ghostbusters afterlife 2 sigourney weaver

Screen Rant

Ghostbusters: afterlife 2 won't feature sigourney weaver (but she has a good reason).

Sigourney Weaver confirms she won't be returning for Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2, but offers a good reasoning for why she wasn't invited back.

Though one original star is already confirm to make his way back for the sequel, Sigourney Weaver reveals she won't be in Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 . The next installment in the beloved comedy franchise will pick up from the events of its predecessor, continuing the story of Egon Spengler's descendants, daughter Callie, grandson Trevor and granddaughter Phoebe, as they return to New York City, home of the original Ghostbusters. Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard are again leading the cast alongside fellow Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Logan Kim, Paul Rudd, Celeste O'Connor and Ernie Hudson.

While speaking with Collider to discuss the upcoming psychological drama Master Gardener , Sigourney Weaver was asked about the possibility of her Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 return. The franchise actor confirmed she would not be back for the upcoming sequel, sharing she wasn't called about it, but offered a good reason for why it makes sense she wouldn't be back. See what Weaver explained below:

No, I mean, I wasn't asked to be in this Ghostbusters, and I think, you know, a little of us goes a long way.

Weaver's Absence Is Actually A Good Sign For Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2

While Weaver may not be returning for the next installment, Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 won't be without some familiar faces as not only is Hudson reprising his role of Winston Zeddemore, but William Atherton will also be back as Walter Peck. The Die Hard actor memorably played the Environmental Protection Agency inspector in the original Ghostbusters , though wouldn't properly return until 2009's Ghostbusters: The Video Game , which was co-written by creators Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and served as an unofficial third film.

It's currently unconfirmed whether Aykroyd, Bill Murray or Annie Potts will again return for Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 , save for recent comments from Hudson hinting he would be back working with them. However, given Weaver's return in the previous film was a mid-credits scene largely playing her against Murray, her absence may be a sign that the sequel is looking to avoid the overreliance on nostalgia that divided critics on the 2021 film.

Between outright reviving original villain Gozer to recreating a number of sequences from the first film, the heavy fan service was seen as a hindrance by critics for Ghostbusters: Afterlife taking the franchise in a new direction, even if it was welcomed by franchise fans turned off by the female-led reboot or lackluster 1989 sequel. Rather than looking for a way to squeeze Weaver's Dana into Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 and let the story unfold organically, co-writer/director Gil Kenan can better balance his inclusion of nostalgia with fresh new directions.

Source: Collider

Sigourney Weaver Confirms She Isn't in 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2' [Exclusive]

When there was something strange in the neighbourhood, she never got the call.

After the rip-roaring success that was Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which breathed new life—ironically—into the spectral series, a sequel was confirmed a few months later with director Jason Reitman stepping away from behind the camera to allow his co-writer and producer on the reboot, Gil Kenan , the chance to helm his first outing on the franchise.

Afterlife , a sequel set three decades after the events of Ghostbusters II , saw the estranged family of Egon Spengler ( Harold Ramis ), move to Oklahoma to inherit the farm Egon left them when he died in mysterious circumstances. The film produced a box office return of $205 million from a $75 million budget, to the delight of Sony Pictures. The fact the movie was a sequel also meant the opportunity to bring back familiar faces from the franchise, one of whom— Sigourney Weaver —has recently discussed the prospects of making an appearance in the series after reprising her role as Dana Barrett in an Afterlife cameo.

During the press tour for her upcoming film, Master Gardner , Weaver - along with her co-star Joel Edgerton - joined Collider's Editor-in-chief Steve Weintraub to discuss the film, and Weintraub took the opportunity to ask Weaver about the prospects of her popping up in the next installment, which brings the series back to its Manhattan roots . First, joking she would be playing the role of Slimer's mother, Weaver went on to state: "No, I mean, I wasn't asked to be in this Ghostbusters , and I think, you know, a little of us goes a long way."

RELATED: 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2': Release Date, Cast, Filming Details, and Everything We Know so Far

What We Know About Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2

Plot details on the film, which has also been referred to as Firehouse , after the iconic headquarters for the original group, have been difficult to come across thus far, but we do know it's a direct sequel to Afterlife —and it's been filming since March. Afterlife 's end credits scene teased Ernie Hudson 's Winston returning Ecto-1—the famous Ghostbusters vehicle—to the firehouse in New York City, as a light on the ecto-containment unit flashed red, in a tease to a follow-up. During the aftermath of the film's release, Reitman did reveal that there would be an opportunity to see villains from Ghostbusters past—like Vigo the Carpathian—make their return, saying:

"There is a lot of time and opportunity for Vigo the Carpathian to make his return. Look, are you saying that’s the only painting of Vigo the Carpathian? Maybe, he’s riding a horse in another one, maybe, impaling someone in another one.”

This would be a sensible approach after the success of bringing Gozer, the original villain, back for Afterlife . Reitman had taken over directing duties from his father, Ivan Reitman , and now Kenan is taking the reins from him having previously directed another movie about 'kids battling monsters' in Monster House. Reitman is still co-producing and writing the script, and will return alongside co-producer Jason Blumenfeld ( Tully ) and cinematographer Eric Steelberg ( Juno ).

Returning from Afterlife are McKenna Grace as Egon's granddaughter, Phoebe, Finn Wolfhard as Egon's grandson, Trevor, and Carrie Coon as Egon's daughter, Callie. Also confirmed to return are the kids' science teacher and Callie's romantic interest, Grooberson ( Paul Rudd ), and Trevor's friend Lucky ( Celeste O'Connor ). The sequel will also include several new faces joining the cast , including Kumail Nanjiani ( The Big Sick ), Patton Oswalt ( Ratatouille ), James Acaster ( Cinderella ), and Emily Alyn Lind ( Doctor Sleep ). Of the legacy characters, we now know that Weaver is out, but Hudson will be returning, however, the status of other Ghostbusters alumni Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Annie Potts is not yet known. A return for Rick Moranis would also be a wonderful sight to see.

The Ghostbusters sequel is currently slated to release exclusively in theaters on Wednesday, December 20th, 2023 . Stay tuned to Collider for more details on the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel as and when we have it.

• by Grant Hermanns
• ScreenRant.com

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Ghostbusters Star Sigourney Weaver Wasn't Asked to Return for Afterlife 2

Ghostbusters franchise star Sigourney Weaver confirms she was not asked to reprise the role of Dana Barrett in the sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Sigourney Weaver will not be haunted by ghosts again in the follow-up to Ghostbusters: Afterlife .

Per Collider , Weaver spoke about the popular sci-fi comedy franchise during the press tour for her latest movie, Master Gardner . When asked if she would reprise her role as Dana Barrett in the Manhattan-set sequel to the 2021 hit, Weaver humorously claimed she was being recast as "Slimer's mother," but then revealed the reality that Sony called all the Ghostbusters cast except for her. "No, I mean, I wasn't asked to be in this Ghostbusters , and I think, you know, a little of us goes a long way," Weaver said.

RELATED: A Dark Ghostbusters Theory Turns the Team Into Villains

Sigourney Weaver's Ghostbusters Journey

Weaver has been a staple of the Ghostbusters franchise since the original movie in 1984. In the film, Weaver's Barrett was a New York City cellist whose Central Park West apartment is the center of the paranormal activity that the Ghostbusters need to stop. Additionally, her character served as the love interest for Peter Venkman (Bill Murray). Weaver reprised the role in 1989's Ghostbusters II, where her infant son Oscar becomes the source of resurrection for ghost tyrant Vigo the Carpathian.

In 2016, Weaver made a cameo in Paul Feig's Ghostbusters reboot as Kate McKinnon's mentor, and later reunited with Murray and the rest of the surviving cast in their original roles for Ghostbusters: Afterlife . Weaver only appears in a mid-credits scene featuring a married Venkman and Barrett, undergoing a reprisal of the famous ESP test scene from the 1984 film.

RELATED: Ghostbusters: Afterlife's Sequel Could See the Return of a Forgotten Villain

While fans may be disappointed by Weaver's absence, the rest of the original cast and the new cast of Afterlife are confirmed to return for the sequel, as Ernie Hudson's Winston Zeddemore is set to upgrade the team . "Winston has gone on, you know, has become very successful and he credits a lot of that to his time as a Ghostbuster," Hudson said. "But he embraces it, and he takes part of his fortune to take Ghostbusting to the next level, and it's great to see him now, you know, not just being [like], 'I just need a job, you people are crazy but hey… I signed up for it now I'm in it.'"

With Gil Kenan taking over the director reigns from Jason Reitman, the untitled Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel also stars Eternals' Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt in undisclosed roles. Additionally, the original film's human antagonist Walter Peck will be back with actor William Atherton in the role. The movie is slated for release on December 20.

Source: Collider

Sigourney Weaver Says She Won’t Be Back for ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel

Filming is now underway on the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel, which will bring legacy actor Ernie Hudson back as Winston Zeddemore. One character from the original films who will not be appearing in the next sequel? Dana Barrett, played by Sigourney Weaver .

Weaver tells Collider , “ I wasn’t asked to be in this Ghostbusters .”

“And I think, you know, a little of us goes a long way,” Weaver adds.

Sigourney Weaver’s role in the Ghostbusters franchise has become increasingly limited with these two most recent movies, first appearing as a new character in a post-credits scene for Ghostbusters: Answer the Call . She more recently reprised the role of Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters: Afterlife , a cameo that was also relegated to a post-credits scene.

Gil Kenan  ( Monster House, Poltergeist ) is directing the sequel to  Ghostbusters: Afterlife .

The cast includes  Patton Oswalt,   Kumail Nanjiani,  James Acaster,  and  Emily Alyn Lind , alongside  Ernie Hudson, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd  and  Carrie Coon.

Jason Reitman , who directed  Ghostbusters: Afterlife,  is producing the upcoming sequel. The film is scheduled to bring the ghosts back to theaters on  December 20, 2023 .

Last we heard, the upcoming movie will return to New York City and the iconic firehouse made famous in the original  Ghostbusters  films – thus the working title,  Firehouse .

The first teaser for the sequel came in the form of an  Afterlife  post-credits scene.

“It’s an absolute honor to pick up the proton pack and step behind the camera for the next chapter of the Spengler family saga. I just wish I could go back to 1984 and tell the kid in the sixth row of the Mann Valley West that one day he was going to get to direct a  Ghostbusters  film,” said Kenan in a recent statement.

Writer in the horror community since 2008. Editor in Chief of Bloody Disgusting. Owns Eli Roth's prop corpse from Piranha 3D. Has four awesome cats. Still plays with toys.

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‘They Follow’ – David Robert Mitchell Directing ‘It Follows’ Sequel Starring Maika Monroe!

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Mitchell broke into the film industry with coming-of-age drama  The Myth of the American Sleepover  (2010), which had its world premiere at South by Southwest. He garnered critical acclaim with his second full-length feature  It Follows  including collecting a Critics Choice Awards® nomination for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie. In 2018, he wrote, produced, and directed black comedy/mystery  Under the Silver Lake  starring Andrew Garfield and Riley Keough. 

Mitchell is currently in development on an Untitled Warner Bros. and Bad Robot project with Anne Hathaway.

Monroe recently wrapped production on Oz Perkins  Longlegs  co-starring alongside Nicolas Cage which NEON will release in 2024. After her breakout role in  It Follows , Monroe starred in Neil Jordan’s  Greta  for Focus Features as well as  Hot Summer Nights, Villains, Honey Boy  and  Watcher .

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Sigourney Weaver Was Not Asked To Reprise Her Role in Ghostbusters Afterlife Sequel

It seems that Sigourney Weaver will not be returning for more ghost busting in this year’s Afterlife sequel.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife brought the 80s franchise back from the doldrums with a well-received mix of nostalgia and new characters, and set up a sequel that is filming now and expected to arriving in cinemas this December. However it seems that one person that won’t be joining the likes of Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray is Sigourney Weaver , as the actress has confirmed that she is not part of the sequel.

Weaver made a short appearance in a post-credits scene of Ghostbusters: Afterlife as Dana Barrett, performing a very familiar Zener cards psychic test on Murray’s Peter Venkman in a flip of the opening scene of 1984’s Ghostbusters when Venkman is testing some of his students in a somewhat unfair manner. While this scene potentially set up the return of Dana in this year’s instalment, according to Collider , Weaver revealed her lack of involvement in the film while discussing her new movie, Master Gardner. When asked if she would put in another appearance as Dana Barrett, Weaver initially joked that she might be coming back as Slimer’s mother, but then added:

"No, I mean, I wasn't asked to be in this Ghostbusters, and I think, you know, a little of us goes a long way."

Although it is disappointing to know that Weaver will not be part of the movie, especially seeing as Dana and Venkman seem to be on good terms in their scene together, there is still plenty to look forward for fans that waited for 30 years to see the guys back busting ghosts and are now getting an even less likely fourth film for their troubles.

Related: Ernie Hudson Says He Was Shunned in the Ghostbuster Franchise

Ghostbusters 4 Will Bring the Franchise Back to a Familiar Location.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife delivered plenty of Easter eggs, from terror dogs to one-liners, but the one thing it kept back until the end of the movie was the sight of the old firehouse that became such an iconic part of the original movies. In this year’s sequel, the firehouse will be back in action as the plot movies back to Manhattan, with the old Ghostbusters and the family of Egon all living in the New York Ghostbusters Headquarters.

Since the last movie, it seems that the newcomers to the franchise will be donning Ghostbusters jumpsuits, suggesting that Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard will all be fully-fledged members of the busting team this time around. However, what the plot of the movie will be is currently a guarded secret but there have been some small bits of information revealed in various interviews and set images seen in the last few months.

While Jason Reitman, who produces this time around, has teased a possible appearance by Ghostbusters II ’s Viggo in some form, one villain from the original movie that has been seen on set is Walter Peck , the environmental agent played by William Atherton, who was last seen receiving a large dollop of toasted Marshmallow Man on his head at the end of the movie. What his role will be this time around has not yet been revealed, but it is clear that once again, even without the involved of Sigourney Weaver, there will be plenty of ties back to the original movies in the franchise.

The currently untitled Ghostbusters 4 is expected to arrive in cinemas on December 20, 2023.

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Sigourney weaver says she will not be in the upcoming sequel to ghostbusters: afterlife.

Sigourney Weaver is known for so many great roles over her acting career, namely the franchises of Alien , Ghostbusters , and Avatar , so it’s only natural for fans to wonder if we might see her return to the Ghostbusters: Afterlife family in the upcoming sequel. We got to see her return as Dana Barrett in the first film (2021), in the post-credits scene where she sat opposite Bill Murray ’s Peter Venkman doing an homage to the playing card scene from Ghostbusters (1984). So was that a sign the actress is returning for the next film? Weaver says no.

During a recent interview with Collider to promote Weaver’s upcoming film, Master Gardener , she was asked about a possible cameo or part in Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 , and she first responded, joking she would be playing the role of Slimer's mother, but then went on to state:

"No, I mean, I wasn't asked to be in this Ghostbusters, and I think, you know, a little of us goes a long way."

I think she’s just being modest. The fans of the Ghostbusters franchise are diehard, and we would love to see Dana return in a bigger role! Although, another cameo would be fun too. The synopsis for the next film has been largely kept under wraps, though we do know it will take place back in New York City. During the aftermath of the film's release, Reitman did reveal that there would be an opportunity to see villains from Ghostbusters past—like Vigo the Carpathian—make their return, saying:

"There is a lot of time and opportunity for Vigo the Carpathian to make his return. Look, are you saying that’s the only painting of Vigo the Carpathian? Maybe, he’s riding a horse in another one, maybe, impaling someone in another one.”

The Ghostbusters sequel is currently slated to release exclusively in theaters on Wednesday, December 20th, 2023.

I’m Jessica Fisher! I love being a wife and mom, and I love movies and TV. I’m a murderino, and love to travel and write. I love Disney and the beach, and being awesome. My favorite things to geek out on are the podcast My Favorite Murder, The Handmaid’s Tale, Mindhunter, Cobra Kai, The Wonder Years, and The Walking Dead. My favorite movies are About Time, 50/50, pretty much anything with Jason Segel and/or Paul Rudd, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Dirty Dancing, and so many others. I love the books Little Women and Harry Potter, and love stand-up comedy. I love writing for GeekTyrant!

• Entertainment

Ghostbusters: Afterlife loses major star

Ghostbusters: Afterlife grossed $204 million in 2021, and a sequel was inevitable from Sony. However, despite a long list of the cast returning, the sequel will have to go on without a huge star.

Sigourney Weaver, while promoting her new film Master Gardner, spoke to Collider's Steve Weintraub and revealed that she won't be returning for the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel after initially joking about playing Slimer's mother. “No, I mean, I wasn't asked to be in this Ghostbusters, and I think, you know, a little of us goes a long way,” she said in regard to the Afterlife sequel.

Afterlife is set three decades after Ghostbusters II and follows a pair of siblings, Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace), and their single mother Callie (Carrie Coon). The film also starred Bill Murray, Paul Rudd , Dan Aykroyd, and, of course, Weaver.

Even if Weaver doesn't return, Rudd, Wolfhard, Grace, and Coon are all set to return. Additionally, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind have been cast in undisclosed roles.

Sigourney Weaver is a pop culture icon most known for her role as Ellen in Ridley Scott ‘s Alien films. In recent years, Weaver appeared in a different sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water , and will also appear in the next two sequels as Kiri. She's also dipped her toe back into the indie scene, as she appeared in Call Jane last year with Elizabeth Banks and is currently promoting Master Gardner by director Paul Schrader.

Andrew Korpan · 3 months ago

Andrew Korpan · 5 months ago

Burtland Dixon · 6 months ago

The Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel will be released on December 20, 2023.

About the Author

Andrew Korpan is an entertainment journalist and film critic. He's also an award-winning author and Ken Jeong's best friend.