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Ghostbusters is one of the most iconic supernatural comedy franchises. Originally released as a film in 1984, Ghostbusters became a prominent part of 1980s pop culture.
The film saw unprecedented success at the box office on its release in 1984, prompting the creators to spawn an entire multimedia franchise out of it. Subsequently, they released film sequels, television series, video games, comic books, apparel, and even live interactive attractions.
To this date, the franchise has released five films under its banner, with the latest installation, Frozen Empire, releasing as recently as March 2024.
Listing all Ghostbusters movies in the correct order of watching
1) Ghostbusters (1984)
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The first Ghostbusters film was released in the USA on June 8, 1984. It had Ivan Reitman in the director's chair while Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis wrote the screenplay from a story Aykroyd had conceived earlier.
The cast featured Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts alongside Aykroyd and Ramis in pivotal roles. Murray's performance along with the film's unique blend of humor, horror, and sci-fi earned the film praise from the critics and the audience. It remained at the top of the box office for seven consecutive weeks, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
The film follows three parapsychologists in New York City, who start a ghost removal service after losing their jobs. While their paranormal exploits make them famous, they end up coming in the way of an ancient demigod trying to destroy the city.
2) Ghostbusters II (1989)
Ghostbusters II came from the house of Columbia Pictures as a sequel to their 1984 blockbuster. Ivan Reitman returned as the director for the movie while Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd worked through multiple versions of the script. After a rushed production and last-minute reshoots, the film was released in theaters in June 1989.
The cast featured Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, and others reprising their roles with Peter MacNicol joining the franchise as a new member. Unfortunately, the sequel could not live up to its legacy. Many criticized the dialed-down dark humor and the unoriginality of the film.
Following the events of the original movie, the sequel showed the now-disbanded group struggling with their lives. However, when a new paranormal entity threatens New York, the group reunites to save their city once again.
3) Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)
Ghostbusters (2016) aka Answer the Call is the third film from the franchise. It was released on July 29, 2016. The film was directed by Paul Feig, based on a screenplay he had written alongside Katie Dippold. A third film was made as a reboot instead of a continuation of the 1989 film.
The film had an all-woman lead cast featuring the likes of Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. Actor Zach Woods and Chris Hemsworth also appeared in the film.
Answer the Call follows paranormal researchers, Abby and Erin, as they recruit Patty, a subway worker, under their cause. Armed with their ghost-busting services, they must stop a malevolent spirit from releasing supernatural chaos in New York.
4) Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Afterlife was released in theaters in 2021. The film was directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman, the original director of the franchise. The screenplay for the film was written by Gil Kenan along with Jason.
The film starred Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and J.K. Simmons in pivotal roles, while Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts reprised their roles. The film received praise for its nostalgic yet original tone. The cast members' acting and Reitman's direction got favorable reviews.
Set over three decades after the events of the 1989 release, Afterlife follows Callie and her two children as they move to their estranged grandfather's inherited property, in a small town in Oklahoma. When the children uncover their long-hidden legacy of ghostbusting, they take up arms against an ancient supernatural entity.
5) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
Frozen Empire is the most recent installation from the franchise and the fifth film under their banner. Gil Kenan directed the film while working on the screenplay with Jason Reitman. The film was released in theaters across the U.S. on March 22, 2024, celebrating 40 years of the franchise.
Frozen Empire features an ensemble of prominent actors including the likes of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and others reprising their roles from the 1980s films. It also has actor Paul Rudd and others from the 2021 film, alongside new additions to the cast like Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, and James Acaster. The film received generally positive reviews from the audience and critics.
Following the events of Afterlife, Frozen Empire follows the Spengler family's return to New York to re-establish the Ghostbusters. When a new supernatural adversary threatens to freeze the entire city, the ghostbusting professionals unite across generations to stop it.
For those of you who are new to the franchise and can't decide which film to watch first, then this list sets all the Ghostbusters movies in chronological order.
