Emanating on the silver screen during the balmy days of 1984, the original Ghostbusters flick, weaved into existence by the creative trio of Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, and guided by the directorial mastery of Ivan Reitman, swiftly commanded a position of reverence amongst film critics and audiences alike. Consequently, a sequel ensued, materializing five years hence. The Ghostbusters II, thus, set the stage for the arrival of the trilogy’s conclusion, under the working title of Ghostbusters: Hellbent, featuring Aykroyd at the heart of its scriptwriting. Alas, this film never found the road to full realization. Yet, Hollywood’s aspiration to create Ghostbusters 3 persisted, culminating in the 2021 release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the creative offspring of Jason Reitman, Ivan Reitman’s son, and Paul Rudd. Bridging generations, Afterlife warmed the hearts of both, ardent followers of the original saga and new enthusiasts alike, while simultaneously paying homage to Ivan Reitman and Ramis, both departed before the film’s premiere.
Despite the mixed bag of critical reviews that Ghostbusters: Afterlife encountered, audiences largely harbored favorable sentiments towards the film. This was indeed a refreshing change, especially considering the lukewarm response to Paul Feig’s 2016 all-female reboot and the long wait since the last canon film, a hiatus of 32 years. Interestingly, unbeknownst to most, a third canon story already held existence, preceding Afterlife and the 2016 entry. This tale starred most of the original cast and was broadcast to a massive audience, albeit not via the traditional theatre or streaming service platforms. Instead, this narrative unfolded within households, through the medium of PC and gaming consoles, under the title of Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game and its Connection to the Original Third Movie Script
Post the triumph of Ghostbusters II, a prospective third episode was in the offing. While the script underwent multiple revisions, the core theme remained static, envisaging the original team supervising a new squad of ‘busters, with Chris Farley, Chris Rock, and Ben Stiller stepping into the suits. The storyline would extend the Ghostbusters‘ mission of dealing with the afterlife into Hell itself, essentially an alternate rendition of New York, aptly coined as “Manhelltan.” Herein, they would engage in combat with a character reminiscent of The Devil. The untimely demise of Farley necessitated alterations in the cast, however, hurdles persisted, including budget constraints and the challenge of convincing Bill Murray. Ivan Reitman, in a 2016 interview with Vulture, elaborated:
“Bill and Sigourney’s kid, Oscar, is a postgrad student, and weird things start to happen. Bill Murray dies in the first scene, because he always said, “I won’t do it unless I die.” And I said, “Okay, you got it.” [Laughs.] It was a father-son story, with him as a ghost. By the way, the studio green-lit it. Everything was ready to go. I couldn’t get his attention, and in the midst of that, Harold got really sick. And that was pretty much it.”
Regrettably, the film never made its theatrical debut, rendering the prospect of witnessing Chris Farley as a Ghostbuster a lost opportunity. Nevertheless, Aykroyd and Ramis found an alternate channel to immortalize the intended third movie, via the video game’s script. The influence of the movie script is primarily discernible in the game’s later segments when the dead reanimate, leading the Ghostbusters to venture into the “Ghost World,” a hypothetical version of the afterlife, through dimensional portals.
The Interactive Sequel – Ghostbusters: The Video Game
In 2009, Ghostbusters: The Video Game emerged as a direct successor to Ghostbusters II. Set two years post the events of the 1989 film, the narrative portrays the Ghostbusters operating as city contractors aspiring to expand their crew. Players assume the persona of “The Rookie,” entrusted with the task of testing the group’s new, potentially hazardous equipment. As the story progresses, the Ghostbusters and The Rookie probe a series of spectral occurrences commencing at the recently inaugurated Gozerian Museum, reintroducing players to previous movie locations and characters, with the Gozerian Cult Leader, Ivo Shandor, emerging as the game’s prime antagonist.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game essentially merges gameplay with cinematic sequences, simulating an interactive movie experience. The game’s intro mirrors the title sequence of a Ghostbusters film, while the script regularly references preceding entries. For instance, Egon’s mention of the “Ellis Island incident” is a direct homage to Ghostbusters II’s ending. While Moranis opted out of revisiting his role, his character, Louis Tulley, is invoked as the group’s accountant, complete with his desk, uniform, and iconic earmuffs. The game, therefore, presents itself as an interactive third entry, further cemented by a fan-edited montage of gameplay and cutscenes into a functional film.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game – A Blueprint for Future Movies?
Upon its launch, Ghostbusters: The Video Game was widely acknowledged as the third canon movie, courtesy of the involvement of the original cast and the incorporation of the Hellbent storyline. However, with the successful premiere of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, this perception might undergo a shift. Jason Reitman, during an Uproxx interview, affirmed Ghostbusters II’s canon status to Afterlife, which conspicuously bypassed the 2009 game’s events. This might potentially exclude Ghostbusters: The Video Game from the core canon. Yet, the game’s concepts or those from Hellbent could possibly mold Afterlife’s sequel or subsequent films.
Although precise details of Afterlife’s sequel remain under wraps, Reitman hinted at the potential return of Ghostbusters II’s Vigo the Carpathian. This aligns with the video game, wherein Vigo featured as an Easter egg. The combination of Vigo’s inclination towards Demonic Magic and the psycho-reactive slime’s properties from Ghostbusters II might form a dramatic base to resurrect the wicked magician and possibly model a plot echoing the original third movie’s intentions. While these conjectures appear thrilling, fans must exercise patience until further disclosures or the subsequent release, tentatively slated for December 20 this year.
