Ghostbusters: Afterlife - Trailer #2 Review (and Hasbro Toy Reveal)

It feels like years since there was a Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer. Well, one year and seven months to be exact. That's water under the bridge, as we have another trailer now, so let's get to it...

The trailer is embedded below, so feel free to watch it before reading on. Click on all framegrabs for the original images. Furthermore, THIS ARTICLE IS VERY IMAGE-INTENSIVE.

A few hours after this trailer was released, Hasbro revealed a new wave of Ghostbusters products. Not coincidentally, most of the new stuff relates to something revealed in the trailer. As such, I will also use this trailer review to mention the new products. ALL of the images given to me by Hasbro for the new merchandise, can be viewed in this gallery at the Spook Central Facebook page. So, if you want to see more of the Clue game and other items, go there after you're done here.


The trailer starts with an establishing shot of Summerville, Oklahoma. We know it as such thanks to the water tower. Rumors that the Warner siblings lived there in the 2000s, after being kicked out of their Burbank home, are unconfirmed at the moment.


As we now have two trailers, each with a few of the same shots, we are afforded the ability to compare those (near) identical shots with each other. For example, this water tower shot also appeared in Trailer #1; albeit without the CGI-added "Summerville" name, and with the nearby "Valley Plaza" signage digitally removed.


Single mom Callie (Carrie Coon), her science-obsessed daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), and gearhead son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), are arriving in town. Phoebe looks out the window, bored as bored can be. Trevor is trying to get reception on his cell phone. In voice over, we hear Trevor say, "You're a great Mom." Cut to Spinner's car hop, where Trevor apparently works. We see him leaving. Meanwhile, a shot is inserted of Phoebe using a soldering iron on something.


This shot is reminiscent of a deleted scene from the first film in which Egon is using a soldering iron to build the equipment.


As we see the kids, we hear dialog from a scene between Callie and Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd) sharing a meal at a restaurant. She is lamenting to him that she can't connect with Phoebe. We get the sense that Pheobe may have some kind of autism which makes it hard for Callie to bond with her. The Groobe tells Callie that everything is fine. "She's an awkward, nerdy kid."


As we hear the dialog, a shot of Phoebe at school being bullied is shown. One of her classmates squeezes a bag of Doritos chips so that it pops open and explodes all over Phoebe.


I don't know who that red-haired girl in the middle of the above shot is, but if Disney wants to make another live-action Kim Possible movie, THERE is your leading lady. Unlike Sadie Stanley, she appears to be a natural redhead AND her hair is voluminous; which is what Kim's hair should be. Anyway...

I'm not sure if the choice to use Doritos was intentional or not. Based on things Jason said about other minor things in the movie, it's possible that it was meant to be a connection to Ghostbusters: The Video Game, which featured paid product placement from that brand (in the original 2009 release, not the 2019 re-release).


Back at the creepy old farmhouse, Phoebe finds that the floor is a sliding puzzle. Her prize for solving it is a Ghost Trap!


Another day at another time, Trevor and his new friends take a joyride to Shandor's mine. His potential new love interest, Lucky (Celeste O'Connor), asks him what they're doing in Summerville. As in the first trailer, he tells her that they're completely broke, and mentions that his Grandfather left his family a "creepy old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere". We see a bunch of rusted old cars lying around the house. Inside, we see a familiar photo.


I recognize those guys. I think they used to run a ghost catching business in New York City. They used to have this spunky secretary. What was her name?


Oh, yeah... VANESSA! I hear that she is now the clerk at some fancy-schmancy hotel.

Of course, that's Annie Potts reprising her role as the lovely Janine Melnitz. It's so nice to see familiar faces in the Ghostbusters universe playing the roles they're most famous for. Janine is meeting with Callie in the farmhouse, which likely means that she lives nearby; probably so she could take care of Egon. "Your father wasn't much of a homemaker. He could hardly keep the power on."

Callie asks, "Are you saying that he left us nothing?" Janine replies, "Well, I wouldn't say nothing." Cut to Trevor in the barn lifting a sheet covering some other thing with a strange logo on it.


It's a "station wagon", according to Phoebe, and the only one with an engine, according to Trevor. He manages to get it up and running again, though as he slams the hood shut, parts of the car fall off. No matter, there are enough parts still attached that he can take it for a spin in the barley field. Expect to see the spin-off, The Fast and the Furious: Barley Drift, in theaters for Summer 2023.


This shot has been color-graded differently from Trailer #1. It now appears dustier.


After a screen informing us that this is a movie "from director Jason Reitman" - good thing that's there, as I was thinking this was from Catherine Reitman - we see gloomy skies over Summerville. Before the storm comes, we're told by The Groobe that "somehow, a town with no fault lines is shaking on a daily basis". This is a cutdown of a longer line that we heard in the first trailer.

Over at the mines, some kind of orange spiritual energy escapes from a drilling shaft.


This shot was also used in Trailer #1, only the spiritual energy was green.


Why did the spirit change from green to orange? "Maybe it's the apocalypse," theorized Phoebe. Where have I heard that before?

Another text screen pops us: THIS THANKSGIVING. You known what would have been 100% times better? THIS HALLOWEEN. Yeah, that's makes much more sense. Unless Murray the Mantis makes an appearance in Afterlife, then it's okay.

After a shot of Ecto-1 driving down a road by a red grain elevator, we see Phoebe in bed. Get your mind out of the gutter. She's fully dressed and watching some YouTube videos on her laptop. As we hear her say that "Egon came out here for a reason", we see what video she was watching.


The video is titled "Old Ghostbusters Ad (1984)", but I can't make out the name of the uploader ("something something TV Ads"). There are six videos on the side. Some of the titles we'll learn later on when we see another computer shot, but as for the images, they are: (1) Pink ghostly streams through NYC skyline. (2) The Ghostbusters ad. (3) Arrow pointing to effects crew in Shandor Building matte painting shot. (4) The guys in video titled "The Ghostbusters: Where Are They Now?" (5) Slimer flying towards camera at the end of the first film. (6) Poodle dog dressed as Stay Puft.

As the guys in the video give the "Are you troubled..." spiel, we see more movie shots that correlate to the speech. There's some spooky fog coming out of a chimney. Someone holding a functioning PKE Meter.


The Pixar lamp puts some cheap moves on Callie. I mean, a lamp follows Callie's movements. Over at Walmart, Groobie Baby meets the Mini-Pufts.


Yes, we've seen that film clip before, but there is a little bit more to it that we hadn't seen. Such as this Mary Poppins reference.


Which turns into a Pinocchio reference when the stick of the drink umbrella impales another Mini-Puft.


The Mini-Pufts inspired Hasbro's new Mini-Puft Popper.

GHOSTBUSTERS MINI-PUFT POPPER
(Ages 8 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $20.99 / Available: Fall 2021)
(BUY IT FROM AMAZON)
Mini-Puft popping action is back with the GHOSTBUSTERS Mini-Puft Popper from Hasbro and NERF! Inspired by the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife film, kids can imagine themselves as part of the Ghostbusters team undergoing eerie encounters with this must-have roleplay gear. The GHOSTBUSTERS Mini-Puft Popper comes with three soft foam Puft Popper projectiles inspired by the mischievous Mini-Puft characters from the 2021 film for ghost-poppin’ action and adventure.

We also see the shot of the Mini-Pufts making Smores out of themselves. That's nothing new, but do you know what is? How about a Gozer shrine in the mines! The International trailer (embedded at the end) features more shots of this underground shrine, so let's step away from the domestic trailer to see these extra shots. Here's a nice shot of the shrine at the bottom of the shaft


A terror dog statue, not unlike the one atop 550 Central Park West.


Tortured souls reaching up for their god Gozer.


Trevor and Phoebe spy the tortured souls.


It's the transgender icon, Gozer! It's whatever it wants to be.


Back to the domestic trailer... There's something strange going on above a mountain, which I assume is above the mine. The kids are still in the Gozer Temple, when they hear an odd growling sound. Of course, Phoebe goes to look down into the bowels of Hell!


A creature with a familiar "flat top" tries to make its way out.


Phoebe intones that "something's coming", as we see Mass Hysteria across Summerville. Electrical supplies are sparking. Main Street is breaking apart, revealing Hell bubbling up underneath. Pink spiritual energy is passing through town like rush hour traffic.


In his trailer breakdown/commentary video (embedded at the end of this article), Jason Reitman says that they used the same special effects elements used for the pink spiritual energy in the original film to do the effect here.

As the spooks run wild, someone says, "The whole city is like The Walking Dead." The audio is clipped from a larger piece of dialog, perhaps even two different pieces of dialog, as we heard Groobe liken New York in 1984 to The Walking Dead in Trailer #1. We are introduced to a new ghost: the Miner Ghost.


He is officially known as Miner Ghost, as per the Clue: Ghostbusters Edition board game that Hasbro will be releasing soon.

CLUE: GHOSTBUSTERS EDITION GAME
(Ages 8 and up / Approx. Retail Price: $20.99 / Available: Fall 2021)
(BUY IT FROM AMAZON)
A team of paranormal eliminators will be racing to a mysterious farmhouse in the Ecto-1 to roast some ghosts and solve mysteries in the new Clue: Ghostbusters Edition Game. Inspired by the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife film, players will experience a suspenseful game of "whodunit" with artwork and characters inspired by the iconic Ghostbusters franchise. By moving from location to location, narrowing down the possibilities, and through the process of elimination, players will figure out who the leader is, how to trap it, and where it will appear. Paranormal cards add teamwork to the game, letting players team up to battle a ghost or get closer to the truth. Once an accusation is made, players must check the Tobin's Spirit Guide card sleeve to see if they are right, with the correct accusation winning the game.

Two of the playing pieces from the Clue game are based on items from the new movie: the RTV and the Aztec Whistle. The RTV makes an appearance later in this trailer. We've never seen the Aztec Whistle, though that does explain the odd Ghost Whistle toy Hasbro showed off at Toy Fair last year. Ghostbusters News has also pointed out that one of Hasbro's new Plasma Series figures is carrying the Aztec Whistle.


Back to the trailer, and the next shot is of a spectral Sentinel Terror Dog terrorizing Groobs.


Guess what? You can build your own Sentinel Terror Dog....


....when you buy all six new Plasma Series figures: Trevor, Lucky, Podcast, Peter, Winston, and Ray. Phoebe's male Asian classmate is "Podcast". Yes, that name is Feig levels of stupidity.

GHOSTBUSTERS PLASMA SERIES GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE FIGURES
(Ages 4 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $24.99/ Available: Fall 2021)
(BUY IT FROM AMAZON: TREVOR / LUCKY / PODCAST / PETER / WINSTON / RAY)
The premium, collectible Ghostbusters figures that fans love is back in time for the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife film with the first wave of the GHOSTBUSTERS Plasma Series Afterlife Figures from Hasbro! Inspired by the latest film coming to theaters in November 2021, this highly poseable collection of action figures features premium design, detailing, and articulation that embody the quality and realism Ghostbusters fans expect with Hasbro's Plasma Series. Each 6-inch scale action figure comes with film-inspired accessories, including new 'Build-A-Ghost' pieces for select figures that form a Sentinel Terror Dog figure.

The GHOSTBUSTERS Plasma Series Afterlife Figures features characters from the 2021 film, including Trevor, Lucky, Podcast, Peter, Winston, and Ray, along with the Sentinel Terror Dog build-a-ghost pieces.

After we see the new Sentinel Terror Dog, the trailer shows us the shot of a thing screeching between some school buses, shattering the glass windows, while Phoebe hides inside.

We get some new footage as Son of Groober runs out of a Walmart with a Terror Dog in tow. The dog busts through the entrance door ala the one that busted out of Louis' apartment.


The kids take Ecto-1 for a joyride, and pass by a Stay Puft billboard on the side of a building.


That scene was filmed at the corner of Railway Street and Nanton Avenue in Crossfield, Alberta, Canada in August 2019. The filming was captured by Google Maps' Street View.


We're now at the iconic scene where the kids are in Ecto-1 chasing after Muncher. We knew about Phoebe in the gunner seat, though now we see the handle she pulls to activate it. What's new to the scene is the addition of the RTV, "Remote Trap Vehicle". This little thing comes out from a small trap door on the underside of the car.


Hasbro is producing a remote controlled version, which makes sense. I'd be surprised if they didn't. It comes with Muncher.

GHOSTBUSTERS RC RTV GHOST TRAP
(Ages 6 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $41.99 / Available: Fall 2021)
The ghost trap has been reinvented! Inspired by the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife movie, kids can now imagine hunting and grabbing spooky ghosts on the run as part of the Ghostbusters team with the GHOSTBUSTERS RC RTV Ghost Trap toy from Hasbro! The remote control allows the RTV Ghost Trap toy to drive forwards, backward, and perform smooth j-hook turns. When moving in reverse, the trap will open, and a Muncher ghost figure will pop out and try to escape!

So, the kids are having fun playing with nuclear weapons while trying to put sad old Muncher in a box on wheels. Just look at the guy screaming out in pain. It isn't bad enough that he's nearly bald, but they have to torture him too?!?


Let's not dwell on the sad future Muncher has ahead of him... namely being Phoebe's pet in Hasbro's Afterlife Fright Figures line, which also includes Audio Broadcast with Bug Eye Ghost, Trevor with a green ghost, and Lucky with a pink girly ghost.

GHOSTBUSTERS FRIGHT FEATURE FIGURES
(Ages 4 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $10.99 / Available: Fall 2021)
(BUY WAVE 1 FROM AMAZON: PETER WITH TERROR DOG / PETER WITH GHOST / WINSTON WITH SLIMER / WINSTON WITH YELLOW GHOST / RAY / EGON)
Fright Features are back and better than ever with the GHOSTBUSTERS Fright Feature Figures from Hasbro! With the ghastliest ghouls now, even more spooky, these 5-inch scale figures are accompanied by an interactive 'Ghost' figure with fright features, along with proton pack and proton blaster accessories. Once activated, ghosts stretch, spook, and cause a fright! Kids can imagine the spine-tingling frights faced by Ghostbusters, old and new!

Wave 1 includes the four original Ghostbusters, including Peter, Ray, Egon, and Winston. Wave 2 includes four human characters - Lucky, Trevor, Phoebe, and Podcast - from the 2021 Ghostbusters movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife (each sold separately).

The trailer gives us a better look at the RTV.


Ecto-1 rounds the corner in front of the Summerville Post Office, only this time the RTV is in the shot.


The CGI for the vehicle was either not completed at the time the first trailer was released in December 2019, or it was purposely left out of the shot so as to not spoil the reveal of the RTV.


We are nearing the end of the trailer, so it cuts to the title: GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE. We get one final bit of business as Groobs, Radio Program, and Phoebe are in his classroom watching the Ghostbusters television commercial on a laptop. It's the same one Phoebe was watching by herself in her bedroom, only this time we see the end of it.


This one shot gives us a couple of things to discuss. First, the commercial itself. The filmmakers are actually using a fan-edit of the commercial, as I recognize the text overlay from this video uploaded by "Core" on June 9, 2017 (assembled using the text-free commercial outtakes from the PlayStation 3 version of Ghostbusters The Video Game):


Now, this time we get a better look at the videos listed on the right-side of the computer screen.

1. "10 signs the government is run by Shandorians" by sutrab. The thumbnail is actually of the pullback Shandor Building shot from the first movie, with a red arrow pointing to the effects crew hidden in the lower right corner.

2. "Where are the Ghostbusters now???" by ParanormalWatch. The thumbnail is part of a candid on-set photo of Dan and Bill, while next to it are smaller recent photos of the two guys separately.

3. "Proton Acceleration with Megan Amram" by Megan Amram. I assume that the thumbnail photo is of Megan Amram.

4. "Savage Science of the Proton Pack" by Adam's Savage's Tested. The thumbnail is of Adam wearing his Ghostbusters costume.

The trailer cuts from the guys on the computer saying, "We're ready to believe you", to this:


HOLY SHIT! That's Reverend Jorgensen's Voodoo Boutique. I'd recognize that "Occult Books" sign anywhere!

A man with a tattooed arm picks up a red phone. According to Jason Reitman in his trailer breakdown, the tatoo actually references biblical Revelation 6:12 (which Ray misquoted as being 7:12 in the first movie). I have to take his word for it as it can't be read in this copy of the trailer.


Ray picks up the phone and says, "We're closed". Astute viewers will note that it's the same red phone that was in Ray's Occult Books in Ghostbusters II. Jason Reitman pointed this out in his breakdown, and it's one of many very minor little things that Jason did to connect Afterlife to the original film series, which he didn't have to do. I mean, would you have expected for Ray to have the same exact phone 30+ years later? No one would have complained if he bought a new phone, would they? That, actually, makes more sense than him keeping the old one, really.

So, yes, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) is back. As we all already know, all three living members of the original team are back: Ray Stantz, Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson). Hasbro will be releasing Plasma Series figures of all three guys in their aged appearance. The photo below should give us an idea as to how the guys will look in the film... and apparently, they WILL be donning jumpsuits!


After the "closed" remark, the trailer cuts to the final credit: "Written by Gil Kenan & Jason Reitman / Directed by Jason Reitman". Then we get one final screen:


There are some interesting things to be gleaned from the trailer's end tag. For one, there is now an Official Ghostbusters App for both Android and Apple devices. According to reports, you probably won't get it to work... assuming you'd be allowed to download and install it in the first place. My tablet recently updated itself to Android 11, which I assume is the latest version, yet the Google Play Store is telling me that my "device isn't compatible with this version" of the Ghostbusters app. At least we have the Ecto-1 Speed Trap Browser Game that can be played in (almost) any web browser. It looks pretty basic, but it's free, so no complaints.

Second, there will be a GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE SCORE ALBUM on the Sony Classical label. Presumably, we can expect to see this in November 2021, likely on CD, vinyl, and digital. No word on if we'll also get a Soundtrack album with pop songs. I'll keep you posted when I hear more about this.


While that was the Domestic Trailer, the International Trailer was also released today. The copy embedded below is presented entirely in English, but with burnt-in subtitles. The Russian dub is without subtitles and has Russian titles, but is otherwise the same.


For the most part, the International trailer has the same footage as the Domestic, only it's shortened down and remixed. Where it differs is in some extra footage of the underground Gozer Temple, which I've already discussed in the body of the review above.


VIP-EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURE - High-quality 1920x1080 downloads of all trailers and the full set of 100+ framegrabs.

Finally, if you didn't like my look at Trailer #2, you can watch director Jason Reitman's breakdown of it.


[UPDATE - 7/29/2021]
The official Ghostbusters YouTube channel has just posted a few reaction videos from the cast of the film. (NOTE: I'll add in the Finn Wolfhard and Logan Kim reaction videos if/when they post them.)