Netflix Confirms Upcoming 'Ghostbusters' Series Is a Prequel With New Image
The Ghostbusters franchise spans four decades and encompasses five theatrical films, animated television shows, dozens of video games, and a sprawling comic book universe, but the ghoul-catching gang are not ready to power down their proton packs just yet, as the multimedia empire is expanding with a new Netflix series, exploring an untold chapter in the story's rich legacy. The show, officially titled Ghostbusters: Night Shift, is slated for a streaming release in 2027 – so, we guess bustin' really does make them feel good. The 2026 Annecy International Film Festival is currently underway in the French Alps, running from Jun. 21 to Jun. 27. The massive industry event plays host to an extensive lineup of studio showcases, masterclasses, screenings, competitions, and more. It also gives rise to a lot of buzzy news, as Hollywood and global streaming platforms arrive in force to offer glimpses of their upcoming slates. Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation teamed up to unveil the first look and concept art for Ghostbusters: Night Shift, as seen below:
The first image offers an official look at the new series, which appears to be a distinct departure from the franchise's traditional animation style, as it trades the Saturday-morning cartoon aesthetic for a highly stylized, cinematic presentation. The proton-pack wielding hero pictured appears to be battling a supernatural threat solo, but the second image, showing Ghostbusters: Night Shift concept art, reveals the silhouettes of a larger ghostbusting team, wading through New York with their proton packs illuminated, ready for action. The logline for Ghostbusters: Night Shift confirms that the series will serve as a prequel, as the story unfolds five years after the events of Ghostbusters II, bridging the gap between Ivan Reitman's 1989 feature and the modern legacy sequels, starting with 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The show is canon to the original live-action movie timeline, per TheWrap, which means it will fill in an important missing piece in Ghostbusting history, revealing what happened during the decades-long gap between the two theatrical releases.
New York City, 1994 — Five years after the Ghostbusters took the Statue of Liberty for a walk, a new wave of supernatural terror hits the Big Apple, forcing a group of scrappy, young New Yorkers — untrained, underappreciated, and kinda sorta responsible for the problem — to put on proton packs, face their fears, and bust some ghosts.
Ghostbusters: Night Shift is produced by Sony Pictures Animation, with Afterlife and Frozen Empire creators Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan executive producing alongside original co-creator and star Dan Aykroyd. Showrunners Ben Hibon and Elliott Kalan, who are also executive producing with Amie Karp, have officially clocked in for the night shift with the promise of bringing supernatural comedy and paranormal-riddled action back to animation. It ends a 30-year drought for the franchise on television following the conclusion of Extreme Ghostbusters in 1997, with the new series set to release on Netflix sometime in 2027.
