Ghostbusters: Afterlife Filmmakers Reveal Working Title, New Details on Upcoming Sequel

As noted, Sony Pictures has a new animated feature film and Netflix animated series in the works for the Ghostbusters franchise. Additionally, Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman and writer Gil Kenan appeared at last night’s Ecto-Fest event and revealed new details on the recently announced live-action sequel.

During the Ecto-Fest presentation, which I attended in person, Reitman and Kenan confirmed that the next chapter of the story will continue the Spenger Family saga. It will also continue where the after-credits scene of Ghostbusters: Afterlife left off, with the Ecto-1 returning to the Manhattan Firehouse that used to house the Ghostbusters in the previous entries. This is where the next chapter of the story will begin, back in New York City and Ghostbusters Firehouse.

Reitman and Kenan also revealed that the codename or working title for the next film is Firehouse in honor of the iconic location. Similarly, the working title for Ghostbusters: Afterlife was “Rust City,” which was also a nickname for the town of Summerville, Oklahoma where the film was set.

The director and co-writing team also shared more details on the sequel while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter. Reitman informed THR, “We talked about what we wanted to see happen to the Spengler family and even outside the Spengler family.” He added, “And he was so excited. He was just thrilled about where we wanted to go. And sitting there, telling him what we wanted to do with the story was a daunting responsibility, but his enthusiasm for it is what fuels us today.”

While Reitman and Kenan were mum on plot details, Reitman did admit that Ernie Hudson’s Winston Zeddemore and his company, Zeddemore Industries, will “strongly into the future of Ghostbusters.”

Before introducing an outdoor screening of Afterlife, Kenan and Reitman mentioned that they are still in the process of working on and completing the script for Firehouse. The film does not yet have an official release date.

Another project that Reitman and Kenan are working on is a new Ghostbusters limited comic book series from Dark Horse Comics. The new comic will bridge the gap between Afterlife and its upcoming sequel. It will also be canon to the films.

Ecto-Fest also unveiled the newly-named Ivan Reitman Way at Sony’s Culver City studio lot in honor of Jason Reitman’s father, the late Ivan Reitman, the architect behind the Ghostbusters Universe. It is located outside the Ghost Corps. office, the production company created by Reitman and Akroyd in collaboration with Sony Pictures.