Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel adds Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, and more to cast

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that filming has officially begun on the sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (watch it HERE), which is scheduled to reach theatres on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. Now that cameras are rolling, Deadline has revealed the names of several actors who have joined the cast. They are: Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens), James Acaster (Hypothetical), and Emily Alyn Lind (Doctor Sleep).

Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace are back for the sequel, reprising the roles of Trevor and Phoebe. They’re joined in the cast by Carrie Coon, playing Trevor and Phoebe’s mom Callie, and Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore. And Deadline has also confirmed that Paul Rudd is back as Gary Grooberson.

It hasn’t been confirmed whether or not Hudson’s fellow original Ghostbusters Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray will be showing up in the sequel. It has been said that “The character of Winston Zeddemore and Zeddemore Industries figures strongly into the future of Ghostbusters.”

At first, Afterlife director Jason Reitman was expected to take the helm, once again directing from a screenplay he was writing with Gil Kenan – but then it was revealed that Kenan will actually be directing the new film. He previously directed the animated movie Monster House, the live-action films City of Ember, A Boy Called Christmas, and the remake of Poltergeist, and an episode of the Scream TV series.

When he took the directing job, Kenan said, “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.“

Reitman added, “A few years ago, my father (Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II director Ivan Reitman) handed me the keys to Ecto-1 and together we made Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Words will never express how grateful I am to have made a film with my father by my side. It’s now time to hand those keys to my creative partner and fellow Ghostbuster Gil Kenan, a brilliant director who will keep the Spengler spirit alive. I can only hope to provide him the same producorial care and support that my father showed me.“

Are you looking forward to seeing Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and/or Emily Alyn Lind in the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel? Share your thoughts on this casting news by leaving a comment below.