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The supernatural comedy film Ghostbusters debuted in 1984, and since then it has spawned multiple films and television shows. As of now, the film franchise has four films, with one more feature, Frozen Empire, set to release on March 22, 2024.
Besides this, the franchise also has two animated series for fans, which offer more about the world and characters, created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. As the upcoming film from the franchise is set to hit theatres in a few months, here is a detailed explanation of the number of films and series, including a watch order.
The number of films and TV shows in the Ghostbusters franchise explored
Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis penned the script, with Ivan Reitman in the director’s chair. Thus, the first film was released in 1984, starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson in leading roles.
Following that, Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters (2016), and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) were released. The animated series The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991) and Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) also expanded the film franchise.
So, there are a total of four films and two animated television series in the franchise. A fifth film and sequel to Afterlife, Frozen Empire is also releasing on March 22, 2024.
As the franchise has multiple films and TV series, it is quite confusing for viewers on how to watch the film. So here is a proper watching order for the films and television shows.
Watching order explained
Ghostbusters (1984)
To have a basic understanding of the franchise, one can watch the first film, which was released in 1984. This film also introduces the central characters Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), who team up to battle against the ghosts of New York City.
On its debut, the film grossed over $280 million at the box office on a budget of $25-30 million and also bagged positive reviews from critics. This made the feature the second-highest-grossing film of 1984.
The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991)
The series serves as an animated sequel to the 1984 film and aired from 1986 to 1991, while focusing on the animated adventures of Venkman, Spengler, Stantz, and Zeddemore. The show has a total of seven seasons and 140 episodes, with a runtime of 14 to 24 minutes. Despite being the animated sequel, none of the actors from the first film returned to voice the characters.
The voice cast of the series included Lorenzo Music, Dave Coulier, Maurice LaMarche, Fran Welker, Arsenio Hall, Buster Jones, Laura Summer and Kath Soucie.
Ghostbusters II (1989)
A sequel to the 1984 film, was released in 1989. The film continues the events five years after the first movie. The plot follows Venkman, Stantz, Spengler, and Zeddemore going bankrupt and out of work after their battle with ghosts in New York City. However, a new threat emerges in the city, which reunites them to save the world.
Despite the budget of $30-40 million, the sequel underperformed at the box office by grossing over $200 million. In addition to the box office failure, the film also received mixed reviews from critics.
Extreme Ghostbusters (1997)
This show is a sequel to the 1986 animated series, which aired for a total of 40 episodes from September 1997 to December 1997. The story of the animated show follows a teenage group, led by Egon Spengler. The new team includes Eduardo Rivera, Kylie Griffin, Roland Jackson, and Garret Miller, who are college students recruited by Spengler.
The ensemble cast includes Billy West, Rino Romano, Tara Strong, Alfonso Ribeiro, Jason Marsden, Maurice LaMarche, and Pat Musick.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
A sequel, Afterlife, was released in 2021, almost 32 years after the 1989 film. The 2021 film focuses on the grandchildren of Egon Spengler, Trevor Spengler and Phoebe Spangler. The plans for the third sequel were ready since the release of the 1989 film, but the production was on hold as Bill Murray refused to reprise the role.
Jason Reitman, the son of Ivan Reitman, who directed the first two films, added his directorial vision to the feature. Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, and Mckenna Grace starred in the lead roles. The film bagged over $200 million on a budget of $75 million and received positive reviews from critics. The storyline of Afterlife will now continue in Frozen Empire, the fifth film in the franchise.
Ghostbusters (2016)
In 2016, Sony Pictures rebooted the franchise with a new ensemble cast starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Neil Casey, and Chris Hemsworth. The film is a reboot of the first film and follows a group of four women who decide to capture ghosts in New York City.
The film failed to perform financially by collecting over $200 million on a budget of $144 million. As the 2016 film is a reboot, it is not canon to the franchise, and one can watch the film after the 2021 film.
Mention your favorite film from the franchise in the comments below.
