If you’ve somehow missed the ecto-hype, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is coming to theaters on Friday, March 22. The new movie brings O.G. cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts together with recent franchise additions Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and McKenna Grace. Newbies to the supernatural comedy film series may want to catch up—here’s how and where.
Ghostbusters movies and where to stream them
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Over 30 years after the breakup of the Ghostbusters, single mom Callie (Carrie Coon) inherits an Oklahoma farmhouse that belonged to her estranged father, the late Ghostbuster Egon Spengler. Soon, she and her kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace) learn that Egon was still conducting ghost business, and enlist the help of a seismologist (Paul Rudd) to stop a new uprising in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Ghostbusters (2016)
The 2016 Ghostbusters starring Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon isn’t technically part of the Ghostbusters universe, but it’s still worth a watch. A team of female scientists (and their himbo receptionist, played by Chris Hemsworth) work together to stop evil Dr. Rowan North (Neil Casey) from opening a dimensional ghost vortex in New York City. Funny, if not essential.
Ghostbusters II (1989)
Sequel Ghostbusters II was derided as a poor copy of the original Ghostbusters upon its release in 1989, but it has since been critically reevaluated as an equally entertaining movie. The story is pretty much the same as the first: Ghostbusters Venkman (Bill Murray), Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Spengler (Harold Ramis), and Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) reunite to quell a supernatural takeover of NYC on New Year’s Eve.
Ghostbusters (1984)
The suits at Columbia Pictures had zero faith in it, but Ghostbusters proved them wrong when it became the highest-grossing comedy ever in 1984. Its infectious blend of laughs, action, and horror made Ghostbusters a global phenomenon, and soon, the slash-through ghost logo, the Ectomobile, and Slimer were everywhere. Ghostbusters is still considered one of the top comedies in film history, and the Godzilla-sized Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is easily the most terrifyingly hilarious movie monster.
Ghostbusters TV shows and where to watch them
Extreme Ghostbusters (1997)
The animated 40-episode Extreme Ghostbusters found Egon Spengler leading a new team of college-aged Ghostbusters battling revived supernatural threats in New York City. Extreme Ghostbusters was lauded for its mature, edgy style, but it didn’t last beyond a single season.
The Real Ghostbusters (1986–1991)
The Real Ghostbusters, the franchise’s first animated series, ran for seven seasons and 140 episodes on ABC and in syndication. It featured Arsenio Hall, Cree Summer, and Full House’s Dave Coulier in its voice cast. The series was more kid-friendly than the movie and really over-indexed on Slimer.
Bill Frost has been a journalist and TV reviewer since the 4:3-aspect-ratio ’90s. His pulse-pounding prose has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Las Vegas Weekly, and many other dead-tree publications (see BillFrost.tv). In addition to being a Senior Staff Writer at CableTV.com, Bill is a syndicated streaming TV columnist forSalt Lake City Weekly and other alternative weeklies, and host/producer of TV Tan Podcast. By night, Bill cranks a Flying V with his band at the bar.
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