Variety has learned that Netflix and Jason Reitman will collaborate on developing a Ghostbusters animated series following Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Working in tandem with Sony Pictures Animation, Reitman and Gil Kenan will helm the ghost hunting project under their Ghost Corps, Inc. and executive produce.
No plot details are known since no writer is attached. Netflix and Ghost Corps, Inc. will tackle production.
In the history of the IP, this would make for the third Ghostbusters animated series. From 1986 to 91 was The Real Ghostbusters, which aired for 140 episodes in seven seasons under ABC. In 1997, there was Extreme Ghostbusters that went on for 40 episodes.
The original Ghostbusters
The original Ghostbusters was created by Jason Reitman’s father, Ivan Reitman. The film starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Rick Moranis. After grossing $229 million, the 1984 film was followed by an 89 sequel that was more family-friendly and grossed $215 million.
Reitman senior had a long, successful career before his death in 2022 at 75 years old. He was nominated for an Oscar for his star-studded 2009 movie Up in the Air. Before, he had classics under his belt like Kindergarten Cop, Twins, and Stripes.
The build-up to Jason Reitman and Netflix for the upcoming series
In 2016, there was a woman-led reboot that starred Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon. The film was directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids). He wrote it with Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreation). The film was divisive, and with the overly inflated budgets in modern blockbusters, it bombed at its $229 million box office.
What led to the team up with Netflix was Jason Reitman making a sequel to his father’s 1984 classic with Afterlife. Writing with Kenan, the film had a smaller budget than the 2016 reboot. With $75 million, it grossed a modest $204 million. The film starred Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon (Gone Girl), McKenna Grace (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Logan Kim, with this being his acting debut.
