'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' Sparks Spirited Response From Social Media

Ghostbusters: Afterlife hit theaters this weekend, and so far, the response has been strong. The movie had a relatively successful opening night at the box office, and the reviews seem to be generally positive. Fans themselves are starting to share their opinions on social media.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is one of the worst victims of the COVID-19 pandemic in the film industry, having been delayed four times since its original release date in July of 2020. Now that it's finally out, some fans think it is worth the wait. The movie acknowledges Ghostbusters II (1989) as canon, but basically ignores the 2016 Ghostbusters revival. It doesn't hurt that it has some A-list guest stars and cameos, either.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, the son of the original franchise director Ivan Reitman. It stars Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim and Celeste O'Connor as newcomers to the franchise, with the original trio Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson reprising their old roles. Other stars include Sigourney Weaver, Josh Gad, J.K. Simmons and Olivia Wilde, among others.

Reviving, rebooting or adding to a franchise like Ghostbusters always comes with risks, since so many fans have an emotional connection to the original. So far, it seems like Ghostbusters: Afterlife manages to thread that needle. Here's a look at what fans are saying.