Summary
- A potential Ghostbusters 5 set in the UK could undo the repair work done by Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2, risking the future of the franchise.
- Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 aims to fix the criticism that the previous film didn't feel like Ghostbusters by returning the setting to New York City.
- Keeping Ghostbusters 5 in New York City is the easiest way to continue the franchise, allowing for seamless cameos and building on the new generation's story.
One Ghostbusters 5 pitch could immensely shake up the franchise, and while this is exciting, it also risks already undoing what Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 is fixing. While the Ghostbusters franchise has had a rocky path ever since the original film, it has finally started to get back on course with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and the sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 seems like a true return to form for the series. However, a new idea for a potential Ghostbusters 5 could ruin these years of repair, changing one of the key franchise elements that Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 is focused on fixing.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 is the sequel to the successful franchise revival, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Since 1984's Ghostbusters was released, studios have been attempting to recapture the magic of the original, leading to a disappointing direct sequel only a few years later. The franchise went on hiatus after Ghostbusters II in 1989, with no movies releasing until 2016's Ghostbusters reboot, which was torn to shreds by fans and critics. 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a soft revival, acting as a direct sequel to the original films. The tonally different sequel was much more well-received than its predecessor, leading to Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 getting greenlit, although the film could change everything.
Why Ghostbusters Leaving New York Again After Afterlife 2 Would Be A Mistake
Ghostbusters star Dan Akyroyd has been teasing Ghostbusters: Afterlife 3 ahead of Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2's release, with one of his big story changes involving the Ghostbusters once again leaving New York. Akyroyd's pitch for a fifth Ghostbusters movie involves taking the Ghostbusters to the United Kingdom, which would be a new setting for the titular ghost hunters. According to Akyroyd, Ghostbusters: Afterlife 3 would pull from the ghosts and mythical creatures of Scotland, with the rich folklore of the country being enough to prop up another Ghostbusters sequel. While a UK setting is interesting, it also creates a huge franchise problem.
One of the biggest criticisms of Ghostbusters: Afterlife was that it didn't feel like Ghostbusters, and that's in large part due to the setting. Ghostbusters: Afterlife takes place in the small rural town of Summerville, Oklahoma, whereas the original Ghostbusters takes place against the bustling backdrop of New York City in the 1980s. Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 is fixing this, with the sequel confirmed to take place in New York City. While this is a big step toward repairing the franchise, Dan Akyroyd's Ghostbusters 5 pitch would remove the team from New York City after only one movie, ruining the film with this huge mistake.
Keeping Ghostbusters 5 In New York Is The Easiest Way To Continue The Franchise
Although there is potential for more stories in other countries, keeping Ghostbusters 5 in New York is the easiest way to continue the franchise. The main cast of characters in Ghostbusters: Afterlife are school-age kids, so the story of Ghostbusters 5 would have to justify moving the gang to another country shortly after moving them to New York. Since Ghostbusters: Afterlife focuses on a new generation of ghost hunters, keeping them in New York is a simple way to build up their stories, allowing the kids to build off the backs of the original team's bases and equipment from the first Ghostbusters movies.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife was incredibly reliant on nostalgia, callbacks, and cameos, something Ghostbusters 5 would have difficulty doing if it took place in the UK. Keeping Ghostbusters 5 in New York City would allow for cameos to be woven into the story more seamlessly, as the cast will be surrounded by classic Ghostbusters icons and elements in New York. While Dan Akyroyd's Scottish folklore-inspired story is fun, it's not worth uprooting the kids from New York. However, it could actually happen in New York City, as the diverse city and its rich history could allow the stories of foreign folklore to be told in the Big Apple.
Will Ghostbusters 5 Even Happen?
Although Dan Aykroyd is already teasing Ghostbusters 5, Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 hasn't even come out yet, meaning Ghostbusters 5 might not happen at all. Ghostbusters 5 all depends on the success of Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2, as if the film bombs or is critically panned, it is doubtful that it would get a sequel. However, a Ghostbusters movie after Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 is almost inevitable. The Ghostbusters IP is incredibly valuable, and the franchise has shown it won't give up after the failures of Ghostbusters II or the 2016 reboot. So, a Ghostbusters 5 is almost inevitable, whether it's a Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 sequel or not.
