Debut Trailer for ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Offers a New Twist on the Storied Franchise

Love it or hate it, 2016's Ghostbusters reboot ignored the previous films in the franchise, at least in terms of continuity within the world of those first two films. As such, the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife is now ignoring that film and positioning itself as the long awaited Ghostbusters 3. Jason Reitman—son of original franchise director Ivan—is taking the Ghostbusters back to their roots by giving the fans what they claimed to always want.

The premise of this new film centers around a family—mom Carrie Coon, son Finn Wolfhard, and daughter McKenna Grace—moving to their grandfather's home and discovering that it resides at ground zero for a new invasion of ghosts. If the trailer feels like it's being elusive in at least one regard, it's kind of patently obvious that this is the family of Ghostbuster Egon Spengler (played by the late, great Harold Ramis) who apparently retired to the middle of nowhere and started a family.

It's not the worst idea anyone's ever had, even in terms of some terrible decision making in all post-1984 Ghostbusters movies, but it's certainly one way to keep the thread of the original Ghostbusters team alive and well. The film isn't due until next summer, so we're sure to get another trailer that explains more of the story and a third trailer that will basically give away the entire plot. Oh, and Paul Rudd's hanging about as well.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is due in theaters on July 10, 2020.