Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Trailer Debunks A Major Theory About Afterlife 2’s Story

With the release of the first Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer, there’s a clear debunking of a major theory about the anticipated sequel’s story. The Frozen Empire cast includes original Ghostbusters cast members Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson, as well as Afterlife actors Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Logan Kim, Carrie Coon, and Paul Rudd. This team up follows the events of Afterlife, which establishes the Spengler family as the new generation of Ghostbusters.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife‘s ending properly set up a return to New York, as the original team was shown back in the city after helping the new generation take on Gozer in Oklahoma. However, the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer illustrates a new threat, potentially the one warned against in Afterlife‘s final moments whereby the ecto-containment unit’s light is flashing red. While there were teases for a much larger scale in ghost-hunting, seeing the multigenerational Ghostbusters back in a familiar place could make for an even higher-staked mission. Still, such an exciting set-up means the 2024 sequel won’t be using a decades-old, expansive idea previously theorized as the franchise’s next story.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Isn’t Using Dan Aykroyd’s Original Ghostbusters 3 Idea

After the Afterlife 2‘s icy, revamped Ghostbusters logo was revealed in June 2023, much speculation around what the next installment’s story would center around began. One focus shifted to Aykroyd’s original Ghostbusters 3 idea, which would have begun directly after Ghostbusters II with a setting in an alternate Hell dimension of Manhattan. This film, dubbed Ghostbusters: Hellbent, would have seen the original Ghostbusters coming out of retirement, traveling to this dimension, and introducing a new squad made up of Ben Stiller, Chris Farley, and Chris Rock.

Evidently, Afterlife 2 is not drawing inspiration from Aykroyd’s scrapped Ghostbusters 3 idea. For one, the original team is already out of retirement, as seen in Ghostbusters: Afterlife‘s ending. Moreover, while Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is set in New York, there’s no indication it’s an alternate dimension. In fact, it takes place in the real world since the firehouse is present and the official synopsis confirms the Spenglers will meet up with the original Ghostbusters there.

What Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’s Trailer Reveals About The Movie’s Story

Aside from location and cast, the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer shows a storm rolling in over Coney Island and sharp icicles shooting down toward the beach packed with people. Quickly, these icicles start sprouting up across the city and ice covers its surface, including the firehouse. Tying into the synopsis’ mention of “an ancient artifact [that] unleashes an evil force,” the presence of new characters (played by Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt) at Ray’s Occult hints to the store’s importance.

Most likely, the confirmation of the Ghostbusters’ “top-secret research lab,” new characters, and the team-up of new and old Ghostbusters suggests a battle with one of the deadliest threats yet. This is reinforced by its name, Death Chill. Since this force can cause people to be “literally scared to death,” essentially weaponizing fear, and since Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) is seen frozen over, there’s a possibility the Ghostbusters will use new technology to physically conquer fear. Lastly, the ominous lanky figure that emerges hints at a Ghostbusters-esque link to some kind of mythology in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and its defeat could be the key to preventing another Ice Age.