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Like Slimer shoving snacks in his ravenous maw, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” tries to cram way too many characters, storylines and iconic images into its two-hour runtime. 

Director Gil Kenan ’s film does a vaguely better job of balancing the old and the new than its predecessor, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” It finesses the fan service in a way that the 2021 reboot/legacyquel/whatever you want to call it did not, offering familiar images and bits of dialogue in breezier fashion while also moving these characters, and this story, in a slightly different direction. 

Kenan (“Monster House,” “ A Boy Called Christmas ”) takes over directing duties from Jason Reitman , son of the late, legendary  Ivan Reitman , director of the original 1984 “Ghostbusters” and to whom this film is dedicated. Kenan and Reitman once again co-wrote the script. There are more laughs to be had here, mostly thanks to Paul Rudd and Patton Oswalt showing up and being their reliably likable selves. But this new series of “Ghostbusters” movies continues to stray far from the scrappy, anarchic vibe of the series’ origins, instead offering weightier emotional stakes and a misplaced reverence for franchise lore.  

The remaining stars of the 1984 megahit return in hopes of reminding us of what we loved about that movie as kids. Bill Murray  saunters in and makes a few blasé quips as Venkman. Dan Aykroyd spews rapid-fire scientific jargon as Stantz.  Ernie Hudson is the voice of reason as Zeddemore, who has established his own high-tech paranormal investigation lab. And it’s a pleasure to see Annie Potts  come back as the sweetly sarcastic Janine. Those beloved figures from 40 years ago must share the screen with the descendants of Spengler:  Carrie Coon ’s Callie, her science-whiz daughter, Phoebe ( Mckenna Grace ), and her perpetually annoyed son, Trevor ( Finn Wolfhard , who barely gets anything to do). Thankfully, “Frozen Empire” refrains from trotting out Hologram Harold Ramis again in the name of shameless tearjerking. 

Rudd, whom we previously saw as Oklahoma science teacher Gary Grooberson, has now joined the Spengler family in New York City as fellow Ghostbuster/stepfather figure. They’ve taken over the historic firehouse and are now zooming around in the old Ecto-1, chasing spectral creatures with the new, high-tech gear Phoebe has crafted. The opening chase scene is admittedly a lot of fun, offering genuine thrills as well as sufficiently snappy banter. But the rest of the movie never matches that level of energy or enjoyment. 

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” gets bogged down in the mythology of an ancient, evil monster, who’s accidentally freed from the metal orb in which it had been imprisoned. (The visual effects in depicting him are substantial, making him a legitimately fearsome figure.) The threat of a permanent ice age in which decades of captured ghosts would burst free and wreak havoc upon Manhattan (and parts of Queens) looms large. But the logic of how all this destruction might occur, and what Kumail Nanjiani ’s character could possibly do to stop it, remains needlessly complicated. It’s also the least compelling element of “Frozen Empire,” but it does provide the opportunity for a welcome cameo from Oswalt as an ancient language expert at the New York Public Library. He’s a breath of fresh air in this often-self-serious setting, so much so that you’ll wish they’d build a whole “Ghostbusters” movie around him. Meanwhile, Coon—one of the most deeply talented and versatile actresses working today—is woefully underused once again as the no-nonsense mom trying to hold it all together. 

Instead, much of the movie follows a heavier route with Phoebe, who’s prohibited from busting ghosts because she’s only 15, despite being the most brilliant and resourceful of them all. Lonely and bored, she wanders into Washington Square Park to play chess by herself one night; there, she strikes up an unexpected friendship with a teenage ghost named Melody ( Emily Alyn Lind ), who died in a fire but is stuck in a purgatory that prevents her from joining the rest of her family. The two share a crackling chemistry, if you’ll pardon the pun, and possibly more. There’s an obvious flirtation between these characters, but the film doesn’t have the courage of its convictions to allow an actual romance to blossom between them. 

“Frozen Empire” seems more interested in the wacky antics of the miniature Stay-Puft Marshmallow Men, who are even more Minion-like than ever this time, and in celebrating the cultural phenomenon of the “Ghostbusters” franchise as a whole. Once again, this is a movie that repeatedly acknowledges that the Ray Parker Jr. theme song was a massive radio and MTV hit 40 years ago, even going so far as to include a bit of the original music video. But we’d all be better off singing a different tune at this point. 

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film credits.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Rated PG-13

115 minutes

Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson

Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler

Finn Wolfhard as Trevor Spengler

Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler

Kumail Nanjiani

Patton Oswalt as Hubert

Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore

Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz

Celeste O'Connor as Lucky Domingo

Logan Kim as Podcast

Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz

Bill Murray as Peter Venkman

William Atherton as Walter Peck

James Acaster as Lars Pinfield

Emily Alyn Lind

• Jason Reitman

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‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Review: Something Weird, Multiplied

This overstuffed entry in the franchise is an eclectic, enjoyable barrage of nonsense.

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By Amy Nicholson

How many spirits can “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” fit in a firehouse? This overstuffed, erratically funny entry in the 40-year franchise crams in four main characters from the original 1984 blockbuster, six characters from the 2021 Oklahoma-set spinoff, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” and introduces three new occultists along with an assortment of ghosts, poltergeists, horned phantoms and miniature marshmallow men. At one point, a dozen or so heroes amass at the old Ghostbusters headquarters in Manhattan to protect a storage trap of ghouls that has, like the movie itself, gotten perilously sardined.

In the scenes where the director, Gil Kenan, who wrote the script with Jason Reitman, ponders what it might feel like to let the dead dematerialize for good, the film seems to be asking its fan base if it’s ready to release Bill Murray’s weary parapsychologist, Peter Venkman, from haunting the series when his soul clearly isn’t in it.

“Afterlife” introduced the estranged daughter of Harold Ramis’s Egon Spengler, a single mother named Callie (Carrie Coon), and her teenage children, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard). After the death of their paterfamilias, the family fended off his killer, the Sumerian deity Gozer, with a helpful boost from a high school physics teacher named Gary (Paul Rudd); two young pals, Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) and Podcast (Logan Kim) — yes, Podcast; and the first generation of Ghostbusters, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), Dr. Venkman (Murray) and the sassy secretary, Janine (Annie Potts).

Now, the Oklahomies (even the unrelated children!) have relocated to Manhattan to speed around town harpooning wild ghosts from the Ectomobile, that beloved vintage hearse. In New York, the posse meets an ancient languages expert (Patton Oswalt), a paranormal engineer (James Acaster, a kooky English comic making his big-screen Hollywood debut) and an in-over-his-head huckster (Kumail Nanjiani) who inherits a nasty little spherical cryptogram with a very bad thing locked inside that’s yearning to unleash a fatal attack of the shivers — a neat idea that, in execution, just looks like a Roland Emmerich disaster movie.

My fingers have taken to their death bed simply typing out the basics. Yet, “Frozen Empire” is an eclectic, enjoyable barrage of nonsense — a circus act that kicks off with a Robert Frost poem and climaxes with Ray Parker Jr.’s titular synth banger. Each scene gets laughs. Strung together, they sputter along with the fragmentary logic of a dream: Characters vanish at key moments and then reappear unexpectedly covered in goo. A demon goes to a vape shop. Once, I could swear the fire station’s brass pole was smelted down. A few beats later it was back in place.

And the subplots are so gauzy and intangible that you’re not sure if they’re real. Is Phoebe, lonely and 15, trying to connect romantically with a pretty blond ghost (Emily Alyn Lind)? Are Callie and Gary actually dating or was that a buddy-buddy fist bump about the time they hooked up as demon dogs? Is 18-year-old Trevor’s entire story arc just that he wants to drive the Ectomobile?

Grace, as Dr. Spengler’s geeky granddaughter, bears much of the mechanics. She can really act, and her Phoebe is quirky and cerebral with an intriguing tickle of goth. You can see hints that the series would be game to have her shoulder the whole thing in a kiddie comedy spin on the “Conjuring” franchise, with Phoebe poking into fresh ghost stories while exploring her own attraction to the Great Beyond.

Perhaps that might have happened if the franchise hadn’t been scarred by the internet flame wars over the 2016 all-female reboot (which does not exist in this timeline). But the film seems spooked to stray from its touchstones: the particle streams, the New York Public Library, Slimer and Murray rattling their chains. At least it reworks them in ways that make us chuckle, like when tiny maggoty versions of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man torture each other with cigarette lighters, or when Paul Rudd recites the Ghostbusters theme song with utter sincerity, as if he were convincing his therapist that busting does make him feel good.

Kenan and Reitman seem to accept that the core audience is over 30. No one younger would giggle as hard as I did at a Discman possessed by an evil Spin Doctors CD. Yet, the nostalgia works best when it captures the rude tone — not the totems — of classic 1980s comedies. The family has an incuriosity about one another’s lives that feels refreshing, a throwback to a time when parents could quip about their kids getting tattoos. And Kenan deftly modulates the tension, toggling between screeching bombast and an eerie hush.

It’s all pleasant enough in a warm-bath-of-ectoplasm kind of way that by the time things wound around to the familiar sight of the Ghostbusters engulfed in a throng of cheering civilians, I felt a flush of futility that I’d bothered to question any of the confusion that herded us toward the inevitable. At risk of provoking Benjamin Franklin’s ghost, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and proton packs.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Rated PG-13 for language, suggestive references and Ghostbuster-on-ghost violence. Running time: 2 hours 5 minutes. In theaters.

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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire review – funny, silly, and a little scary, the franchise finally returns to fun

After the gloopy nostalgia of ‘ghostbusters: afterlife’, there was nowhere to go but back to work chasing demons. thank heavens for that, article bookmarked.

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In 2021, the frightfully cynical Ghostbusters : Afterlife reduced one the greatest comedies ever made to a solemn parade of nostalgic artefacts, with moody shots of the famous proton packs and decked-out hearse. It also committed a particularly egregious act of digital necromancy, forcing the CGI-assisted return of the late Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler. Thankfully, there’s a limited resource of reverential nostalgia to be squeezed out of the franchise. Afterlife ’s sequel, Frozen Empire , has – potentially against its will – been forced to actually put the Ghostbusters to work.

Granted, there are multiple, quite annoying cameos and nods to the original 1984 film in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire . Slimer, the trash-addicted ghoul, returns. There are more Baby Stay Puft Marshmallow Men who, much to the franchise’s dismay, did not successfully kill Baby Yoda in his sleep by toppling his domination of the cute film-mascot market. The film, without reason, opens with a Robert Frost quote, which triggers immediate concerns that this will be yet another tribute to the mourned childhoods of the men who went Defcon 1 when they let women be funny in the 2016 Ghostbusters .

But, be assured, Frozen Empire is a notable improvement on Afterlife – funny, silly, and a little scary, with its pockets full of hand-built doodahs and the occasional excursion into the realm of pseudo-mythology and parapsychology. You know, like the original Ghostbusters . At some point in the process, director Gil Kenan and co-writer Jason Reitman (son of the late Ivan Reitman, who directed the original), seem to have remembered that Ghostbusters was Dan Aykroyd’s baby, born out of a lifelong interest in the paranormal.

And so, Frozen Empire picks up the best character from the previous film, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), a sort of mini-me of her granddad and OG Ghostbuster Spengler, and teams her up with Aykroyd’s Ray Stantz. He’s in semi-retirement, spending his days now hoarding other people’s psychically charged trinkets.

Phoebe and her family – mother Callie (Carrie Coon), stepdad Gary (Paul Rudd), and brother Trevor ( Finn Wolfhard ) – have relocated to New York City, allowing Ghostbusters to once again be a quintessentially New York story about poor bureaucracy and pest control. They’ve taken over the old firehouse headquarters in order to run the Ghostbusters operation anew, with the help, of course, of original characters Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) and Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts).

When an ancient relic housing a pre-Sumerian death god surfaces, Bill Murray is dragged back into the fold to clock his required screen time as Peter Venkman (and not a second more). Hudson and Potts certainly aren’t short-changed, but it’s really Aykroyd’s moment here. When Ray tells Winston, “This is how I want to spend my golden years, this is what I love,” it’s as if both actor and character are speaking as one. It’s a performance so rooted in the joy of being back in the world he created and loves, that it knocks the entire affair back into orbit a little.

Frozen Empire has some nice visual flourishes. At one point, a decapitated hand cranks a gramophone. The film’s supporting cast includes comedians Kumail Nanjiani , Patton Oswalt , and James Acaster (the latter unfortunately wasted in a character who exists purely to explain how things work, when he’s exactly the kind of brilliantly erratic talent who should be leading the whole thing). It’s a little bloated, too, with a somewhat queerbaiting, spectral love interest who throws up unnecessary ethical questions about the Ghostbusters’ practices. But, here, at least, we’re firmly on the way to a Ghostbusters film that actually feels like a Ghostbusters film.

Dir: Gil Kenan. Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts. 12A, 115 minutes.

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is in cinemas from 22 March

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‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Review: A Bigger, Rowdier and (Slightly) Funnier Fan-Service Grab Bag Than ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’

The series is back in New York City, full of spirits the movie treats with a mostly straight face.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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“Ghostbusters,” released 40 years ago this summer, was a hash of ectoplasmic silliness, gizmo gadgetry, pulsating light-show apocalypse, and Bill Murray’s nattering meta commentary on it all, which added up to a comedy whose theme, very much of the Reagan ’80s, was: The world may be about to end, but it could hardly matter less. You’d think it might matter even less in “Frozen Empire,” yet somehow the “Ghostbusters” films have evolved into (mostly) straight-faced paranormal adventures, with just enough screen time from the original actors — Dan Aykroyd has a meaty role here, and gives it a little soul — to root the nostalgia.

There’s the Orb of Garraka, an ancient metal sphere comprised of glyph letters that sometimes fall apart, like the tops of old typewriter keys, releasing assorted spirits. There’s a very human-looking ghost, played by the winsome blonde Emily Alyn Lind, who connects with Phoebe during a nighttime chess game in Washington Square Park. For a while, the two look like they’re on their way to becoming friends (or maybe more), until it’s revealed that the ghost has another agenda. And there is Garraka himself, a 20-foot-tall emaciated ash-gray devil-mummy spirit with elongated ram horns, who has the power to kill almost anything by freezing it to death. So powerful is his ice magic that it freezes even the voltage squiggles from the proton packs, and turns Manhattan into a deathly ice palace.  

Did I mention that the “Ghostbusters” series has mostly put the jokes in cold storage?

Three years ago, Jason Reitman rebooted his dad’s franchise, and the result was a movie for anyone who thought that the most entertaining part of the original “Ghostbusters” was…the science! Not Bill Murray’s tossed-off absurdist japes, not the Godzilla-size Stay Puft Marshallow Man, but all the tech-geek jibber-jabber. “Afterlife” repositioned the “Ghostbusters” brand as actual nerd sci-fi. “Science is reckless,” said Phoebe. “Totally!” replied Gary. “It’s punk rock! It’s a safety pin through the nipple of academia!” The movie was so enthralled by its fake science that Jason Reitman seemed to have all but forgotten that the original “Ghostbusters” became a classic because it was, you know, funny .

And yet the strategy “worked,” at least at the box office. Conceived as the world’s most generic ’80s absent-father Spielberg movie, “Afterlife” was like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” if the aliens had never shown up, crossed with a stilted version of “The Goonies,” all given the wonder-years patina of “Stranger Things.” But the conversion of the “Ghostbusters” franchise into a balsa-wood gimcrack kiddie product, jam-packed with Easter eggs and backstory (all the gobbledygook about Gozer and the gatekeeper and the keymaster and the beliefs of the Samaritans), added up to nothing so much as a spinoff trivia game, a movie that was more fan service than movie.

The fans, however (including a new generation of them), were fine with it. They seemed to be saying, “As long as our heroes get to put on those khaki pest-control Ghostbusters suits and shoot rainbow lightning out of their Ghostbusters proton packs, and as long as it all ends with Ray Parker Jr. singing the ‘Ghostbusters’ theme…we’re good!”

And there’s one actor here who’s allowed to bring the funny. Kumail Nanjiani plays Nadeem, a slacker who tries to make $50 by selling his late grandmother’s artifacts in Ray Stantz’s shop, only to learn that he’s woven into their magic; he’s actually…the Firemaster. Nanjiani is so nonchalant about this that he becomes the movie’s spark plug, and in doing so I think he points the way toward where this franchise should go. “Ghostbusters II” was a mild and flavorless sequel. The 2016 reboot, while unfairly bashed for its gender flip, was too polite — it lacked the postmodern center of gravity provided, in the original film, by Murray’s malarkey. “Afterlife,” to me, just sat there. “Frozen Empire” has enough going on in it to connect, but now that Jason Reitman and company have brought this series back to life, it’s time to re-infuse it with the spirit that Kumail Nanjiani brings. In a “Ghostbusters” film, the laughter should be more than just a ghost of itself.

Reviewed at Regal Union Square, March 19, 2024. MPA rating: PG-13. Running time: 115 MIN.

• Production: A Sony Pictures Releasing release of a Columbia Pictures, Ghost Corps, BRON Studios, Right of Way Films production. Producers: Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Jason Blumenfeld. Executive producers: Dan Aykroyd, Amie Karp, Gil Kenan, Erica Mills, JoAnn Perritano, Eric Reich.
• Crew: Director: Gil Kenan. Screenplay: Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan. Camera: Eric Steelberg. Editors: Nathan Orloff, Shane Reid. Music: Dario Marianelli.
• With: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, William Atherton, James Acaster.

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Ghostbusters: frozen empire, common sense media reviewers.

Ghoulish reboot sequel has lots going on; language, scares.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Themes of family and finding a place of belonging,

Teenage quantum physicist Phoebe is extremely smar

The Spengler family is White, as are several other

Creepy, scary monsters and ghosts, especially the

Teen talks about a "nipple" painting that shows ar

Language includes: "ass," "a--hole," "crap," "damn

Cheetos are featured prominently (and is connected

Scene inside a smoke and vape shop. Adult makes a

Parents need to know that Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the sequel to 2021's hit reboot. It brings together Ghostbusters new and old (even Bill Murray!) to fight an icy supernatural baddie. Some of the frights here are creepier and ickier than in previous iterations, including a scary, glowing-eyed ghoul who…

Positive Messages

Themes of family and finding a place of belonging, as well as teamwork, curiosity, and perseverance. Face down the thing that scares you. You have the skillset to solve the problems at hand. It's important to have honest communication and not let frustration and resentment fester. Retirement doesn't have to mean that the exciting part of life is over.

Positive Role Models

Teenage quantum physicist Phoebe is extremely smart, curious, fearless, and capable -- though she also makes some iffy decisions when she feels misunderstood and left out. Gary is eager to be part of the Spengler family and tries hard to connect with Phoebe. All of the Ghostbusters and their team members are bright, motivated paranormal scientists and engineers who work together to defeat evil (though they often take risks and defy misguided authority to do so). Despite trying to dodge all responsibility, Nadeem steps up when he needs to.

Diverse Representations

The Spengler family is White, as are several other key characters, including original Ghostbusters Ray, Venkman, and Janine. But, even more than in the previous film, this movie focuses on a female character: McKenna Grace's Phoebe is a smart, brave 15-year-old with a genius-level grasp of physics, mechanics, and science who's also emotionally complex. Supporting characters include Lucky (Black actor Celeste O'Connor), a female teen engineering intern, and Podcast (Korean American actor Logan Kim), a teen male broadcaster. The original Ghostbusters, now in their 70s, are still an active part of the story and are game to help save New York City. Winston (Black actor Ernie Hudson), now a wealthy, powerful CEO, has a more prominent role here than in any of the 1980s Ghostbusters movies. Indian-American actor Kumail Nanjiani has an important supporting role. New York City residents are racially diverse. Two teen girls have a spiritual connection, but it's never labeled.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Creepy, scary monsters and ghosts, especially the central evil spirit/god, Garraka. Frequent peril and danger to main characters, including teens. Jump-scares. Several humans are frozen; some shatter into pieces, dead. A limb continues operating after separated from its body. Dangerous driving and lots of property damage; explosions, ice spikes. Proton pack weapons are wielded frequently. A teenage ghost talks about dying in a fire. An animated stone lion threatens humans. Tiny (and adorable) Stay-Puft marshmallow men are violent to themselves and each other -- they put their arms through a grinder, melt their faces with a lighter, squash themselves, etc. -- but since they're marshmallows, they bounce back. Projectile vomiting from unrealistic fantasy creatures. Lots of goopy ectoplasm. Arguments/yelling.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Teen talks about a "nipple" painting that shows art with an exposed breast. A room with chains and devices hanging on the walls is repeatedly referred to as a "sex dungeon" by teens. A couple fistbumps each other when mentioning how they "got some action." Mildly suggestive jokes. Brief reference to a "hooker." Horned villain is described as "tall, dark, and horny."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes: "ass," "a--hole," "crap," "damn," "hell," "s--t," "shut up," "son of a bitch," "demented," "Jeez," "sucks," "stupid," "moron," and "testicle." There's a joking reference to a famous historical figure using "the F-word."

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Products & Purchases

Cheetos are featured prominently (and is connected to a merchandising deal). Dunkin' Donuts also seen extensively, with logo visible. Ivan Reitman's early film Cannibal Girls is shown/name-dropped, but that's more of an Easter egg for franchise fans than a product promotion.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Scene inside a smoke and vape shop. Adult makes a positive, funny comment while taking a swig from a bottle of alcohol. Reference to people drinking a bottle of beaujolais wine.

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the sequel to 2021's hit reboot . It brings together Ghostbusters new and old (even Bill Murray !) to fight an icy supernatural baddie. Some of the frights here are creepier and ickier than in previous iterations, including a scary, glowing-eyed ghoul who can freeze and shatter humans, a true "phantom limb," suicidal mini Stay-Puft marshmallow men, and an adorable spook that projectile vomits. Characters are frequently in peril, proton pack weapons are used, and there's property damage galore (plus jump-scares). Expect a few suggestive jokes, including older teens repeatedly referring to a secret room as a "sex dungeon." Language includes "a--hole," "son of a bitch," "s--t," "Jeez," "damn," and one reference to "the F-word." One scene is set inside a smoke and vape shop, and an adult takes a swig from a bottle of alcohol. Amid all the ghostly mayhem are clear messages about family, belonging, teamwork, curiosity, and perseverance. And the target audience of older tweens and teens is likely to enjoy the movie's focus on 15-year-old Phoebe ( Mckenna Grace ) and the other smart, capable teen characters. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Based on 17 parent reviews

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If your kids saw ghostbusters (1984) then your good for this one..

when trying to decide if your kid can see this movie. I would first ask has you kids seen any of the other ghostbuster films because this is the exact same level of scary and bad words and sex comments as all the others . actually on the sex catergory it’s actually less than 1984s by a lot. the word shit is used a few times and the big bad in this will frighten some children as expected. it’s way more laughs than scares in this , however there are a few jump scares.

What's the Story?

In GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, the Spengler family -- mom Callie ( Carrie Coon ), her partner Greg ( Paul Rudd ), and her kids Trevor ( Finn Wolfhard ) and Phoebe ( Mckenna Grace ) -- have taken over the original Ghostbusters' firehouse and specter-capture-and-containment operation in New York City. When veteran Ghostbuster Ray ( Dan Aykroyd ) comes into possession of an ancient artifact containing a mysterious sinister force, things get real cold real fast, and Ghostbusters new and old will need to work together to once again save the city. (Which is especially fitting since this film's theatrical release coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Ghostbusters franchise .) Meanwhile, Phoebe befriends an angsty teen ghost ( Emily Alyn Lind ), Trevor is trying to get Callie to treat him like a grown-up, their friends Lucky ( Celeste O'Connor ) and Podcast (Logan Kim) are putting a new spectral research facility to use, and Greg is working on figuring out his parental boundaries.

Is It Any Good?

Fans will likely cheer -- and maybe gasp -- but the fifth film in this enduring franchise is a little too "deja boo." Fittingly, given that the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is timed with the 40th anniversary of the original movie , it brings back all that's most loved (and not problematic) from the pop cultural phenomenon -- including the framework. Gozer was already reused in Ghostbusters: Afterlife , but this movie's icy new demon -- Garraka -- steps in to do exactly the same thing: Open a portal to another dimension and thus destroy New York City, unless the Fire Master can control him.

The beats are similar, but perhaps a familiar ghost story is necessary to balance the movie's many human stories that need acknowledgment. There are the four members of the Spengler family, the four OG Ghostbusters, Afterlife's two additional teen Busters, and three significant new characters played by Kumail Nanjiani , Patton Oswalt , and Lind. It's fun, but it's also as chaotic as a swarm of unleashed spirits buzzing the Empire State Building. And while the central story focuses on Phoebe, who's feeling frustrated and unattended after the city says she's too young to work as a ghostbuster, we don't get quite enough emotional insight into her character to understand some of her more questionable actions. Given the heart-swelling warmth of Afterlife, it's all the more disappointing that Frozen Empire sometimes feels hollow and cold. For the first film made without the late Ivan Reitman , Jason Reitman , and Gil Kenan succeed in continuing the franchise as a big screen specter-cle -- and longtime fans will definitely enjoy the steady stream of cameos -- but don't expect this one to haunt you.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about why the Ghostbusters franchise has endured. How do the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire filmmakers reward fans of the original while introducing a new story for a new generation? Kids: How would you reimagine your favorite movie for a different/new audience?

Compare the ghosts and monsters in the 1984 Ghostbusters to those in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire . Do you think they're scarier now? If so, why?

How do the characters demonstrate courage , perseverance , and teamwork ? Why are these important character strengths?

Are ghostbusting and scientific research a passion or a purpose for Phoebe, Greg, and Ray? What's the difference? What pursuit do you enjoy, even if you don't get paid for doing it?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 22, 2024
• On DVD or streaming : May 7, 2024
• Cast : McKenna Grace , Paul Rudd , Finn Wolfhard , Carrie Coon , Kumail Nanjiani , Dan Aykroyd , Ernie Hudson , Bill Murray
• Director : Gil Kenan
• Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African directors, Female actors, Indian/South Asian actors, Black actors
• Studio : Sony Pictures Releasing
• Genre : Comedy
• Topics : Brothers and Sisters , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
• Character Strengths : Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 115 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references
• Last updated : May 15, 2024

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‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is a shade of the original

The spirits are willing but the script is weak in this effective but formulaic sequel

Whatever element of surprise there once was in the Ghostbusters franchise has long been exorcised, but that’s okay: Hollywood assumes audiences don’t want to be surprised anymore, and it’s probably right. The 2016 all-female “ Ghostbusters ” wasn’t half bad but got caught in the culture war’s crossfire, whereas the 2021 reboot “ Ghostbusters: Afterlife ” played like a mashup of the original 1984 film and TV’s “Stranger Things,” and it did well enough to spawn a sequel: “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” The new film is professionally made, well-acted, entertaining enough, and possessed of no earthly reason to exist aside from the care and feeding of intellectual property.

It could be worse. Under Gil Kenan’s workmanlike direction — the screenplay is by him and Jason Reitman, son of the first film’s director, Ivan Reitman, who died in 2022 and to whom “Frozen Empire” is dedicated — the family from “Afterlife” is reassembled in New York City, in the refurbished firehouse where it all started. Mom Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon), her sardonic son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard of “Stranger Things”), brainiac daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and mom’s boyfriend Gary (Paul Rudd) are carrying on the ghostbusting mission of Grandpa Egon (the late Harold Ramis), bankrolled by original fourth Ghostbuster Winston (Ernie Hudson), now a besuited Manhattan tech entrepreneur.

Where are the other two of the famous crew? Ray (Dan Aykroyd) is running a paranormal notions shop when he is visited by the shifty Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani), who’s unloading his grandmother’s effects, among which is a mysterious metal orb glowing with demonic energy. Aykroyd seems delighted to be here, and I guess we shouldn’t mind paying for an aging comedian’s version of Social Security — let’s call it a pop-culture pension. That’s more than can be said for Bill Murray as Peter Venkman. Murray shows up in two scenes, punches the clock, gets his laughs, picks up his check and goes home.

Which points at what’s changed in 40 years. Murray carried the original “Ghostbusters” on the strength of his unflappable sarcasm, turning a pretty good special-effects horror comedy into a classic of breezy, gritty New York City wit. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” is less a horror comedy and more a reasonably successful pastiche of things that have worked before, and not necessarily in this series alone. The icy eldritch god who serves as the main villain is a rehash of every CGI monster from the last 20 years. The miniature army of Stay-Puft Marshmallow men are this movie’s Minions, and, honestly, by the internal logic of the Ghostbusters universe, they shouldn’t even be here. Wasn’t the first movie’s giant version a projection of Ray’s imagination and not an actual spectral embodiment? Or am I taking all of this way too seriously?

Really, it could be worse, and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” serves as an effective, forgettable family night at the movies or in-flight time waster. Nanjiani gets the most dependable laughs as a deadpan goofball with an unsuspected gift, and it’s nice to see Patton Oswalt as an expert in ancient languages down in the bowels of the New York Public Library, whose famous lions get a ghostly goosing. Fans of the first movie will be happy to see the return of Annie Potts as mother-hen Janine, William Atherton as the persnickety mayor, and Slimer, the globby green junk-food junkie who in 1984 was a tip of the ectoplasm to the recently deceased John Belushi.

With the sizable talents of Coon, Rudd and Wolfhard mostly wasted on exposition and reactive one-liners, though, what little honest emotion exists in “Frozen Empire” comes from Grace’s Phoebe, who’s stuck in an adolescent funk made worse by the city’s sidelining her from ghostbusting for being a minor. In particular, Phoebe’s scenes with a sad-eyed teenage specter named Melody (Emily Alyn Lind) have a tenderness that the actresses and filmmakers perch exactly and intriguingly on the line between friendship and physical attraction. Maybe the next “Ghostbusters” should be a straight-to-streaming young adult same-sex rom-com. Who you gonna call? Netflix.

PG-13. At area theaters. Contains supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references. 115 minutes.

Ty Burr is the author of the movie recommendation newsletter Ty Burr’s Watch List at tyburrswatchlist.com .

In Theaters and Digital

Ghostbusters: frozen empire (2024) - movie review.

The Ghostbusters are back!  This time, though, they are being directed by Monster House ’s   Gil Kenan in a script he co-wrote with Jason Reitman , who directed the previous film in the franchise.  The new Ghostbusters film feels like it belongs in the canon without being overly nostalgic - even if we get a few familiar faces and haunts from the previous films - and it is not nearly as emotional as Afterlife was, which is a bit of a letdown for some, but, hey, we had damn good reasons to be weepy over Afterlife .

Which is probably why this film feels a bit . . . hollow.  Now, I’m not about to dump on this sequel.  Sure, it has problems that aren’t worth anyone’s time to nitpick over.  Plus, I had a good time with some of the new adventures and ghosts, to be sure.  The paranormal comedy is full of big ideas which is great and fresh and certainly makes it feel a bit similar to The Real Ghostbusters , but it also has enough fun and callbacks to the original film and Ghostbusters 2 to make it feel like we are yukking it up with old friends.  The main issues with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is, unfortunately, that it is stuffed with a lot of characters and a lot of plot threads . . . and, really, the ones we want to see more of, well, we just don’t get to see enough.

Or maybe I am just old and not willing to give up the classic ghostbusting era of ‘84 - ‘91, with the cancellation of The Real Ghostbusters (which, as I suggested, seems to be the inspiration for a lot of the ideas here).  So many memories.  So much stupid cereal eaten, cartoons watched, movies purchased, and obsessed over.  I mean, almost all of that is referenced in this new movie, too, which is fun to relive . . . yeah, I am old.   

Still, there’s really nothing literally to hate about Frozen Empire , especially if you are a fan of the series.  It’s fun - and sometimes really funny - and the main baddie of a ghost is truly disturbing; even my son was a tad afraid of the design and the way the nefarious entity Garraka moved on the screen.  It’s scary stuff.  And the tone he brings to the story also carries a weight.

Like I said, there’s a lot of ideas going into this one, including an ancient evil which sorta dampens the mood of the comedy, but there are also plenty of ghostbusting offshoots which should feed the imaginations for the screenwriters for quite some time. It seems Zeddemore has been a busy, busy guy!  And a good thing, too, because the iconic New York City firehouse can’t hold many more ghosts, nor can it save the planet from a supernatural ice age!

But, really, by the end of the film, everyone feels like they are in a good place so it may be time to just let everyone hang up their proton packs for a while.  After all, we did get two more films from the gang and with Jason Reitman dedicating this film to his father and letting Kenan direct this one, it seems the time has come . . .

. . . but I have a feeling we are in for at least one more with the old crew supporting The Spenglers in their new ghostbusting roles.  And why not? Bustin’ still makes us feel good.  This is now a 40-year-old franchise.  Can it last another 40 years?  It seems Reitman, Ackroyd, and Kenan think so.  They probably aren’t wrong either.  They have my back and my money. 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now in theaters.

MPAA Rating: PG-13. Runtime: 115 mins Director : Gil Kenan Writer: Gil Kenan; Jason Reitman; Ivan Reitman Cast: Paul Rudd; Carrie Coon; Finn Wolfhard Genre : Comedy | Horror | Fantasy Tagline: Frozen Empire. Memorable Movie Quote: Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures Official Site: http://www.ghostbusters.com/ Release Date: March 22, 2024 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Synopsis : When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.

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‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ review: A fan service-heavy sequel

Movie review.

If you were old enough to be going to the movies in the mid-’80s, you likely remember the Summer of “Ghostbusters.” It was 40 years ago, and we all munched our popcorn and laughed at Bill Murray and listened to Ray Parker Jr.’s title song repeatedly on whatever it was that we listened to music on back then (that song, then and now, is the most glorious of earworms and a total bop), and we all had such a good time we didn’t really notice or care that “Ghostbusters” is not actually a really good movie, it’s just a fun movie. And that’s OK! We can love the original “Ghostbusters” while still acknowledging that, considering the talent involved, it really should have been funnier — and that the sequels, still coming four decades later, are offering a continually diminished rate of return.

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So here we have “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” in which various members of the current generation of Spenglers (descendants of Dr. Egon Spengler, played in the original movie by the late Harold Ramis) don their proton packs and get busy bustin’. As was laid out in the previous movie, Jason Reitman’s 2021 sequel “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) and her teenage children Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) are now living in Manhattan at the firehouse, teaming up with Callie’s boyfriend Gary (Paul Rudd) to keep the city safe from unfriendly spirits. But all this familial bliss is interrupted by an accidentally unleashed army of ghosts whose leader is capable of vomiting ice in a way so powerful that all of New York City is quickly frozen. Who you gonna call?

Directed by Gil Kenan (“Monster House”), “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” meticulously ticks all the fan boxes: the old-school regulars (Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts all show up), the classic ghosts (Slimer’s here, as is an adorable troupe of tiny Stay-Puft Marshmallow men), the dialogue (“I have a ghost to bust”), the Robert Frost quote with which the film opens (OK, that’s a new twist). And it’s hard to imagine a more precise definition of “fan service” than a scene in which Rudd basically recites the lyrics to the “Ghostbusters” song to Coon. But, speaking of Coon: Why does this movie give her virtually nothing to do? Do the filmmakers not realize that this is the woman who portrays Bertha freaking Russell on “The Gilded Age,” in which through sheer force of personality she manages to get all of Manhattan worked up over who was sitting in which opera box? Don’t you want to see THAT woman confront Slimer, rather than doing the firehouse laundry?

Anyway. If you are a “Ghostbusters” completist, you’ll want to see this, and it’s just competent enough that you won’t feel that your time was entirely wasted. (Murray’s trademark vibe of I’m Really Enjoying This, Whatever It Is That I’m Doing is, as always, a kick.) The rest of us might be fine with giving it a miss, maybe substituting a nostalgic re-watch of Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” video on YouTube (which makes a brief appearance in the new movie). I just did so myself; seriously, its four minutes are more fun than all two hours of “Frozen Empire.” Amazing how 40 years can fly by.

With Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts. Directed by Gil Kenan, from a screenplay by Kenan and Jason Reitman. 115 minutes. Rated PG-13 for supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references. Opens March 21 at multiple theaters.

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'Ghostbusters' review: 'Frozen Empire' doubles down on heroes and horror, but lacks magic

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” returns the 1980s paranormal comedy franchise to familiar haunts, albeit with way more human personalities than spooky ones.

Directed by Gil Kenan (“Monster House”), the latest installment (★★½ out of four; rated PG-13; in theaters Friday) overcomes the growing pains of 2021’s frustrating “ Ghostbusters: Afterlife .” And a move to New York City harks back to the early days of Bill Murray , Dan Aykroyd , Ernie Hudson and the late Harold Ramis in heroic flight suits. Alongside familiar faces and newcomers, “Frozen Empire” rolls out a new supernatural big bad and more horror than the series has done in the past, yet it still often struggles to find freshness and recapture old magic.

“Afterlife,” directed by “Frozen Empire” co-writer Jason Reitman, was a “requel” that introduced Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace), the awkward genius granddaughter of Ramis’ Egon. With mom Callie (Carrie Coon), brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and schoolteacher Gary (Paul Rudd), Phoebe got an assist from the old Ghostbusters in the "Afterlife" finale to defeat archenemy Gozer in Oklahoma. Since then, the Spengler family has relocated, taking over the iconic New York firehouse headquarters where Grandpa collected spores, molds and fungus.

'The spirits are still there': Old 'Ghostbusters' gang is back together in 'Frozen Empire'

As “Empire” begins, they’re tooling around in the Ecto-1 and taking on phantom beasts like the Hell’s Kitchen Sewer Dragon. But they’re also a public-relations nightmare clad in nuclear-powered proton packs: A bit of city destruction puts them on the radar of Walter Peck (William Atherton), the OG Ghostbusters’ bureaucratic nemesis who’s now mayor. He calls out Phoebe being only 15 and vows to shut them all down, a threat that winds up benching the quirky youngster.

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They’ll soon need all hands on deck. When the firehouse's ghost containment unit gets dangerously full, the Spenglers team up with a paranormal research center founded by another original hero, Winston Zeddemore (Hudson). Meanwhile, a slacker dude named Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani) rolls into the occult book store of Ray Stantz (Aykroyd) with an orb owned by his late grandma. The evil force imprisoned in this artifact accidentally gets loose, with designs on raising an undead army against humanity and bringing a big chill to the Ghostbusters’ doorstep.

“Frozen Empire” doesn’t skimp on the throwbacks, even weaving vintage toy commercials and a Ray Parker Jr. music video into the fictional narrative. A slew of legacy characters return, including the lovable Slimer: Murray’s Peter Venkman has a couple of fun scenes, secretary Janine (Annie Potts) finally gets to be a Ghostbuster, and Ray is an important emotional anchor as both father figure and spiritual center, who nicely taps back into the franchise's penchant for weird history.

Throw in “Afterlife” supporting characters, then toss in more rookies like Nadeem and an oddball librarian played by Patton Oswalt, and the whole thing gets too busy, overshadowing what “Frozen Empire” does really well.

This might be the closest “Ghostbusters” comes to going full fright-fest: Given the directing reins, Kenan leans into chilling visuals, creepy stakes and a palpable yet still kid-friendly sense of dread. (New baddie Garraka is more conventionally freaky than demonic Jazzerciser Gozer.) And the latest film carries over the coming-of-age bent from “Afterlife” with a subplot where Phoebe, in a parents-just-don't-understand moment, bonds with teen girl ghost Melody (Emily Alyn Lind). It does something different – the Ghostbusters usually take down specters instead of befriend them – while also giving new depth to Phoebe as the franchise’s most likable asset.

Although “Frozen Empire” improves upon the previous film and there's plenty to dig especially for young fans, it falls short of the 1984 classic's high bar. (To be fair, none of the "Ghostbusters" outings since have come close.) So, bustin’ doesn’t feel as good as it once did but we’re getting there.

Is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire A Box Office Success? Explaining What Its $61M Opening Means

• Mixed reviews didn't stop audiences from flocking to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, making it a hit after a strong opening weekend.
• Despite critical reception, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire surpassed expectations with a solid $45.2 million domestic opening.
• A hefty production budget and tough competition make it a challenge for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire to turn a profit at the box office.

Although Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire received mixed reviews from critics, it’s been met with a much better response from audiences – but is it a box office hit? Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire brings the Spengler family from Ghostbusters: Afterlife back to New York City to reunite with the O.G. Ghostbusters cast. There, they team up to defend the city from another spectral invasion, this time from a frosty ancient ghost who wants to plunge the world into a new ice age. By including both the nostalgia-baiting original cast and the popular new cast, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire went after the widest audience possible.

When the reviews for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire came out and it earned a “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes, it seemed like the movie might be dead on arrival. It would come and go and be quickly forgotten about. However, after an impressive opening weekend that exceeded expectations, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire might be a box office hit after all. It still has a long way to go to turn a profit, so it’ll depend on word of mouth to give it the legs it needs, but this movie’s box office run is off to a promising start.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's Opening Box Office Is A Pretty Good Start

In the days leading up to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ’s release date, it was tracking for a disappointing opening weekend. But when it hit theaters, an unexpected last-minute surge of ticket sales propelled the film to a pretty strong opening at the box office . Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has opened to $45.2 million , which is slightly higher than Ghostbusters: Afterlife ’s opening and slightly lower than that of the female-led 2016 Ghostbusters reboot. This is on the higher end of expectations and in line with Afterlife ’s reception, so it’s a solid start – especially for a horror comedy movie (albeit not a spectacular one).

Why Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's Box Office Opening Was Good Despite Bad Reviews

On Rotten Tomatoes, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has a dismal rating of 42%, indicating that the majority of reviews were negative. A negative critical reception doesn’t always mean bad news for a movie’s box office, but it can certainly have an impact. Anyone who’s looking to watch a new movie will likely check out the reviews to make sure it’s a safe bet, and a “rotten” score of 42% doesn’t exactly sound like a safe bet. Still, in spite of those negative reviews, crowds have still turned up to watch Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire .

There are plenty of reasons why audiences would want to watch Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire after seeing all the negative reviews. Ghostbusters is a popular, long-running franchise that was a huge part of a lot of moviegoers’ childhoods , and this one isn’t just capitalizing on a recognizable brand name; it has prominent supporting roles for O.G. legends like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson. Any diehard Ghostbusters fan would jump at the chance to see Murray back in character as Peter Venkman, even if the top-ranking critics on Rotten Tomatoes have advised against it.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was well-received, so its sequel was highly anticipated. On top of that, there wasn’t a lot of competition in this past weekend . Anyone who wanted to see Dune: Part Two or Kung Fu Panda 4 has likely seen them already, since they’ve been out for a couple of weeks. The two other biggest releases of the weekend, Immaculate and Late Night with the Devil , are both straightforward horror movies targeting an older demographic. For families who wanted to go to the movies last weekend, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was pretty much their only option.

Why Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire May Not Be A Box Office Success

Although it’s gotten off to a solid start with an impressive opening weekend, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire isn’t out of the woods yet – it could still end up being a box office disappointment. The movie carries a hefty production budget of $100 million (via Variety ), so it has a long way to go before it’s in the black. The general rule of thumb is that a movie has to gross 2.5 times its production budget in order to turn a profit at the box office. This would mean Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has to get to around $250 million to be profitable .

This is a lot more than its predecessor Ghostbusters: Afterlife ’s total worldwide gross of $204 million. It would require Frozen Empire to have some serious legs at the box office in the next few weeks, and that might be tough, because it hasn’t been particularly well-received. Not only has it been slated by critics with a “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes; it’s also earned a lukewarm CinemaScore of B+ from audiences leaving the theater. Both of these ratings are lower than Ghostbusters: Afterlife , whose positive reception gave it pretty impressive legs at the box office.

And not only that; starting on March 29, it’ll face stiff competition from the arrival of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire . Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire doesn’t necessarily deliver the laughs that audiences expect from a Ghostbusters movie, but Godzilla x Kong will definitely deliver the widespread carnage that audiences expect from monster movies (even if the film itself isn’t that great), so it could be considered a safer bet. So, getting to the point of profitability seems like a tall order for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire .

At this point, the best that Frozen Empire can hope for is to match Ghostbusters: Afterlife ’s box office run, which won’t be enough to turn a profit. Even that seems unlikely, because underwhelmed audiences are unlikely to recommend it to their friends, meaning it’ll struggle to have any legs at the box office. Afterlife ’s box office run was hurt by bad timing, as it arrived right at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic when casual audiences were still reluctant to return to movie theaters, but it still brought in an impressive haul.

What Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's Box Office Means For Another Ghostbusters Movie

Whether or not Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will lead to another Ghostbusters sequel depends on how much it makes at the box office. There’s clearly still some love for this franchise, but it’s never been a bona fide blockbuster series and there’s an undeniable ceiling, since a Ghostbusters film has never broken the $300 million barrier at the box office. If Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire somehow gets to a bigger number than it’s expected to, a sequel would still need more restraint in the budgetary department or Sony will get involved for yet another creative overhaul.

Source: Variety

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire continues the story of a new generation of ghost hunters composed of Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Podcast (Logan Kim), who received help from the original team in the previous movie. Paul Rudd returns as Gary Grooberson and franchise co-creator Ivan Reitman returns to write and produce.

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Movie Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ clears a low bar

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, Celeste O’Connor, Kumail Nanjiani, Finn Wolfhard and James Acaster in a scene from “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, Mckenna Grace, Logan Kim, Dan Aykroyd and Patton Oswalt in a scene from “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows Mckenna Grace in a scene from “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows Dan Aykroyd, left, and Kumail Nanjiani in a scene from “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, Celeste O’Connor, Finn Wolfhard, James Acaster, Logan Kim and Dan Aykroyd in a scene from “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows a scene from “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

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Forty years after “Ghostbusters” and following a string of sequels that never measured up to the 1984 original — beginning all the way back with 1989’s “Ghostbusters II” — it’s fair to wonder, well, who else ought we to call? It may be time to, if not give up the ghost entirely, at least give a flip through the ol’ rolodex.

But as the lackluster 2021 installment, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” showed, the half life of most film franchises today is an ever-lengthening long tail of diminishing returns. Though the options are many, sucking “Ghostbusters” dry would make a prime exhibit in Hollywood’s nostalgia fix.

Still, it’s not quite as simple as that. I’m glad for the female-led 2016 “Ghostbusters.” Aside from prompting a minor culture war, it assembled the best comic ensemble since the original with Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and, yes, Chris Hemsworth.

And as easy as it might be to label the new one, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” another half-hashed retread — which it is, a little bit — it’s also a significant upgrade from “Afterlife,” which relocated the action to Oklahoma and forgot to pack any comedy. “Frozen Empire,” back, thankfully, in New York, is a breezier, more serviceable sequel that has a modest charm as an ’80-tinged family adventure.

The innate appeal of “Ghostbusters” had to do with its brash mixing of genres — adult-edged comedy with sci-fi toys — that summoned the spirit of “Abbott of Costello Meet Frankenstein.” When the sequels have gone astray, it’s usually because they get bogged down with solemnity or special effects when all they really need is the it’s-the-end-of-the-world-and-I-feel-fine smirk of Bill Murray. I’d forgive bad visual effects a lot sooner than I would bland comic interplay.

“Frozen Empire,” though, is organized less around a group of funny people wearing proton packs than it is around a family. The movie more or less opens with the Ectomobile racing down Fifth Avenue with Gary (Paul Rudd) at the wheel, Callie (Carrie Coon) riding shotgun and her kids — Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) — in the back, all in bickering pursuit of a “sewer dragon” apparition.

The cast is much the same as “Afterlife,” but the behind-the-scenes talent has been rejiggered. After Jason Reitman took over directing from his father, Ivan Reitman, he here is credited as a producer and writer. Gil Kenan, who co-wrote “Afterlife,” directs “Frozen Empire,” which is dedicated to the elder Reitman, who died in 2022.

More than before, you can feel the growing distance from the original “Ghostbusters.” Harold Ramis died in 2014 and while Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson all return, they no longer feel like the axis to this cinematic universe. (Aykroyd, though, gives the movie some soulful quirk as Dr. Raymond Stantz, and Ernie Hudson may be more a potent presence than ever.)

Familiar-faced ghosts return, too, in “Frozen Empire,” which, like its predecessor, doesn’t skimp on the fan service. That instinct to cater to “Ghostbusters” diehards (a kind of ridiculous kind of diehard, if we’re being honest) continues to diminish a franchise that recoiled defensively after the 2016 “Ghostbusters.”

But if you accept the low-bar aspirations of “Frozen Empire,” you may get a pleasant-enough experience out of it. It’s a movie that feels almost more like a high production-value TV pilot for an appealing sitcom, with Rudd as the stepfather, than it does a big-screen event on par with the original.

The family has moved into the famed fire station, but trouble abounds. The contamination unit is stuffed, the mayor (Walter Peck, who played the nemesis EPA inspector in the 1984 film) wants to evict and there are disturbing rumblings connected with an object that turns up — the Orb of Garraka — that may awaken a particularly fearsome spirit.

People get slimed. Ghosts get busted. New Yorkers shrug. The formula is adhered to, albeit with a few lively twists. The standout here is Grace, who’s drawn into a brief but tender relationship with a ghost (played alluringly by Emily Alyn Lind) after a nighttime chess match in Washington Square Park. And Kumail Nanjiani more or less steals the movie playing a Queens man and reluctant heir to the mystic role of “Firemaster.” He’s funny enough that you’re almost convinced, in an overextended movie franchise, not to give up the ghost just yet.

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” a Sony Pictures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references. Running time: 115 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

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An infectiously fun blend of special effects and comedy, with Bill Murray's hilarious deadpan performance leading a cast of great comic turns.

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Ghostbusters

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

No big whup and no big fat flop either, the female reboot of Ghostbusters settles for being a fine, fun time at the movies. And yet Internet trolls have been talking shit about Melissa McCarthy , Kristen Wiig , Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones since their casting was announced. As one neghead tweeted: “I hear the new Ghostbusters movie won’t have proton packs, the women will just bitch at the ghosts until they fuck off.” Does Hillary Clinton get slimed with anti-estrogen loathing as much as this movie’s four leading ladies? Probably, but still.

Dissing on this irresistible nonsense is like making a marshmallow (think Stay Puft) face a firing squad. So ease up, fanboys, these scrappy women are the best thing this gender-swapped Ghostbusters has going for it. The ladies don’t represent a desecration of the 1984 original with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson and the late Harold Ramis — besides, the same testosterone gang did a pretty good job of screwing up themselves with 1989’s Ghostbusters II. If anything, director Paul Feig and co-screenwriter Katie Dippold show an excess of reverence for the first film, bringing most of the previous cast back for lackluster cameos and building their story on the bones of what came before.

McCarthy’s Abby Yates and Wiig’s Erin Gilbert are both disgraced New York academics who’ve lost favor by trying to use science to prove the existence of ghosts. They’re also smart, independent women who don’t fit the babe criteria, making them easy to write off as lonely misfits in a Hollywood flick. None of that gender-slander for Feig, however, a filmmaker best known for such terrific femcentric hits as Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy.

Here’s the plot, such as it is: After a rift in which Erin tried to hide her rogue past with the paranormal, she teams up with Abby and Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), a gearhead who invents cool gadgets that would have Q from the Bond movies slapping his head in envy. Joining them in their dumpy headquarters over a Chinese restaurant is new recruit Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), who dumps her job at the MTA when a ghost on the tracks goes medieval on her ass. Thor, in the person of an up-for-anything Chris Hemsworth, takes the dumb sex-object role of Kevin, incompetent secretary to the team; only Erin seems to notice his ripped abs. It’s a bimbo joke is played for all its worth, which is surprisingly more than you think.

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After dawdling too much on their backstories, the movie sets the busters to busting. And for a while, it’s a hoot watching the team drive around in their Ecto-mobile (a converted hearse) and take on such creepies as a flying dragon who goes ballistic at a rock concert. A subplot about a victim of bullying (Neil Casey) who uses the paranormal to take vengeance on a cruel world is too much of a middling thing. And Feig, clearly enamored of  the miracles of new technology, leans way too hard on the VFX pedal. By the last third, Ghostbusters is so awash in digital dizziness you can hardly see the characters for the megapixels. That’s a shame, because the four actresses are something to see, capable of maneuvering through dead spots in the script like the pros they are. McCarthy and Wiig still do wonders even staying  within the parameters of roles they have played before. And if you watch Saturday Night Live, you know how Jones can spin attitude into major laughs.

The big surprise here is McKinnon, also an SNL MVP (her Hillary is already iconic). She’s a live-wire whose every gesture, reaction and line-reading seems fresh and off-the-wall — a spontaneous eruption of hellfire hilarity. No special effect can top what’s happening on McKinnon’s face when she aims her proton weapon at a hunk of evil goo and  roars, “Light her up.” The actress definitely lights up this reboot, a movie of highs and lows that actually acknowledges its detractors when Erin reads an Internet blast: “Ain’t no bitches gonna bust no ghosts.” Wanna bet? Slime Ghostbusters all you want for its lazy reliance on CGI gimmicks and its lapses in pacing — but there’s no faulting the  ladies. In a summer of macho bluster, they sure as hell know how to raise spirits.

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'It Was a Personal Choice': Ernie Hudson Addresses OG Star's Absence in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire featured the return of several original stars, like Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson. However, one fan-favorite character was absent in both Frozen Empire and its predecessor, 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife : Louis Tully, played by Rick Moranis.

Speaking with Screen Rant , Hudson opened up about Moranis' decision not to return as the Ghostbusters' account in the two legacy sequels. "Yeah, because Rick is such an important part of the success of all of this. I think everybody understands that and agrees with that. I don't know why. I haven't had a personal conversation," the actor said. "I talked to Ivan Reitman before he transitioned, who I know had spent a lot of time trying to convince Rick. I know that the other guys have talked to him, and I'm not sure why. He just said no."

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Director Reveals the New Villain's Backstory

Frozen Empire director Gil Kenan discusses Garraka's conception and backstory.

Hudson also shared that Sony offered Moranis "more money than they offered me" to appear in Frozen Empire . He continued, "And if I thought going to his house would make a difference, I'd be there. Because I'd love to see [him]. And not just in Ghostbusters , but I just think he's an amazing talent. I would love to see him working, but obviously, it was a personal choice . [Maybe] if they did a country western album or something, but I don't know. I'd love to see him back if there was any possible way, you know?"

Why Did Rick Moranis Quit Acting?

Moranis was a popular comedian and actor in the 1980s and 1990s who was primarily known for his roles in the sketch comedy series SCTV as well as the films Ghostbusters , Little Shop of Horrors , Spaceballs , Honey, I Shrunk the Kids , Parenthood , and The Flintstones . Following his wife's death in 1991, Moranis began to take on fewer acting roles. In 1997, the actor announced his intention to cease acting for the time being so that he could spend more time raising his two children. Aside from the odd voice role, Moranis has not acted regularly since the late 1990s. However, he is supposedly set to make his return to live-action acting in Shrunk , a legacy sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids , which was announced in 2020.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's Biggest Easter Eggs & References

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has many Easter eggs that throw fans back to the original movies and the 1986 cartoon that preceded this new venture.

What's Next for the Ghostbusters?

While another movie in the Ghostbusters franchise hasn't been officially announced yet, Frozen Empire director Kil Genan previously shared that he and Jason Reitman know where to take the series next . "Jason and I definitely have a story up our sleeves that continues that narrative thread," Kenan said in March 2024. "There's more trouble where that came from. Nothing we can talk about yet, but it feels like those guys have way more story to tell. I love those guys; they’re so fun to direct. [They’re] primadonnas. Their rider is impossible, but it’s worth it for what they do onscreen." The franchise is also set to return to the small screen, with a new animated Ghostbusters series in production at Netflix.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is available to rent or buy on digital platforms.

Source: Screen Rant

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.

Get a sneak peek inside Ghostbusters: Back in Town Issue #3

• May 28, 2024

Serving as a prelude to  Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire , the eagerly anticipated third issue of the four-part mini-series  Ghostbusters: Back in Town  is set to hit digital platforms and comic shelves tomorrow, May 29th!

Before downloading or making the trip to your nearest comic shop, grab a sneak peek at the series’ third issue as Phoebe is introduced to the malevolent Madame Malveaux. Tieing the ectoplasmic antagonist to the events of 1989’s Ghostbusters II , the apparition behind New York City’s latest ghostly epidemic issues a foreboding warning to the youngest Spengler, leading to a session of supernatural standup!

As tensions rise in the city and in the Spengler family, Phoebe discovers the entity targeting the Ghostbusters: the malevolent Madam Malvaeux! On her own and outmatched, Phoebe escapes through the sewers, and stumbles into . . . supernatural standup? Follow the Ghostbusters official return to New York City with the third installment of this all-new series! Ghostbusters: Back in Town features script by David Booher, art by Blue Delliquanti, and colors by Cris Peter.

Those planning to grab a physical copy can choose between two different covers. The standard, from artist Christopher Mitten, lets the pigeons loose, while Mike Norton’s variant has Phoebe taking center stage in an abandoned, yet very much haunted theater.

The in-canon story has been written by David M. Booher, with art by Blue Delliquanti, color by Mildred Louis, and Jimmy Betancourt on lettering. To help ensure a faithful adaptation from the big screen, the filmmaking duo of Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan are said to have overseen the project,  with Reitman previously telling Screen Rant :

“Our friends at Dark Horse have picked up the Spengler family and hand delivered them to Manhattan where they will begin their journey back into Ghostbusting! It has been a personal thrill to collaborate with this incredible group of artists and storytellers on new chapters in the proton jungle.”

A must-have companion series to  Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,  trap your copy by pre-ordering now from Darkhorse Comics .

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These are the biggest movies of the year so far

It has been a mixed year so far for some of the biggest movie franchises

As we enter June, it is a good time to reflect on the year in cinema so far. Read on for this year’s ten biggest films around the world, and a few of the year’s biggest flops. 

Last year, two of the year’s biggest overall hits were Barbie and Oppenheimer , films that were joined at the hip in the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Completing the top five were The Super Mario Bros. Movie , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Fast X . 

These are the biggest movies of the year so far 

The top film at the global box office in 2024 so far is Denis Villeneuve ’s Dune: Part Two . The sci-fi epic was the follow-up to the first instalment in 2021, and starred Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh and Josh Brolin. 

Given the film’s huge success, it has recently been announced by Legendary Pictures that a third film in the series, Dune: Messiah , is officially going ahead , with Villeneuve returning as director, although no timeline has been set. 

In a  four-star review of  Dune: Part Two ,  NME  wrote: “Epic in scope and astonishing in its world building,  Dune: Part Two  combines jaw-dropping visuals with imaginative action and morally complex plotting to thrilling effect.” 

Second on the box office list is Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire , the fifth entry in the Monsterverse franchise. NME described the film as “like watching the most expensive silent movie ever made”. 

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Kung Fu Panda 4 takes third place, while Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is at number four, despite only being released on May 10. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire rounds out the top five, just passing the $200million mark around the world. 

The rest of the top ten includes the biopic Bob Marley: One Love , the Jason Statham action movie The Beekeeper , the Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt comedy The Fall Guy , the satirical thriller Civil War and family fantasy IF . 

Here are some of the year’s biggest flops 

The top ten is notable for its total absence of any superhero films. The only high-profile release in the genre this year so far was Madame Web , which bombed on its opening weekend in February . It sits at a lowly number 13 on the box office list, bringing in slightly over $100million. 

It was described as “an embarrassing mess” by reviews on its release , and lead star Dakota Johnson has said she will “never” do a film like it again . 

Another big film that struggled in its opening weekend this year was Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga . It only premiered in late May so was not likely to chart highly, but its opening of $25.6million in the US was a disappointment . 

That is despite the film receiving rave reviews, including from NME , who described it as “brilliant and unmissable” and said the film was “another extraordinary blockbuster juggernaut that in some sequences somehow excels even its predecessor, arresting viewers with its booming, utterly immersive world of grease, dust, motorbikes and carnage.”  

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‘furiosa’ box office puts brakes on george miller’s next ‘mad max’ movie.

Miller penned 'The Wasteland' as part of the development process for 'Fury Road,' but it may not get past the starting line.

By Pamela McClintock , Aaron Couch May 29, 2024 1:00pm

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Forty-five years after George Miller introduced audiences to Mad Max , the auteur may have finally hit the end of the road through the postapocalyptic wasteland unless he finds some high-octane gasoline soon.

The revered filmmaker’s  Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga  bowed to a disappointing $32 million domestically for the four-day Memorial Day weekend and $36.5 million overseas, diminishing hopes for  Mad Max: The Wasteland , another  Max  installment Miller has been toying with for years.

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In recent weeks, Miller has acknowledged much was hinging on Furiosa in terms of the possibility of The Wasteland . “I’ll definitely wait to see how this [ Furiosa ] goes, before we even think about it,” Miller told journalists May 16, the morning after the dystopian action-adventure played at the Cannes Film Festival to a seven-minute standing ovation. Sources agree that Wasteland’s fate is complicated by Furiosa ‘s box office , but stress it wasn’t even in development. For its part, Warners — where Miller is a beloved figure — says it is incredibly proud of Furiosa .

The reaction from moviegoers is likely as positive as Miller hoped; it boasts a 90 percent positive audience score rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a B+ Cinemascore. But in a troubling and unexpected twist, far fewer females and younger male adults showed up than came out for Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road nine years ago.

Observers note that  Fury Road  aside, the male-fueled  Mad Max  series has always catered to a somewhat niche audience. The first three films, starring Mel Gibson, grossed less than $70 million combined domestically.

“IP like Mad Max and Ghostbusters is  old , and they have the fans they’re going to have,” says one theater chain executive. “If studios can budget to that, they might make some decent money.”

Talk of making Miller’s next Mad Max film could resurface if Furiosa gets a major tune up and enjoys a road trip down the box office highway, as Fury Road did thanks to a strong multiplier. But many veteran box office pundits are doubtful whether such a recovery is possible, with one rival studio saying it could have a hard time getting past $90 million domestically.

Miller opted not to bring back Theron, as he felt that de-aging technology used in films such as Martin Scorsese’s  The Irishman  was distracting to audiences. (Theron, for her part, said she was sad not to return , despite her grueling experience shooting the first one.) Instead, Miller cast Anya Taylor-Joy as a younger version of Theron’s titular character and added Chris Hemsworth as a warlord. Furiosa is also a Mad Max movie without Mad Max (save for a small cameo).  

“I think Furiosa suffered without Charlize. People who see the movie love it. The problem is getting them into theaters. She would have been able to do that,” says one studio insider.

Adds a veteran Hollywood executive, “ Fury Road was an outlier in the series. It also had a hot young star and a huge female star. Nine years later, it had neither.”

Furiosa caps a May that will go down in infamy in box office lore. Due to the strikes, mega-tentpoles that have come to define summer were delayed, prompting moviegoing overall to plummet and theater chains hoping for a better 2025 (“Just survive til ’25” has become a mantra for studios and theater owners). Miller’s film was never intended to be an all-audience tentpole that anchors Memorial Day — last year, The Little Mermaid debuted to $118 million — but like other recent titles, it still came in well behind tracking predictions of $40 to $45 million.

“Let’s see what happens next year with Mission: Impossible and in 2026 with the next Star Wars movie,” says box office analyst Eric Handler of Roth Capital.

All eyes are now on June’s Inside Out 2 and July’s Despicable Me 4 and Deadpool & Wolverine to energize the marketplace and help other films in the process.

“This fever will hopefully break in June and July with an overperformance by at least one of the high-profile films to get the wind back in the sails of the box office,” says Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore.

As for Furiosa , it has the upcoming weekend to itself and will still be playing in Imax and premium large-format screens, which ponied up a significant portion of the opening weekend gross. Then, it will have to contend with another vehicle and gun-heavy feature, Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die .

— James Hibberd contributed to this story.

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Barbie Gets 4-Movie Special DVD Collection Ahead of Live-Action Debut

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As moviegoers look towards July, there’s one unlikely adventure film everyone seems to be excited for. That would be Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie . Based on the iconic Mattel toy brand of the same name, Barbie will mark the character's big screen live-action debut. The film is set to dance its way into theaters this July, but if you need more Barbie in your life there’s a new four-film collection coming to DVD that will have you singing, “Come on Barbie, let’s go party!”

The four film collection, releasing July 18, includes Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams where Barbie heads to New York for a summer program, Barbie: Dreamtopia where the title doll has a grand adventure with mermaids, Barbie and Chelsea: The Lost Birthday , and Barbie: Princess Adventure . The latter two films have Barbie helping Chelsea find her Birthday on a family cruise and Barbie trading places with Princess Amelia. America Young voices Barbie “Malibu” Roberts while Amber May voices Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts in the films. Barbie as a character has had many direct-to-video films since the doll's debut in 1959. While they’re definitely made for children of a certain age, most of the films are actually great ways to keep younger minds active. These are just colorful and adventurous companion pieces to the toy line. They’re meant to be watched as your children create their own adventures in their heads playing with their Barbie dolls. That’s why it’s wonderful to see these four films repackaged in this pink-filled collection.

What’s the Live-Action Barbie About?

While there’s so many Barbies and Kens that make up Barbie Land in the live-action film, the main Barbie played by Robbie will be going through a bit of a crisis. Her positive spirit seems to be waning as Barbie’s been falling off her roof , becoming flat-footed, and hilariously thinking about death to the dismay of her other fellow Barbies. This causes Barbie to go on a journey to the real world and the literal Mattel offices to help find her true purpose in life. Of course, she’ll also have her trusted boyfriend Ken played by Ryan Gosling at her side. From the trailers Barbie appears to be this extremely fun, witty, and meta take on this universe wrapped in plastic. While this Barbie is far from adult, its edgier humor has sparked a lot of attention as the film itself has cleverly been marketed to people “who hate Barbie”. The prospect of Grewig directing the film, an Oscar nominated talent, has turned a lot of people’s cynical heads as well.

RELATED: 'Barbie' Takes Fans to the Dreamhouse With Exclusive Touring Event

When Does Barbie Release?

Barbie ’s entering the real world and rollerblading into theaters on July 21, 2023. It’s one part of the ultimate double feature with Christopher Nolan ’s Oppenheimer which is humorously releasing on the same day . While moviegoers anxiously wait for Barbie ’s live-action debut, you can pre-order Barbie ’s new four film collection ahead of its July 18 release on Amazon now.

• Barbie (2023)