7 Reasons Ghostbusters: Afterlife Won't Revive The Franchise
5. The Familiar ‘Stranger Things’ Style Narrative
One of the most notable things from the Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer is just how absent actual grown-up Ghostbusters are from it. In fact you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a trailer for a new Stranger Things series, merely paying homage to the Ghostbusters franchise.
It’s clear that Afterlife will follow a similar kids-on-an-adventure narrative as the aforementioned show. However, it feels like such an approach has been done to death lately with the likes of IT, especially given the setting of Afterlife, which feels like it’s been lifted directly out of a Stephen King novel.
Though taking a similar route to Stranger Things isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just doesn’t feel unique, new or different, and also looks very un-Ghostbusters-like as a result.
Ultimately, leaning on the cultural success of Stranger Things alone won’t be enough to kick start the flailing franchise. Especially when people can get their fix of kids fighting strange goings on in small town America elsewhere.