FILM · 2021 · USA
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
27 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
27 Interesting Facts About Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Interesting Facts (23)
- #001
- #002
Although Bill Murray appeared in the video game Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009), he had been reluctant for decades to reprise the role of Peter Venkman. In an interview, he said he finally chose to return because "The script is good. It's got lots of emotion in it. It's got lots of family in it, and there are some really interesting lines. It's going to work."
- #003
Before officially starting the project, Jason Reitman showed his script to his father Ivan Reitman and to Harold Ramis's family to get their approval. They all approved, and Jason said in an interview that his father wept tears of joy when he saw the first cut of the film. Harold's daughter Violet Ramis also supported the film and Jason's approach to it. Her approval also sealed Egon's send-off at the end of the film.
- #004
- #005
To prepare for their roles, Carrie Coon and Mckenna Grace were asked to read Violet Ramis-Stiel's autobiography "Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis," since much of their characterization was inspired by the book. Jason Reitman noted that Ramis-Stiel was one of the key people who blessed the sequel's going ahead.
- #006
- #007
- #008
The exterior shots of the firehouse were filmed at Hook & Ladder 8 in the Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal Street) neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. After filming on Ghostbusters II (1989) ended, the firehouse kept half of the Ghostbusters II sign that hung outside. It was regularly displayed during holidays, especially Halloween. Eventually, in June 2021, it was moved permanently inside following a successful GoFundMe campaign by fans of the film who funded a full-scale replica of the Ghostbusters sign. That sign now hangs outside the firehouse year-round. The GoFundMe campaign is now an annual fundraising event for the firehouse, and a celebration is held there every year on Ghostbusters Day.
- #009
- #010
In response to this film, which seems to gloss over the events of Ghostbusters II (1989), Jason Reitman said the second film is still canon and that revisiting Vigo in a potential sequel is possible. Several references to Ghostbusters II can be found in the film, such as Ray still owning the Occult Book Shop and the haunted toaster found in Egon's kitchen.
- #011
- #012
- #013
- #014
The post-credits scene includes not only a brief conversation between Winston Zeddemore and Janine Melnitz (in which, among other things, she mentions that Ray Stantz paid for his occult book shop himself), but also the reopening of the long-abandoned Ghostbusters headquarters. The final shot shows the Containment Unit in the basement; the flickering red light reveals that the unit is still on, leaving the door open for a sequel.
- #015
- #016
Slavitza Jovan played Gozer in Ghostbusters (1984), but her voice was provided by Paddi Edwards. In this film Gozer is played by Emma Portner (as the spirit) and Olivia Wilde (as the physical body, though she is not credited in the titles), but her voice is provided by Shohreh Aghdashloo.
- #017
- #018
When Callie (possessed by Zuul) finally meets Grooberson (possessed by Vinz Clortho) by the mine, Grooberson sprawls seductively (and comically) on a rock with one shoulder left bare, mirroring how Dana (Zuul) is positioned when she finally unites with Louis (Vinz Clortho) in the original Ghostbusters (1984).
- #019
- #020
- #021
- #022
- #023
On the wall of photos of Callie growing up found in Egon's secret laboratory, there is a 1983 photo of Callie at 2-3 years old. This means Callie was born in 1980-81, in New York, well before the events of 1984. Since Egon never mentioned a relationship or a child, he kept a major secret from his partners and friends. This also curbs all theories that Janine is Callie's mother, because Janine had not yet met Egon or the other Ghostbusters.
Characters & Cast (2)
- #024
Egon, seen in the opening scene in quick, indistinct glimpses, was played by Bob Gunton, who also portrayed Egon during the climax, apart from a shot in which producer Ivan Reitman helps Phoebe secure her proton pack. After Egon's death, his likeness was aged and recreated for the finale to resemble Harold Ramis, using computer-generated imagery based on clips and photographs from the first two films; these images were then digitally mapped onto the faces of Gunton and Reitman. Special permission was obtained from Ramis's children to create the effect, and they called the finished scene "very satisfying." They could have made him like a jolly Santa Claus type, but that wouldn't have been right for this character. He was in great form, pleasant and stylish. My dad would have loved it.
- #025
At the 2019 Comic-Con in April 2019, shortly after it was announced he would appear in the film and a few months before shooting began, Finn Wolfhard revealed that he hadn't known he was auditioning for this film. Because the film was developed in secret, the audition sides were deliberately kept general and vague.
Easter Eggs & References (2)
Related pages
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire — Ghostbusters: Afterlife comes up in the facts on that page
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work