However now that the unique Ghostbusters have come again, Kenan needs to maneuver ahead with new characters, together with Phoebe and Trevor’s mom Callie (Carrie Coon) and their instructor Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd). That additionally means shifting on from the franchise’s most recognizable villain.
“[W]e are actually within the post-Gozerian period of the Ghostbusters saga,” Kenan mentioned of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which he’s directing. “[S]o meaning we’re capable of stretch out and create a wholly new mythology. And that’s thrilling as a storyteller, as a result of there are all-new and terrifying stakes with recent visible references to attract on.”
Frankly, it’s onerous to know the way significantly readers ought to take Kenan’s feedback. A brand new large dangerous for Frozen Empire sounds nice, and we’d do effective if we by no means heard the phrases “Gozer” or “Zuul” or “Ivo Shandor” once more. However then once more, Afterlife additionally promised new ghosts after which gave us Mini-Pufts, the Keep-Puft Marshmallow Man besides actually tiny as a substitute of actually large, and the inexperienced blobby ghost referred to as “Muncher,” who’s undoubtedly not the identical factor as “Slimer.”
Kenan may also undo Afterlife‘s greatest change to the Ghostbusters setup, shifting the motion from Oklahoma and again to New York. For followers who simply need to see their favourite characters once more, Frozen Empire will function the surviving unique Ghostbusters again of their firehouse headquarters. In truth, Kenan gushed about that nostalgic side throughout his dialog with Empire. Kenan recalled the enjoyment he felt whereas directing a giant scene and mentioned, “Lastly, it dawned on me that I used to be calling ‘Motion!’ and ‘Minimize!’ on a few of my very favorite characters in motion pictures, engaged on a giant cinematic scale on one thing that I actually cared about.”
Whereas nobody can deny that respect for characters makes for a greater work than open disdain, an excessive amount of fealty can lead to stagnant, flat works. Afterlife labored finest when it let the youngsters play (sure, even Podcast), and have become a creaky slog when it handled the unique film — itself a messy, ad-libbed masterpiece — as sacrosanct.
Will Kenan be capable to retain his pleasure whereas telling a brand new, attention-grabbing story? We’re able to consider you, Kenan… possibly.
