Ghostbusters: Afterlife release date moved to Summer 2021

(Image credit: Columbia)

Sony Pictures has announced that the Ghostbusters franchise reboot Ghostbusters: Afterlife will have its release date moved once again, from March to June 2021, shifting it to the summer release schedule. The movie will debut on June 11, the same date that the original 1984 film was released.

Per Deadline, the delay is the latest in a long series of release date changes taking place in the film industry as a result of ongoing movie theater restrictions. The film was originally slated for release on July 10, 2020, but had an initial delay in March at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the latest film in the Ghostbusters franchise and the most recent since the 2016 reboot directed by Paul Feig that was notable for featuring an all-female set of Ghostbusters. 

Afterlife, helmed by Jason Reitman, features a script written by Reitman and Gil Kenan and takes place thirty years after 1989's Ghostbusters 2. The plot centers around a family learning about their connection to the original ghostbusting squad through their grandfather. The film is set to star Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, and Paul Rudd. Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts are all slated to reprise their roles from the original film. 

A third Ghostbusters film has been in the works since Ghostbusters 2, but a reboot was decided upon after the death of original cast member Harold Ramis. Meanwhile, it looks like we'll have to wait just a little bit longer to see the beloved franchise make its return to the big screen. Need some Ghostbusters content to hold you over while you wait? Check out how the film would look without special effects. 

Freelance writer

Kai Delmare is a freelance journalist and news writer with bylines at GamesRadar+. During her time at GR, Kai focused on writing breaking gaming news and reporting on some of the biggest industry trends.