Credit: Sony PicturesIt’s a year until the sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) is released in theaters, and recently, actor Ernie Hudson has been talking quite a bit about the upcoming film, which has undoubtedly left many fans hoping that he’ll be reprising his role as Winston Zeddemore.
Hudson’s character has so far appeared in the original two Ghostbusters films and last year’s legacy sequel. He has also appeared in two Ghostbusters video games — Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009) and the brand-new Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (2022).
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Recently, Ernie Hudson seemed to confirm his involvement with Ghostbusters 4 (2023). He later shared his thoughts on what the script should entail, suggesting that the film should focus on the cause behind all the ghosts in the Ghostbusters universe.
Now, he has also said that he’s excited for the future of his character Winston Zeddemore, who is revealed to be a wealthy businessman in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, having made a fortune in finance since the Ghostbusters business died out some decades before.
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In his interview with AV Club, when asked if he’d want to bring Winston back in a “proper way” in future Ghostbusters movies, he said, “If ‘proper’ means being well paid, yes I do. I love Ghostbusters, I love Winston Zeddemore, and in the movie he’s a billionaire now so that makes me very excited.”
It remains to be seen whether or not Winston will return in Ghostbusters 4, though, but given Ghostbusters: Afterlife‘s post-credits scene, in which he reopens the firehouse in New York where he plans to breathe new life into the Ghostbusters business once again, this is highly likely.
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Ghostbusters: Afterlife relied heavily on nostalgia to impress, but having the original Ghostbuster actors return was something many fans expected. Having them all return for next year’s film too, though, might be a push, but at the very least, it would be great to see Winston back in the fold.
Either way, we’ve now seen him appear in Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II (1989), two Ghostbusters video games, and even the controversial reboot Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016). Surprisingly, he’s made more appearances in Ghostbusters than Bill Murray has as Dr. Peter Venkman!
As per the Ghostbusters/Sony Pictures website, here’s the synopsis for Ghostbusters: Afterlife:
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.
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Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars McKenna Grace (Phoebe), Logan Kim (Podcast), Celeste O’Connor (Lucky), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Carrie Coon (Callie), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz), Sigourney Weaver (Dana Barrett), Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), Olivia Wilde (Gozer the Gozerian), JK Simmons (Ivo Shandor), Bill Murray (Dr. Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Dr. Ray Stantz), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore).
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Ghostbusters 4 will be released on December 20, 2023.
The new multiplayer video game Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is out now, and VR game Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord (2023) is expected some time next year. There’s also a Ghostbusters animated series and a Ghostbusters animated movie in the works.
A new “Ghostbusters” comic book series is also expected in 2023.
Do you think Winston Zeddemore will be fully utilized in Ghostbusters 4? Let us know in the comments down below!