Ghostbusters: Afterlife Shows the Importance of Legacy Sequels

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire continues the Ghostbusters legacy, redefining the franchise for a modern era. While the series is very much a nostalgic hit for a certain generation, there are still legions of current fans who weren't even alive when the original movie was released. The Ghostbusters franchise has, therefore, found the key to remaining relevant when so many other legacy series have failed in that quest.

Ghostbusters as a universe wasn't always as successful as it is today, and while other legacy sequels have failed to capitalize on the brands that made them so beloved in the first place, Ghostbusters: Afterlife set the stage for a new era. There's no telling where Ghostbusters goes after the launch of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, but that initial legacy sequel should be studied as a textbook way to reinvigorate a prior hit.

Legacy Sequels Have Been a Recent Trend

Top Gun: Maverick is Still Considered to Be the Greatest Legacy Piece

• The original Ghostbusters was released in 1984.
• The Real Ghostbusters & Ghostbusters 2 boosted the franchise in 1986 & 1989 respectively.

Legacy sequels are a relatively new term in the industry, but the genre has already become a bit of a juggernaut, creating its own tropes and character archetypes. In its most basic form, a legacy sequel allows fans to revisit a familiar franchise, with returning cast members and a new league of heroes to follow. Those original characters are usually integral to how the latest film will play out, but the trick with a good legacy sequel is to craft a narrative that can stand on its own, away from the movies of the past. That soft reboot approach will always boast the same continuity, to appease nostalgic fans, but the aim is to also craft a new era for the franchise. Ghostbusters was always a prime candidate for the legacy sequel treatment. It's an older property that audiences have fond memories of but still has so much more potential for today's crowds. But there's a history of legacy sequels knocking it out of the park and missing the point in recent years.

Top Gun: Maverick is perhaps the ultimate legacy sequel, building on the original movie while introducing original characters and a conflict that's gripping from start to finish. There's a point to the film that isn't just about relying on a familiar name and brand. The Star Wars franchise has also used the tropes of legacy sequels with the latest trilogy, which kicked off with Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. The iconic characters of the original trilogy make their return, and there's a parallel series of plot points concerning the rise of the First Order and a debuting Jedi hero. Nostalgia is a real currency, after all, and the Ghostbusters series can tap into that with the return of elements like the Ecto-1 or familiar ghosts like Slimer. But some beloved movies don't have that same nostalgia attached to them despite being past favorites. Space Jam: A New Legacy and Independence Day: Resurgence are classic examples. Although they were solid enough concepts, it seemed as if current audiences weren't motivated enough to dive back into those universes. That is an issue that Ghostbusters has also faced up to.

Ghostbusters Has Had a Tumultuous History

The Ghostbusters Reboot Had the Charm & Humor But Not the Original Continuity

• Ghostbusters returned in 2016.
• The remake was directed by Paul Feig of Bridesmaids & Spy fame.

Ghostbusters has had a tumultuous time on screen. While the original Ghostbusters was an absolute hit, the sequel, Ghostbusters 2, is more of a cult classic than a cinematic icon. Spinoffs like the animated show The Real Ghostbusters helped to boost the franchise, but they don't have the same pop culture impact as that very first film. That's only natural, Ghostbusters was a once-in-a-lifetime project after all, which hit at the exact right moment and boasted all the elements to catch lightning in a bottle. That's definitely not an easy thing to replicate, but fans of the first film were always hoping that something would come along and recapture that magic. For Sony, a Ghostbusters shared universe seemed like a brilliant solution as a way to tell new stories while honoring the very first installment. However, Sony did not take a legacy sequel approach to the material, and that led to a period of pause for the series.

The Ghostbusters remake that was released in 2016 was fun, lighthearted, boasted fantastic performances and was incredibly charming. It was visually appealing, touched on many of the expected beats, and could have acted as a new avenue for the brand to expand upon. But audiences didn't react to the project in quite the same way as the original Ghostbusters and that's partially down to its status as a remake. If this soft reboot utilized the same continuity and took advantage of the legacy sequel tropes, then it could have been a real winner for Sony. But as it stands right now, there are no plans in place to continue with that group of characters or iteration of the world. The original stars were involved with the movie, but in completely different roles, which was a unique approach to take.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Created a New Era For the Franchise

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Owes Itself to Afterlife's Commitment to the Material

• 2021 marked the release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, set within the original Ghostbusters continuity.
• Gil Kenan has taken on directorial duties on Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, taking over from Jason Reitman.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife learned a great deal from the performance of Ghostbusters in 2016. The movie had to be a legacy sequel, and what's more, needed to bring back the original characters. That currency of nostalgia is definitely useful in relaunching a franchise, but Ghostbusters: Afterlife was also bold enough to set its own tone and bring a larger ensemble of original characters to the forefront who were dealing with their individual problems. These new figures were given convincing arcs that weren't entirely based on the needs of the original movie. This was a refreshing reboot that focused on quality storytelling and brilliant visuals without playing back the greatest hits of past releases. It's a tough balancing act to get right, but Ghostbusters: Afterlife paid respect to the past and set up the future. It's no wonder that a sequel was immediately commissioned, and while returning villains and other familiar faces play into Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, there are also plenty of new ideas that expand this cinematic landscape.

Sony is already planning more sequels set within the Ghostbusters universe, and now that Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire have introduced a way for the newer characters to stand on their own, the sky's the limit as to where it can go next. Legacy sequels sometimes spend too much time looking backward, but the mere existence of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire demonstrates that Ghostbusters: Afterlife avoided this trap. Indeed, without the necessary beats to look to the future, there wouldn't be any room to go forward. It's rare that a legacy sequel garners a sequel unto itself, regardless of its quality. The likes of Blade Runner 2049 and Terminator: Dark Fate are examples of that. Ghostbusters: Afterlife isn't the first legacy sequel to get it right; Jurassic World, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Halloween have all embarked on their own successful journeys in this realm. But for a film series that had already attempted to relaunch once, it's absolutely incredible where the franchise sits today as a symbol of great legacy storytelling.