For 27 years, Ghostbusters fans wondered if they’d ever see another film in the series ever again. The original 1984 classic Ghostbusters by director Ivan Reitman is a bona fide sci-fi comedy classic. While there are plenty of people who aren’t particularly fond of the 1989 sequel, Ghostbusters II, it still holds a special place in the hearts of many “Ghostheads.”
There were talks of a third film for years, with stories of scripts ending up in the fiery depths of production hell, and rumors that actor Bill Murray didn’t want to reprise his role as Peter Venkman. So, for a long time, the actor took the brunt of the blame for a third film never happening. But did he save us all from a fate worse than 2016’s Ghostbusters reboot?
Fortunately, in 2009, we got the excellent multiplayer video game “Ghostbusters: The Video Game,” which acted as an official threequel and saw the return of Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz), and Bill Murray (Peter Venkman) in a story directly linked to both previous films.
But, in 2015, Sony Pictures and director Paul Feig sent shockwaves through the fanbase when they announced that they were rebooting the 1984 film with an all-female cast. The following year, Melissa McCarthy’s Abby Yates, Kristen Wiig’s Erin Gilbert, Leslie Jones’ Patty Tolan, and Kate McKinnon’s Jillian Holtzmann became the new ghost-busting quartet.
However, the film was so poorly received by fans and critics and bombed hard at the global box office, that Sony reinstated the original Ghostbusters timeline. In 2021, the legacy sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife was released and grossed $204.3M worldwide. The film saw the return of several original characters while introducing new ones to the fold.
This year, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, a direct sequel to Afterlife, hit theaters. The fourth film in the main Ghostbusters series assembled even more legacy characters from the 1984 original, but it failed the capture the spirit of those early films. It also grossed less than its predecessor ($201.9M against a budget $25M higher) and received mixed to negative reviews from fans and critics.
We’ve already ranked the first four Ghostbusters films in the order of how good we think they are, but with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and “Ghostbusters: The Video Game” now in the mix, things are a bit more complicated. So, let’s take a different approach: of all the five entries (game included) that followed the 1984 film, which is the most “Ghostbuster-y”?
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
While Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) is easily the strongest installment since Ghostbusters (1984) — it’s fun, emotional, and well-intentioned. But with its self-serious, coming-of-age indie vibes, along with its jarring Oklahoma setting and the fact the original characters are relegated to nothing more than cameos, this is the least Ghostbuster-y-feeling entry.
Related: ‘Ghostbusters’ Cinematic Universe Will Include New Sequels, TV Shows, and More
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call
Yes, shock horror — Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016) is above Ghostbusters: Afterlife! That’s not to say that the 2016 reboot feels Ghostbuster-y from start to finish, but the opening sequence in Aldridge Manor feels a lot more like a Ghostbusters movie than than Afterlife‘s visually incoherent prologue involving Egon Spengler and an “astral” Terror Dog.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Despite being the worst entry of all four main films (in our opinion), Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) at least tries to do what it says on the tin. Sure, there’s not much in the way of actual ghost-busting, but the fact that many fans feel like it’s a live-action movie of the popular ’80s cartoon The Real Ghostbusters (1986–1991) can only be a good thing.
Related: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Confirms Non-Canon Installment Is Now Part of the Series
“Ghostbusters: The Video Game”
Next up is the third-person video game, “Ghostbusters: The Video Game,” which is often viewed as a film in its own right (there’s a brilliant three-hour-plus fan-edit on YouTube). The game captures the spirit of its two predecessors brilliantly, because it understands what made them so great. It isn’t about call-backs and characters — it’s about the way things feel.
Ghostbusters II
Regardless of what you think of Ghostbusters II (1989) as a film, there’s no denying that it feels like a Ghostbusters sequel. It has all the hallmarks of its predecessor, the same cast and crew, visual style, atmosphere, tone, humor, and all the sensibilities. So, needless to say, the 1989 sequel instantly wins as the most Ghostbuster-y film since the original one.
Related: ‘Ghostbusters’ TV Series Geared Towards Adults Explained
Ghostbusters (1984)
It feels weird even trying to justify why 1984’s Ghostbusters is at the top, so why bother? Ivan Reitman’s creepy comedy classic spawned an entire multi-media franchise that continues to endure. But, more importantly, the film itself is absolutely perfect. Its blend of ghouls and gags feels effortless, and the world it creates is both bonkers and grounded.
Which entry do you think feels the most Ghostbusters? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!