Credit: Marvel StudiosThe Marvel actor could be “inhuman” the next time we see him on the big screen…
It was recently confirmed that Marvel actors Kumail Ali Nanjiani and Patton Oswald, and British comedian James Acaster and Doctor Sleep (2019) star Emily Alyn Lind, will be appearing in the upcoming sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
While their roles are currently undisclosed, they’ll be appearing alongside the returning Ghostbusters: Afterlife ensemble McKenna Grace (Phoebe), Logan Kim (Podcast), Celeste O’Connor (Lucky), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Carrie Coon (Callie), and Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), while legacy Ghostbusters stars Annie Potts, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson will also be reprising their roles as Janine Melnitz, Ray Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore.
With Afterlife characters, legacy characters, and new ones in the mix together, the sequel is definitely shaping up to be an “ensemble” film.
Related: What Will ‘Ghostbusters 4’ Be About?
Not much is known about the film, though, other than that it will “follow the Spengler family storyline”, this time returning to the franchise’s New York City roots (although filming recently started in London, UK).
And like all the other newly added cast members, Kumail Ali Nanjiani’s identity remains under wraps. With that said, the Eternals (2021) actor recently shed some light on what we can expect from his role in the upcoming film.
In an interview with PopCulture, while being mostly elusive, Nanjiani did spill a couple of beans on his mysterious character, saying, “I can’t really say very much about [the character] except something about my appearance is different in it,” before adding that the film itself “really does move the world forward quite a bit.”
Exactly what the actor means by his appearance being “different” is unclear, but it’s entirely possible he’s ditching his Marvel superhero King to play another supernatural being of some kind. And in the Ghostbusters universe, that usually means one that’s inhuman — especially if he’s anything like Gozer the Gozerian!
Either way, it’s refreshing to hear that Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 (2023) moves “the world forward quite a bit”, as the 2021 sequel is, to some extent, stuck in the past, given how much it spends time trying to please fans with references to the original 1984 film, while utilizing already overused villains such as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
Last week, as part of the cast announcement, Nanjiani shared the following statement, speaking specifically about the script itself:
“Ghostbusters was my first favorite movie. I remember exactly how I felt the first time I watched it. Horror and comedy in one movie? This movie was made for me, and I watched it over and over. The script is unbelievably good. I can’t believe I get to be a part of this world.”
Related: The Fifth ‘Ghostbusters’ Movie Could Feature Characters From the 2016 Reboot
“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).”
Related: ‘Ghostbusters 4’ Could Wipe One of the Sequels From Canon
Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 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), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), and Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind in undisclosed roles.
Related: All Upcoming ‘Ghostbusters’ Movies, TV Shows, Comic Books and More
Who do you think Kumail Nanjiani will play in Ghostbusters 4? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!