Big news for “Ghostbusters” fans: the franchise is in development on an animated film, and the sequel to “Afterlife” is returning to the original films’ home of New York City.
Several announcements were delivered by Sony Pictures and Ghost Corps’ Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan as part of Ghostbusters Day, the annual celebration of the first “Ghostbusters” film’s release on June 8, 1984. The new animated film is based on “Ghosbusters” IP and being developed by Jason Reitman and Kenan along with Sony Pictures Animation. Chris Prynoski (executive producer, “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe”) and Jennifer Kluska (“Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”) are set to direct, with Brenda Hsueh (supervising producer, “Disjointed”) on board to write.
During the presentation, Jason Reitman and Kenan also confirmed that the sequel to 2021’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” will return to New York City and the iconic Firehouse setting of the original films.
Other news includes the unveiling of Ivan Reitman Way on the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City, a virtual reality training simulator called “Ghostbusters VR Academy” and a “Ghostbusters” comic series by Dark Horse that will bridge the gap between “Afterlife” and the upcoming sequel. Hasbro also revealed two Ivan Reitman figurines, one given to Ghost Corp to be displayed and the other donated to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles to be auctioned off at a charity event.
The announcements come after Variety exclusively revealed on Wednesday morning that a “Ghostbusters” animated series is in the works at Netflix, produced by Jason Reitman and Kenan.