open/close all folders
Pre-release theories
Slimer will return
- Confirmed
by Empire Magazine in their feature on the film's pre-release.
One or more of the original Ghostbusters will die.
Venkman will likely be the one, due to Murray's behavior. Possibly Ray because he's the impassioned and upbeat mentor figure and it could hurt more for that reason.Louis Tully will have a cameo.
- Rick Moranis went on record with the offer to cameo in Ghostbusters: Answer the Call that he didn't see the point. With everyone else on board here in their original roles though, it's not out of line to think there's the chance he potentially would…
The grey-haired figure knocked down by the force of the lion statue's roar in the teaser trailer is…
- …Walter Peck. William Atherton is apparently making an appearance, and Peck will suffer an amusing pratfall, having his perennially-obstructive denial of the supernatural roared back in his face.
- That looks more like Ray. He was previously inside the New York Public Library with Patton Oswalt's character; the jacket is the same. Peck will be in a suit, if photos from the set are anything to go by.
- Ray confirmed.
Peck will actually be on the Ghostbusters' side this time
After being humiliated/humbled by what happened in the first movie (and The Video Game), when things start up again he gets assigned or volunteers to work with the group due to being one of the few bureaucrats with any experience with the paranormal.- Jossed: Peck is just as much of a dick to the Ghostbusters as he was 40 years ago (made worse with Phoebe on the team as he tries to get the team arrested and disbanded due to endangering a minor), he's far worse now that he also the Mayor of New York City which makes the Ghostbusters job even harder.
Emily Alyn Lind's Character Melody — Theories As To Who She Could Be.
- One possible is that she's connected to the new ghost somehow—either as an offspring or as the human form—or Melody is a human possessed by Garraka as well, regardless of whether or not she otherwise relates to the story.
- Partially confirmed. She's reluctantly working with Garraka in exchange for entrance to the afterlife to reunite with her family.
- Given the promo shots with Mckenna Grace as Phoebe and she and Melody look like they encounter Slimer—or someone dressed like him or some kind of green screen character—together, Melody could be either Phoebe's new friend or her mean girl nemesis possibly only pretending to be her friend as part of a prank. Emily's often been known to play the latter role a lot, but may be avoiding the typecasting this time though as Melody. Those could've just been pics of Mckenna and Emily together on set together between takes though, but it's not clear as this time though.
- Partially confirmed. She does indeed become friends with Phoebe, initially using her to advance the plans of Garraka but coming to genuinely enjoy Phoebe's presence.
- She could possibly be a Romantic False Lead for Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) so as to be the incentive to get Lucky (Celeste O'Connor) to realize that she reciprocates his feelings for her. This would likely put her in the camp of Phoebe's mean girl rival.
- On the flip of that, since Finn and Emily are closer in age and because Trevor and Lucky were still only friends in the last one—with Lucky being notably older than Trevor, even if not that much older, it could lend itself to Lucky being the RFL instead. Trevor could still be hung up on her until realizing they're Better as Friends and that Melody has been into him all along and him ultimately realizing she's a way better match for him than Lucky could be the fairly realistic outcome as a result. This would likely put her in the camp of Phoebe's new friend as well. Melody though could also still be Phoebe's rival and then the connection with Trevor isn't any less genuine otherwise.
- Shares a surprising connection to a legacy character like either Louis Tully, Ray or Venkman (maybe even Peck). If related to Peck, she'd probably be Phoebe's rival specifically—and potentially an RFL to Trevor. If related to one of the Ghostbusters or the like, she'd probably be Phoebe's friend and Trevor's genuine love interest then (Vice Versa could also be correct in either case though).
- Vigo's living containment unit. Bonus points for being Ray's adopted daughter.
- The granddaughter of Dana Barrett, and the Apocalypse Maiden of this movie.
- Or she simply is the voice of the main villain ghost, Garraka. Disproven since the character's name has now been released, unless it's a cover for that.
- Everything else is disproven. She's a Cute Ghost Girl who is friendly towards Phoebe and died in a tenant fire. Might be a ghostly teenager (either transparent or as a Monochrome Apparition). Also, the Phoebe/Melody dynamic is given an implied romantic subtext too. She is also reluctantly working with Garraka a majority of the film as well.
We will learn more about Callie Spengler's mother.
- This Riddle for the Ages can't stay unanswered forever. Who is she, is she still living, and, most importantly, is she the reason Callie never knew her dad, and why Egon never met his grandchildren (at least, while still in the flesh)? Egon was no doubt brilliant, but hardly husband material— it may have been her idea to keep him at a distance. Janine, the perpetual third corner of an unrequited love triangle, likely was familiar with the kids' grandmother, and may have her own insights about her to share…
- Or Janine is Callie's mother and she lied about it to protect her, Phoebe and Trevor.
We get the first ever live action cameo of the Extreme Ghostbusters
They're among the dozens of new staff in this continuity - but trained in basic ghostbusting early on. Bonus points if we get Alfonso Riberio as live action Roland after voicing him. (And maybe the more popular fancasts, John Leguizamo as Eduardo, Winona Ryder as Kylie, and Brendan Fraser as Garret.)- Looks like the only connection we get to the Extreme Ghostbusters is Janine's proton pack which is fired from a thrower that's attached to the hand, similar to Kylie's proton pack which is smaller and has a pistol like thrower to match her size.
Trevor and Lucky are separated by Incompatible Orientation
- First of all there's always going to be beef over a LGBT actress in a straight role; and this way they open the door for a live cameo by Emily Alyn Lind as Trevor's new prospect Melody.
- Disproven on both counts. Trevor and Lucky's romance is sidelined most of the film—though still given hints of existing—and he and Melody share no interactions minus watching her crossover to the afterlife with everyone else after she helps them all vanquish Garraka.
Post-release theories
Oscar Barrett Is a Ghostbuster Somewhere Else.
That he and the main four have the painting together of when he was a baby at the end of the second one would indicate that he does have a predestined future with the team and would be valuable to them—even if not in New York (and the second film being confirmed as canon in this film would indeed allow for him to make a return appearance somehow someday). Answer the Call Is Either a Side Story About a Separate Ghostbusters Team or a Parallel Universe That They're Aware Of.
It would stand to reason that the idea that ghosts could've caused other problems without the OG Ghostbusters being around—and the new ones having to stop them instead—or that the 2016 team's exploits happened in another timeline that the OG Ghostbusters somehow learned about and started borrowing ideas for weapons and updates from them in order to better improve themselves and their own techniques.Gozer is still alive.
Stay-Puft Marshmallow Men are still around even after Gozer was separated into hundreds of pieces, each in their own trap. This is due to the fact that Gozer wasn't killed by traps and instead sealed again. The possessor ghost was the tire from Rubber
"He's been reincarnated as a tricycle!" Sequel Theories
The next movie will be a reworked Ghostbusters in Hell.
- The next logical step is to take the team beyond the living world into the spirit world, especially with this being built up in this film and this being an idea the series has also wanted to explore for a really long time too.
- The firehouse, now the centre of a dimensional cross-rip, will be used for extra-dimensional exploration, and to oversee the multinational Ghostbusting corporation initially considered for Ghostbusters II. In Another Dimension, encounter of a Mood Slime-producing Sloar could bridge both Ghostbusters II and Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
The Ghostbusters will begin the next film under direct oversight from Peck/the city, as in Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Yes, Winston forced Peck to feign public support for the Ghostbusters at the end of the film, but as mayor, Peck could twist this to his advantage by making them official contractors for the city... and therefore subject to his constant scrutiny and interference.Vigo Returns as Big Bad.
It would make sense not only with this movie affirming that Ghostbusters II is still canon and would also make sense with the action back in New York and tying in with the most familiar elements of the original movie too (and if the goal is a trilogy, closing it out with him when he was the major villain of the film he was in would also be appropriate too).