For the first time since 1989, the original Ghostbusters Firehouse is about to be teeming with life once more. After Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife took the action out to rural Oklahoma, its sequel Frozen Empire is heading back to NYC for a fresh bout of ‘busting – and that legendary HQ is all go, go, go. Not only are the younger Spengler family (and Paul Rudd’s Gary Grooberson) battling spectres on the regular alongside the original crew, but there’s a whole host of new faces entering the fray too.
Joining the cast this time are the likes of Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hubert Wartzki, Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi – and, most importantly to anyone who instinctively knows the answer to the question “Poppadoms or bread?”, British comedian and podcasting favourite James Acaster. The Off Menu co-host is playing Lars Pinfield, a man responsible for some of the fresh tech being funded by Ernie Hudson’s Winston – and he’s set to fit firmly into the Ghostbusters universe. “James is not playing a Spengler, but he really falls in line with the Egon Spengler ‘type’,” laughs Reitman.
It’s a whole hive of ectoplasmic activity, with multiple generations coming together to battle the paranormal. For instance, expect a delightful team-up between Dan Aykroyd’s Ray Stantz and Logan Kim’s young podcaster from Afterlife, simply known as Podcast. “Ray and Podcast are buddies – Ray’s a mentor to him,” says Aykroyd. “He’s renting Ray’s basement to shoot an Instagram series called ‘Repossessed’, where people bring in objects they think are haunted.” And Mckenna Grace’s science-mad Phoebe Spengler is living her (and her grandfather’s) dream. “Phoebe’s in her element,” says Grace. “She’s now ghostbusting on a totally different scale to what she was doing in Oklahoma.” Maybe it’s the ghosts who should be scared this time.
Empire’s world-exclusive Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire issue features two collectible covers, featuring an original photoshoot with both generations of the cast, the Ecto-1 and a smattering of spooks. Inside, you’ll find the world’s first interviews on the Ghostbusters’ most dangerous mission yet – speaking to Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman, and the Ghostbusters themselves, including Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Paul Rudd, Annie Potts, Finn Wolfhard, and more. Plus: never-before-seen images from the film, and Jason Reitman on the genius of Bill Murray. On sale Thursday 18 January. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire comes to UK cinemas from 22 March.