The newly released trailer for Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, released Monday morning, is facing criticism from some Internet users over a resemblance to 1980s-set supernatural Netflix series Stranger Things. In Afterlife, the long-awaited third film and followup to Ivan Reitman’s 1984 Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel Ghostbusters II, the estranged family of a former Ghostbuster relocate to a small town in Oklahoma, where they soon discover supernatural happenings: single mom Callie (Carrie Coon), science-obsessed daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and gearhead son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) begin to suspect something strange in their neighborhood, spurring Phoebe and Trevor to act as part of a new generation of Ghostbusters.
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“The new Ghostbusters movie is gonna be a Stranger Things ripoff,” tweeted one person. Reads another tweet, “Just watched the new Stranger Things season trailer, and it’s called ‘Ghostbusters‘ for some reason.”
Just watched the new Stranger Things season trailer, and it’s called ‘Ghostbusters’ for some reason.
— Santa Darick (@DarickR) December 9, 2019
Both Stranger Things and Afterlife star Wolfhard as a small town teen forced to confront the paranormal. Wolfhard once admitted he believed his Stranger Things role would prevent him from starring in the new Ghostbusters, telling The Hollywood Reporter over the summer, “I was auditioning, and for that exact reason, I thought, ‘Jason Reitman is probably not even going to look at my tape because I’ve already done it in Stranger Things.’ I guess he just identified a lot with my tape, and it ended up working out for the best.”
Wolfhard played a “Ghostbuster” in Season 2 of the hit Netflix show when his character, Mike, donned a screen-accurate Ghostbusters uniform as part of a group Halloween costume.
“I’m really excited. It’s genuinely a really beautiful film, and I’m really excited for people to see it,” Wolfhard previously told Entertainment Tonight of Afterlife. “It’s really faithful [to the first two movies].”
Ghostbusters: Afterlife opens July 10, 2020.
Slide 1
The new Ghostbusters movie is gonna be a Stranger Things ripoff.
— Santacakes 🤶🎄 (@SaricakesTTV) December 9, 2019
Slide 2
maybe we shouldn’t be making any more ghostbusters movies, ever
— The Gordon Problem (@gordon1470) December 9, 2019
Slide 3
So it’s a Stranger Things ripoff and not a Ghostbusters movie? At least lady Ghostbusters tried to be a Ghostbusters movie. https://t.co/NKDVQxOJJd
— Grandville Castle Socialists of America (@conspiracystuf2) December 9, 2019
Slide 4
Two 30somethings at a random Starbucks: “what if they did like Stranger Things but it’s Ghostbusters. Get like Paul Rudd or something. Everyone likes him.”
— Dave Feeley (@dfeeley413) December 9, 2019
Jason Reitman one table over: *spits out coffee* https://t.co/zufGwdhsTy
Slide 5
I like Stranger Things, Paul Rudd & it is set in the original Ghostbusters’ universe so I’ll watch this… when it also lands on Netflix.
— Ian (@ian_yyc) December 9, 2019
Slide 6
Stranger Things + Ghostbusters is probably a smart play but the trailer def didn’t feel like Ghostbusters
— Rowdy Roddy Peeper (@el_chiclets) December 9, 2019
Slide 7
Totally thought this was going to be a ‘fan film’ when I clicked on it. I am IN for Stranger Things – Ghostbuster edition. https://t.co/0YI0Lra7o4
— Kyle Frost (@kylefrost) December 9, 2019
Slide 8
Hmmm, if it’s the Ghostbusters trailer you’re referring to, I just didn’t feel as excited as I was expecting. It didn’t feel like Ghostbusters at all – more like a Stranger Things/Super 8 type feeling… Still, there’s months to go yet with at least 1 more trailer to come!
— Sean Galloghly (@Klangster) December 9, 2019
It just felt like Stranger Things with a Ghostbusters skin. 😐
— 💀 Ilexys Crowe ☕️🔞 (@ilexyscrowe) December 9, 2019
Slide 9
The thing about turning Ghostbusters into Stranger Things is that Stranger Things was a new venture and not an attempt to give a dead franchise an, *ahem*, afterlife by making something completely different, sprinkling in references, and slapping a known logo on it. https://t.co/ihHlnctNvb
— David Wunderlich (@Year2) December 9, 2019
Slide 10
Are we honestly pretending the new Ghostbusters trailer isn’t Stranger Things with IP slapped on, starring Paul Rudd as Hopper?
— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) December 9, 2019
