The Ghostbusters franchise, which has grossed more than $1.1 billion globally since its 1984 debut, may not be done just yet. Original star and co-writer of the franchise, Dan Aykroyd, has hinted that new creative directions for the franchise are already being explored. Aykroyd spoke about the franchise’s future during a conversation on the Talking Stage podcast hosted by Aaron Sagers. The discussion took place while Aykroyd was promoting Season 3 of his docuseries, The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd. When asked about the possibility of another film, Aykroyd said:
“We’ll see what we do as far as the next Ghostbusters feature, and there will be one.”
However, he added that they weren’t sure about “what avenue we’re going to take.” Aykroyd also hinted that the storyline “might manifest itself in some kind of evil formation.” Although the Ghostbusters franchise still enjoys a loyal fan base, its box-office journey has been far from steady. The 1984 original became a cultural and commercial phenomenon, earning around $295–300 million worldwide on a modest $25–30 million budget. Its 1989 sequel, Ghostbusters II, fell short of the original’s impact but still delivered around $215 million globally.
The 2016 reboot, meanwhile, sparked mixed reactions and strong online backlash for an all-female cast; despite earning about $229 million worldwide, its $144 million production budget and heavy marketing costs meant it underperformed commercially. The series regained momentum in 2021 with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which earned about $204 million worldwide against a leaner $75 million budget and successfully reconnected with the original storyline. However, 2024’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, made for roughly $100 million, finished with around $202 million worldwide, a result that appears respectable on the surface but is widely regarded as a commercial disappointment once marketing expenses and franchise expectations were factored in.
Aykroyd Has Also Confirmed a ‘Ghostbusters’ “Really Neat” Animated Series
Aykroyd, while talking about the future of the franchise, also hinted at a fresh new animated series, which is currently in the works. The project was first announced in 2022 and was officially greenlit by Netflix in August 2024. According to Aykroyd, the new series will feature a vibrant Manhattan setting. He said:
“We are doing a really neat animated Ghostbusters. It’ll be coming out quite soon. The characters and the whole take and the look of Manhattan is really exciting.”
The plot details have not been revealed yet, but the series will feature 3D animation, different from the previous classic 2D animated films, The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters. Additionally, a separate feature film is also in development, with Sony Animation and Netflix collaborating on the project. While the storyline details of the film also remain under wraps, Kris Pearn (The Willoughbys) is on board to direct it.
All movies in the Ghostbusters franchise are available to stream on Netflix.
via Collider