Ghostbusters: Afterlife Featurette Celebrates the Family Connections of the Sequel

To call Ghostbusters: Afterlife a family affair would be a bit of an understatement, as not only did the film’s narrative serve as a continuation through the legacy of characters from the first two Ghostbusters films, but Afterlife was also directed and co-written by Jason Reitman, whose father Ivan Reitman directed those original two movies. With the film set to debut on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 1st, an all-new featurette from that home video release explores what it meant for Jason to follow in his father’s footsteps, as well as highlighting original cast members reflecting on what it meant for them to reprise their roles. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is out now on Digital HD and hits 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 1st.

From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan.

When it comes to reviving beloved properties for a new generation, it can be a daunting task to find a way to honor the past while also allowing new adventures to move forward for younger audiences just discovering the concept. The 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters, for example, impressed a number of audiences, yet some were disappointed that its only connection to the previous films were cameos from original stars. By having the protagonists of this film be the family of Harold Ramis’ Egon Spengler, it ensured that there would always be connective tissue to the series’ roots.

Co-writer Gil Kenan previously detailed the balance of paying respects to the films that came before it while also igniting interest in a new generation.

“As ever, when you’re talking about a big film like that that has so many secrets up its sleeve, I’ve got to be extremely careful when talking about it,” Kenan told the Just The Facts with Alex Zane podcast. “But I will say, from what we’ve been able to put out there, the important thing is communicating what is earnestly at the center of all this: which is us as writers, as storytellers, Jason and I, keeping the flame lit.”

He added, “The flame that sparked for us — never mind the weight of proximity to the source of the Ghostbusters legend — for both of us as audience members, as pure audience members who were moved and were changed by seeing Ghostbusters. That lit a flame in both of us that we felt like we could keep lit for the people who, like us, shared it as young audience members and a new generation of audiences that could feel that same scope of thrills, terror, wonder, comedy, movie magic. So hopefully all of that stuff lives on in our film.”

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is out now on Digital HD and hits 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 1st.

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