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History of Ghostbusters Timeline
(June 8, 1984 – Present)Ghostbusters began with Ivan Reitman's 1984 supernatural comedy starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis, becoming a cultural phenomenon that spawned sequels (1989), an animated series (The Real Ghostbusters), video games, comic books, a 2016 all-female reboot, and the legacy-focused films Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Frozen Empire (2024). More Less
Origins and Development
Dan Aykroyd conceives the Ghostbusters concept
1975
Inspired by his family's interest in the paranormal, Dan Aykroyd began developing an idea for a comedy about a team of ghost hunters. His early draft envisioned a sprawling sci-fi epic set in the future, which he would later reshape into the 1984 film with Harold Ramis.
Image source: Ghostbusters
Aykroyd and Ramis rewrite the script
1981
Dan Aykroyd brought the project to director Ivan Reitman, who suggested grounding it in contemporary New York City. Aykroyd and Harold Ramis rewrote the script over several weeks at Martha's Vineyard, transforming it into a character-driven comedy centered on Columbia University parapsychologists.
Harold Ramis dies
Feb 24, 2014
Actor, writer, and director Harold Ramis, who co-created Ghostbusters and portrayed Egon Spengler, died at age 69 from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis. His death deeply affected the franchise's future development.
Image source: Harold Ramis
Ivan Reitman dies
Feb 12, 2022
Director Ivan Reitman, who helmed both original Ghostbusters films and produced the franchise, died at age 75. He had served as a producer on Ghostbusters: Afterlife shortly before his passing.
Image source: Ivan Reitman
Comics, Games, and Merchandise
Ghostbusters video game released for home computers
1984
Activision published a Ghostbusters video game developed by David Crane, one of the first movie tie-in games. Available for the Commodore 64 and other platforms, it was a commercial success and pioneered the licensed game genre.
Image source: Ghostbusters (1984 video game)
Ray Parker Jr.'s 'Ghostbusters' tops charts
Jun 16, 1984
Ray Parker Jr.'s theme song for the film hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. The song became iconic, though it later drew a copyright lawsuit from Huey Lewis, who alleged similarities to his song "I Want a New Drug."
Image source: Ghostbusters (song)
Ghostbusters: Legion comic series begins
Feb 2004 - 2005
88MPH Studios published Ghostbusters: Legion by Andrew Dabb, a comic continuation that revisited the original team. It was part of a wave of licensed comics keeping the franchise alive between major film releases.
Image source: Ghostbusters (comics)
Ghostbusters: The Video Game released
Jun 16, 2009
Developed by Terminal Reality and published by Atari, this game featured the voices and likenesses of the original cast. Written partly by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, it was long considered a de facto third film by fans due to its canonical story.
Image source: Ghostbusters: The Video Game
IDW Publishing launches ongoing Ghostbusters comics
Sep 2011 - 2020
IDW Publishing began publishing a popular ongoing Ghostbusters comic line, including series like Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters crossovers, and Ghostbusters International, expanding the lore considerably before ending its license in 2020.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed game released
Oct 18, 2022
IllFonic released this asymmetrical multiplayer game allowing players to hunt ghosts or play as ghosts themselves. Featuring Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson reprising their roles, it continued the canon established by Afterlife.
Image source: Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed
Key Facts
- The original Ghostbusters film premiered on June 8, 1984, and became one of the highest-grossing comedies of the decade.
- Dan Aykroyd conceived the idea after his interest in the paranormal, originally writing himself and John Belushi as the leads; Belushi died before production.
- Ray Parker Jr.'s theme song 'Who Ya Gonna Call?' topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in 1984.
- The franchise expanded into animation with The Real Ghostbusters (1986–1991), which introduced Slimer as a major character.
- Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), directed by Jason Reitman (Ivan Reitman's son), revived the original continuity and honored Harold Ramis after his 2014 passing.
Source
This History of Ghostbusters timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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