Ghostbusters: Afterlife first reactions: here's what the critics thought

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By Tom Power
published

There's (after)life in Ghostbusters yet

A promotional image for Ghostbusters: Afterlife from Sony Pictures
(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

A surprise screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife has been held at CinemaCon – and those lucky enough to be in attendance have been unanimous in their praise for the sequel.

The recently released Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer may be dominating the headlines after its official unveiling on Monday, August 23.

Sony Pictures, though, had more shock reveals under its sleeve as part of its three-hour long CinemaCon presentation – one of which included an unexpected early screening of Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

CinemaCon attendees, including US-based journalists, were some of the first film fans to see the forthcoming sequel ahead of its November release. Judging by the social media reactions in the wake of the screening, it seems that Ghostbusters: Afterlife may be a sequel that's worthy of the first two instalments in the franchise.

Writer-director Ben Mekler was one of the first to offer his thoughts on the movie, proclaiming that Afterlife is the sequel that "fans have been waiting for":

TheWrap's film editor Beatrice Verhoeven revealed that she was "pleasantly surprised" by Afterlife before lauding its humor, which is a staple component of any good Ghostbusters film:

Hollywood Critics Association founder Ben Menzel hailed the flick as "nostalgia done right", saying that Afterlife's blend of "classic Ghostbusters moments" with a novel approach will appeal to long time fans and newcomers alike:

Insider's Jason Guerrasio likened Afterlife to old school Steven Spielberg films and praises director Jason Reitman for being "extremely loyal" to the first two Ghostbusters movies with his vision:

Finally, Bleeding Cool's editor-in-chief Kaitlyn Booth admitted that she hadn't been into Ghostbusters earlier in her life, but said Afterlife had "a ton of heart and a great cast" before teasing fans that there may be post-credits scenes to stick around for:

Set 32 years after 1989's Ghostbusters II, Afterlife follows single mom Callie (Carrie Coon) and her children Phoebe (McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) as they move into the former home of Phoebe and Trevor's late grandfather.

It isn't long before the duo discover that their grandad was an ex-Ghostbuster, however – coincidentally around the same time that supernatural occurrences start to afflict their new hometown. It's up to Phoebe, Trevor and their friends, then, to live up to their grandfather's legacy and put a stop to this new otherworldly threat.

Also starring Paul Rudd and former Ghostbusters stars including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver, Ghostbusters: Afterlife arrives in theaters on November 11.

Tom Power
Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.


An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.


Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.

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