With Ghostbusters Afterlife providing a canonical sequel to the original 1984 film that made money in relation to cost, Sony clearly pounced on the idea that they now have a Ghostbusters trilogy to sell. And an upcoming “ultimate collection” of Afterlife and its two storyline predecessors contains three films on 4K, plus numerous extras to justify its hefty $150 price tag. Just one problem: this “ultimate” collection leaves out an entire movie: Ghostbusters 2016, also known post-release as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call.
It’s obvious why: Ghostbusters 2016 is a reboot that exists in its own continuity. But at the time, it had the blessing of everyone involved, with cameos from all the surviving original stars. Though it endured intense backlash from a vocally misogynist crowd, it ultimately made more money domestically and internationally than Afterlife. For all the old-school fans disappointed by the new continuity, it made several new ones pleased about the representation for female heroes. But on a bigger budget than Afterlife, it made less profit.
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Still, regardless of one’s feelings towards the movie, it’s hard to call any franchise set “ultimate” that leaves it out. And director Paul Feig issued a public response via Twitter:
Um … @SonyPictures, I know this must be a mistake. We do have a lot of fans and Bill, Dan and Ernie were in it and it won the Kids Choice Award for Best Feature Film the year it came out. So, I guess this was just an oversight? #weareallghostbusters https://t.co/dI8TwJsG4I
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) December 22, 2021
In the IDW comics, an official app game, and the Kickstarter board game, Ghostbusters as a property embraced the notion of a multiverse. The movies have yet to formally do so. But it might add fans, rather than subtracting them, to decide — as Sony’s biggest movie franchise Spider-Man already has — that all canon counts.
Do you think a Ghostbusters box set should include every movie? Let us know in comments.
Recommended Purchase: Ghostbusters (1984) / Ghostbusters II / Ghostbusters: Afterlife – Gift Set [4K UHD] [Blu-ray]
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