Images for Pixar-Inspired 'Ghostbusters' Animated Movie Revealed

Concept art for a Ghostbusters animated movie has been revealed!

Soon, several Ghostbusters projects will be emerging from the Ecto-Containment Unit at Sony Pictures. While the live-action sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) is scheduled for release this December, two other installments are making their way to Netflix.

One is a feature-length animated movie and the other is an animated series. With two cartoon shows, comic books, and numerous video games under its belt, Ghostbusters is no stranger to animation, however, the upcoming projects are expected to be CG-animated.

Extreme Ghostbusters line-up — Credit: Columbia TriStar Television Distribution / Bohbot Entertainment

During the Ghostbusters Day celebrations last year, the Ghostbusters animated series was described by Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 (2023) writer/director Gil Kenan and writer/producer Jason Reitman as “the next generation of Ghostbusters animated television” that will “reach into the future” of “an unexplored era and decade of Ghostbusters canon.”

“We’re going to create the next generation of Ghostbusters animated television,” Kenan announced, before Reitman said, “And just like the [upcoming] comic book, we’re going to be navigating an unexplored era and decade of Ghostbusters canon.”

The pair also said that there’s “so much to the story of Ghostbusters that has never been told in any medium, and that there are “entire decades that are critical to the [Ghostbusters] story that have never been on screen.”

Kenan added that the series will “tell the untold story of Ghostbusters while reaching into the future, with characters you’ve never met, going to places you’ve never been.”

Phoebe using the proton pack in Ghostbusters: Afterlife — Credit: Sony Pictures

The Ghostbusters animated movie is being directed by Jennifer Kluska and Chris Prynoski. During the event last year, Jason Reitman described the project as having “all new characters” while being “a whole new take on this [Ghostbusters] world.”

In an interview with The Wrap last year, Kluska gave some insight into the Ghostbusters animated movie, saying:

“It feels sort of very right and fitting to come back to Ghostbusters in an animated form. It feels like so many Ghostbusters fans come from that space as well. And that gives you this bigger, weirder stage to play upon. And I think we want to obviously do something very new and different, as we always do but we know that there are so many Ghostbusters fans who just are waiting to see this franchise animated again.”

The Real Ghostbusters — Credit: DIC Enterprises / Columbia Pictures Television

Now, for fans wondering what animation style to expect from these two projects, some concept art for what is believed to be an abandoned Ghostbusters animated movie has been revealed. Per Ghostbusters News, the artwork from artist Michael Kurinsky’s ArtStation page was recently shared in a tweet posted by @LostMediaBusters.

The concept art includes some very cartoonish CG designs of Ghostbusters Ray Stantz and Peter Venkman, who are played by Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray in the Ghostbusters films. A third picture shows four ghosts taking on the roles of Ghostbusters, in an otherworldly CG setting that looks very much like an underwater kingdom.

While it’s believed these images are from an abandoned project, it still might give us some insight as to what we can expect from the upcoming animated installments. If this concept art is anything to go by, fans can expect a Pixar-inspired Ghostbusters animated movie.

You can check out the images here.

Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz (L), Bill Murray as Peter Venkman (M), and Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore (R) saving the day in Ghostbusters: Afterlife — Credit: Sony Pictures

Though plot specifics are being kept under wraps, a Production Weekly listing (via Ghostbusters News) has revealed the current synopsis for Ghostbusters 4:

“After the events in Oklahoma, the Ghostbusters team returns to where it all started; New York City! The Spengler family story continues with a new group of Ghostbusters led by Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) and Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd).”

Ghostbusters Afterlife character ensemble poster — Credit: Sony Pictures

Ghostbusters 4 stars McKenna Grace (Phoebe), Logan Kim (Podcast), Celeste O’Connor (Lucky), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Carrie Coon (Callie), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz), Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), William Atherton (Walter Peck), Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), and Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind in undisclosed roles.

Ghostbusters 4 is slated for release on December 20, 2023. However, despite its target release date, actor Ernie Hudson recently confirmed that the film could be delayed until spring due to the ongoing WGA (Writers Guild of America) strike.

There are no release dates for the Ghostbusters animated movie and the series.

Are you excited about the Ghostbusters animated movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!