New 'Ghostbusters 4' Image Confirms "Crossover" Plot That Will Likely Divide Fans

You won’t believe who’s been spotted on the set of Ghostbusters 4 (2023)!

Filming for the upcoming sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) continues in the city of London, where several stars from the film were recently spotted on set. Although production will eventually move to New York City, where the film will primarily take place.

We don’t know what role the UK capital will play, though, but it’s likely the film is taking a page out of the IDW Publishing comic book series “Ghostbusters: International”, in which several Ghostbusters headquarters are established in major cities around the world.

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

Recently, the film added British comedian James Acaster, Doctor Sleep (2019) star Emily Alyn Lynd, and Marvel stars Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswald to its cast, who will be joining the Afterlife ensemble, McKenna Grace (Phoebe), Logan Kim (Podcast), Celeste O’Connor (Lucky), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Carrie Coon (Callie), and Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson).

Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson will be reprising their roles as Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore, however, it is yet to be confirmed if Annie Potts, Bill Murray, and Sigourney Weaver will return as Janine Melnitz, Peter Venkman, and Dana Barrett, respectively.

Ghostbusters Afterlife character ensemble poster — Credit: Sony Pictures

It was also recently reported that some crew members had been experiencing “hauntings” on the London Underground, so the city is already serving its purpose where spooks, specters, and other supernatural entities are concerned! But we’re a lot more interested in the living beings recently spotted on the set of the new film.

Along with Paul Rudd and Ernie Hudson, actor William Atherton, best known for portraying Walter Peck in the original 1984 film, was also seen on the streets outside St. James’ Park Tube Station.

The group “Michigan Ghostbusters” shared the following pictures via Twitter, quoting the film’s working title Firehouse:

FIREHOUSE pix have dropped! Peck is BACK! Grooberson obviously wearing a flight suit!

FIREHOUSE pix have dropped! Peck is BACK! Grooberson obviously wearing a flight suit! pic.twitter.com/LNws5LuoMu

— Michigan Ghostbusters (@MI_Ghostbusters) April 21, 2023

Despite there being Terror Dogs, Stay Puft Marshmallow Men, and possessed oil paintings throughout the franchise, Walter Peck is a fan-favorite human villain whom fans have been waiting to see return to the franchise for 39 years.

In Ghostbusters (1984), Peck is an inspector working for the Environmental Protection Agency who locks horns with the Ghostbusters, and his interference leads him to inadvertently release all the ghosts from the Ecto-Containment Unit in their New York City firehouse.

Walter Peck (William Atherton) in Ghostbusters 1984 — Credit: Sony Pictures

What role Peck might have this time around remains to be seen, however, in the comics, he heads up the “Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission” office, meaning he’s in charge of the Ghostbusters, so it’s possible he’ll be taking on that role in the new film.

Recently, actor Kurt Fuller, who plays Peck’s human antagonist equivalent Jack Hardmeyer in Ghostbusters II (1989), said he’s “sitting by the phone” waiting for the filmmakers to ask him to reprise his role in the upcoming sequel.

Walter Peck (William Atherton) with Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) in Ghostbusters 1984 — Credit: Sony Pictures

Ghostbusters 4 is said to “continue the Spengler family story”, however, this time it will take place in New York City — “the home of Ghostbusters“. In other words, it will serve as a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife as well as a more “traditional” Ghostbusters outing.

So it sounds like the filmmakers are choosing to have their cake and eat it. Though the 2021 sequel relied heavily on nostalgia, it broke from tradition by leaving New York City behind, this time placing the characters in a spooky backwater town in Oklahoma.

Now, the franchise is boomeranging right back to the Big Apple, which feels like a safe choice for the sequel. As such, the film is already starting to feel like a “crossover” of sorts, in which the Afterlife characters will feel more like guests in their own sequel, which could divide fans hoping for a more direct follow-up.

(L to R) Celeste O'Conner (Lucky), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Logan Kim (Podcast), and McKenna Grace (Phoebe) in Ghostbusters Afterlife — Credit: Sony Pictures

“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).”

The Ecto-1 in Ghostbusters Afterlife — Credit: Sony Pictures

Ghostbusters 4 sees the return of Ghostbusters 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), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), and Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind in undisclosed roles.

The film will be released on December 20, 2023.

Finn Wolfhard as Trevor at the Shandor mines in Ghostbusters Afterlife — Credit: Sony Pictures

Who else do you think will be returning in the new Ghostbusters sequel? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!