Fans Are Angry About Ghostbusters: Afterlife's Release Date Delay

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, so do adjustments to elements of everyday life, especially when it comes to the entertainment industry. With movie theaters currently closed as part of larger efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and things still uncertain regarding when they may reopen, Sony Pictures announced on Monday that they would be pushing release dates on some of their upcoming films. On that list? Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which saw its release date pushed from July 10 to March 5, 2021 and fans of the eagerly-anticipated continuation of the Ghostbusters franchise are not happy about it.

On Monday evening, Sony Pictures shifted much of its slate amid the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to Ghostbusters: Afterlife being moved, the Marvel Comics-inspired Morbius was shifted from July 31 to March 19, 2021, the Tom Holland-starring Uncharted from March 5, 2021 to October 8, 2021, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway from August 7 to January 15, 2021, and an Untitled Sony Marvel project that is now TBD after having previously been scheduled for October 8, 2021.

While fans of each of those films are processing these updates, Ghostbusters fans in particular had some strong reactions on social media. While there were some who took a pragmatic approach and expressed understanding for the delay and others simply felt that a little longer of a wait wasn't so bad, many others were genuinely upset -- especially as many other eagerly anticipated films have already been delayed because of the pandemic.

Directed by Jason Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife follows a family -- single mom Callie (Carrie Coon), gearhead son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and science-whiz daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) -- who relocate to the sleepy town of Summerville, Oklahoma, following the death of founding Ghostbuster Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis). When strange rumblings impacting the town are investigated by seismologist and schoolteacher Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd), Egon's descendants discover a connection to surviving former Ghostbusters Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray).

Read on to see how fans are reacting to Ghostbusters: Afterlife's release date delay.