More than 30 years after Ghostbusters II hit theaters back in 1989 — and after an experimental detour in 2016 — the franchise returned to its roots with new energy in 2021 with Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Bouyed by a new cast led by Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace, and Finn Wolfhard, the film did solid box office numbers and became a fan favorite. Three years later, the gang is back — along with a few familiar faces — in an all-new adventure that sees the action returning to New York City.
Ahead of the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’s release, the core four — Rudd, Coon, Grace, and Wolfhard — and director Gil Kenan (who took over for Jason Reitman, who in turn had taken over for his father Ivan) sat down with RT correspondent Naz Perez to talk about the new movie, sharing their reaction to Slimer’s return, giving us their best scared-frozen pose, talking about their on-set experiences with the original cast, and more.
Naz Perez for Rotten Tomatoes: I was especially excited that Slimer is back. I was curious if you guys were fans of Slimer, and what your reaction was when you heard he was going to be in this movie.
Carrie Coon: He’s a real a–hole, Slimer.
Paul Rudd: Very difficult to work with.
Coon: [laughs] Yeah, challenging. Poor Finn [Wolfhard]. I mean, all those Easter eggs for the fans are the best part of working on the movie, in a way, including the OGs, because that’s the stuff people go wild over. And we know that. We’re products of the ’80s; Ghostbusters has always been a part of our lives, so therefore Slimer has always been a part of our lives.
Rudd: Yeah, and there is something… You kind of forget about, “Character… What am I supposed to do…” in the film, when “Oh, my god, there’s Slimer.” Because it is a practical puppet. Or a ghost trap, or the Ecto-1. And there are these feelings of nostalgia and surreality that just kind of kick in, and it’s an amazing thing. It’s an amazing thing to get to experience. Obviously, standing next to the original Ghostbusters in flight suits while it’s happening is the… kind of caps it all off.
Watch the video for the full interview with Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, and director Gil Kenan.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
(2024)
opens in theaters on March 22, 2024.
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