All 9 'Ghostbusters' Installments Ranked, Including 'Frozen Empire'

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) didn’t exactly catch a fortune at the box office last year (although it did contribute $202M to the Ecto Containment Unit, pushing the film series past $1B globally), but, like it or not, it did further expand the long-running franchise.

It also spawned new waves of comic books with Dark Horse, and soon, an animated series and an animated film, both currently in production for Netflix. For now, here are all nine main installments in the Ghostbusters franchise, including all five films and beyond.

Answer the Call

It’s hardly original to say that Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016) stinks, but sadly, it’s true. Not only is Paul Feig’s reboot not that funny, it’s quite cringe-worthy at times and often feels like a bad Saturday Night Live skit. There are some positive takeaways, though: it’s harmless fun, the neon ghosts look cool, and the backstory between scientists/former besties Erin Gilbert (Kirsten Wiig) and Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) is interesting, if half-baked.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Though just one place above Answer the Call, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) is a solid movie. But Jason Reitman’s legacy threequel is far from perfect — it’s so obsessed with referencing the 1984 film, we’re surprised a river of “nostalgia slime” didn’t form beneath theaters. Nevertheless, McKenna Grace’s Phoebe — Egon’s granddaughter — is a wonderful addition to the franchise, and the series’ temporary relocation to Oklahoma just feels right.

Extreme Ghostbusters

The animated series Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) is often praised by fans, having become a cult classic over the decades. Tonally, it’s worlds apart from its predecessor The Real Ghostbusters (1986 — 1991), making the 1997 series far more geared towards adults than kids, which brings it more in line with the 1984 film. It’s dark, edgy, and, at times, often inappropriate, hence the “extreme.” And Kylie Griffin (Tara Strong) is just awesome.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Frozen Empire brings the series back to New York City where the Spengler family (Carrie Coon’s Callie, Finn Wolfhard’s Trevor, and McKenna Grace’s Phoebe), and Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), have taken residence in the Firehouse. But when a new icy threat emerges, they’re not alone. Frozen Empire is stupidly overpopulated, with a third act that feels slightly undercooked, but if it’s just straightforward Ghostbusting you’re after, you can’t go wrong.

The Real Ghostbusters

There’s a lot to be said about kids’ cartoon shows from the ’80s, and The Real Ghostbusters is no exception. Sure, some of it hasn’t aged particularly well, but like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 — 1996), it has mostly stood the test of time and guarantees hours upon hours of enjoyment. It’s fun, zany, atmospheric, and will have you wanting to dig out all those old Firehouse, Ecto-1, and Slimer Kenner toys from your childhood in no time.

“Ghostbusters: The Video Game”

“Ghostbusters: The Video Game” (2009) sees the return of Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz), and William Atherton (Walter Peck). As a new recruit, it’s so much fun to bust spooks like Stay-Puft with the OG crew. While no longer canon (thanks, Afterlife), it’s still viewed as the official “third movie” by many fans.

IDW Publishing Comic Book Series

Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IDW Comics crossover — Credit: IDW Publishing

It’s a tall order for even the most diehard fan to have every single comic book in the long-running IDW Publishing Ghostbusters series in their collection. But if you’re among the rare few, you’ll know that it is, without contest, the richest entry in the franchise. Crossovers-with-other-franchises aside, nothing has fleshed out this universe more than the IDW series. Great characters, storylines, mythology, villains, and more — get collecting!

Ghostbusters II

Boy, does Ghostbusters II (1989) have its fair share of haters. Sure, it’s a mostly inferior re-tread of the 1984 film, but which direct sequel isn’t? Possessed oil paintings, rivers of slime, Rick Moranis (Louis Tully), a sentient Statue of Liberty, and a chart-topping track by Bobby Brown, the 1989 sequel remains the most “Ghostbuster-y” film besides the original. Even if you still hate it, you have to admit that it’s a billion times better than Answer the Call.

Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbusters (1984) is a bona fide sci-fi comedy classic. Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler), and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore) are on top form as they take to the streets of NYC in their Ecto-1 to bust ghosts and save the day, while Annie Potts, Rick Moranis, and Sigourney Weaver also shine as Janine Melnitz, Louis Tully, and Dana Barrett, respectively.

Ivan Reitman’s film is a razor-sharp comedy, but it’s also genuinely frightening at times.

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