives, it’s never too early to start digging into the details!

So, what do we know so far about GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE? Keep reading.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Release Date

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE was expected to be one of the biggest hits during the summer, but Sony has announced that the new release date will be March 5, 2021. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trailer

It’s common practice for major movie studios to use the month of December to release trailers for their biggest blockbusters coming out in the next year, and GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE is a textbook example. Sony Pictures launched the first official look at the new film on December 2, 2019, and with it established not only the new group of central protagonists that the story will follow, but also the mystery at the center of the plot, and how everything will link back to the events featured in both GHOSTBUSTERS and GHOSTBUSTERS II.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Story

Rather than following a group of scientists who specialize in the paranormal, GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE is taking a different approach with its storytelling by following the troubles and tribulations of a single mother and her two children who are forced to move out of their home following an eviction. With nowhere else to go, the clan travels to Summerville, Oklahoma, where there is a farm that the mom inherited from her father. While there, the kids learn not only about a series of strange earthquakes that have been plaguing the town, but also the secret history of heroes in the 1980s who saved the world twice from strange invasions of evil forces in New York.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Director

There is a cute "hand off to the next generation" vibe that GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE is playing with, and it’s not limited to what fans will get to see play out on the big screen; it’s a part of the behind-the-scenes story as well. While director Ivan Reitman notably took the helm of the original two GHOSTBUSTERS movies, it's his son, Jason Reitman, who is directing the newest chapter in the franchise. It should be a very different kind of movie for the younger Reitman, who is much more at home making indie dramas like THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, JUNO, UP IN THE AIR and YOUNG ADULT. But there is hope that the brand being in his blood will work to the new film’s advantage.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Returning Stars

While the 2016 reboot was able to get a few of the original Ghostbusters to make cameos in new roles, GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE is bringing back just about every available key star from the first two movies in their original roles. The three biggest names in this department, obviously, are Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson, who are the surviving leads of the original duology. They will be reunited with Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz and Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife New Franchise Stars

We’re obviously very excited to see the characters we know and love return to the big screen in GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, but the fact of the matter is that the remaining cast members would have us excited for the film even if there weren’t any original stars returning. The central characters in this adventure — the aforementioned single mother and two kids — will be played by Carrie Coon (GONE GIRL, WIDOWS); Finn Wolfhard (IT, "Stranger Things"); and Mckenna Grace (ANNABELLE COMES HOME, CAPTAIN MARVEL). They are also joined by the excellent Paul Rudd, who will be playing teacher/OG Ghostbusters fan Mr. Grooberson and Bokeem Woodbine, who is playing a local sheriff named Domingo.