Ghostbusters was one of those movies that I grew up with. I was only 1 when it was released but it became a family favourite over the years; my older sister in particular nearly played our VHS copy to death during my childhood. Quotes from the movie became a common part of my family life.

We both knew the movie word-for-word and could probably go close to reciting the 1989 sequel as well. I remember seeing Ghostbusters 2 at a cinema in Queensland who had hired some poor imitations of the cast to entertain the viewers in full costume. Even as a six year old they seemed kind of lame, but I guess the sequel to the 1984 blockbuster was a big deal at the time.

When news of the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife reached us, we were optimistically excited. After all, this movie promised to hark back directly to the beloved original. It apparently also chooses to pretend that the 2016 reboot doesn’t exist. Tick.

Instead, the new movie focuses on the family of Egon Spengler, played by the late Harold Ramis. That in itself seems to be a good thing. They haven’t tried to replace Ramis or re-cast Egon. They’ve instead centred the entire movie around his (or his character’s) legacy, which feels like a genuinely respectful creative direction.

The initial teaser trailer featured a Bill Murray voiceover quoting directly from the first movie. Visual references were abundant. The ghost traps, the mini Stay-Puft marshmallow men, symmetrical book stacking in Egon’s old house and, of course, good old Slimer. The list went on from there. Names and objects from the first movie popped up everywhere.

Now, the final trailer has been released and it offers up even more nostalgia for those who remember the 1984 classic well enough. So far the role the original cast members will play is unclear as they have not appeared in the trailers, although the very end of this new trailer features a very familiar voice.

Hopefully the plot and characters will be strong, because if the film tries to trade solely on nostalgia it will almost certainly disappoint. We will find out when the movie hits the big screen on November 11, 2021. Until then, whet your appetite with the latest Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer below.