The Ghostbusters franchise is returning later this year with Spengler’s grandchildren carrying on the legacy, this time at the home of the Ghostbusters in Manhattan, New York. Along with filming beginning this week, the upcoming 2023 new movie release has also added numerous cast members, including Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt, the former of whom had sweet things to say about being part of a sequel to the ‘80s supernatural comedy classic.
Kumail Nanjiani has been on a roll as of late in terms of being part of recognizable IPs, including recently starring in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series with Ewan McGregor along with becoming a Marvel superhero in 2021’s Eternals. Following news of his casting in the still untitled Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel, the actor wrote this on Twitter:
Ghostbusters was my first favorite movie. I remember exactly how I felt the first time I watched it. Horror and comedy in one movie? This movie was made for me, and I watched it over and over. The script is unbelievably good. I can’t believe I get to be a part of this world.
Release Date: December 20, 2023
Directed By: Gil Kenan
Written By: Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman
Starring: Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Connor, James Acaster, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind
It sounds like Nanjiani is a massive fan of Ghostbusters and is pinching himself that he gets to be part of the nostalgic property that began with legends like Bill Murray fronting it. The actor wrote the message as Deadline reported that Nanjiani along with Patton Oswalt, James Acaster and Emily Alyn Lind, are joining the upcoming Ghostbusters movie.
Patton Oswalt was technically a costar to Nanjiani in Eternals, showing up in the end-credits scene with Harry Styles with their characters of Pip the Troll and Eros. While we don’t know if an Eternals sequel is happening for the moment, it’ll be great to see Nanjiani and Oswalt together for this Ghostbusters sequel. Oswalt is a comedian who is also well-known for his voice work, most recently as part of the hit Netflix series The Sandman as Matthew the Raven.
In regards to the other cast members joining the Ghostbusters movie, James Acaster is an English comedian and Emily Alyn Lind is an actress who has found recent roles in Doctor Sleep and the Gossip Girl revival. The specific roles for all the new additions have not been detailed, but they will reportedly be joining Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace and Celeste O’Connor, who were all major players in 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
The late Ivan Reitman’s son Jason Reitman will once again be heavily involved in this era of Ghostbusters, this time as a writer and producer. His Afterlife co-writer Gil Kenan will be directing this time around, with 2006’s Monster House and Netflix’s A Boy Called Christmas being among the previous movies he’s helmed. These additions add some excitement to the movie ahead of its theatrical release date on December 20 of this year.
