Ghostbusters movies in order
Four films in one continuity, and a 2016 reboot that belongs to nothing.
Updated 4 August 2026 · 5 titles tracked
Ghostbusters looks confusing and is not. There are two separate lines, and only one of them matters if you want a continuous story.
The 1984 film, Ghostbusters II, Afterlife and Frozen Empire form one continuity. The 2016 film is a complete reboot with different characters and no connection to any of them.
Every Ghostbusters film in order
Grouped by continuity. Only one of them continues.
- 1Ghostbusters1984 · The Original Continuity · Essential
- 2Ghostbusters II1989 · The Original Continuity
- 3Ghostbusters: Afterlife2021 · The Original Continuity · Essential
- 4Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire2024 · The Original Continuity
- 5Ghostbusters (2016)2016 · The 2016 Reboot
The main line
Ghostbusters (1984) → Ghostbusters II (1989) → Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) → Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024).
Afterlife picks up more than thirty years after Ghostbusters II, following Egon Spengler's grandchildren, and it assumes real familiarity with the original — its entire final act is built on it. Watch 1984 first, without question.
Where does the 2016 film go?
Nowhere. It is a full reboot with a new cast playing new characters, and no other film in the series acknowledges it. Afterlife proceeds as though it never happened.
That is not a judgement on the film — it is simply a different continuity, and you can watch it at any point or not at all without affecting anything else.
What is actually essential
Ghostbusters (1984) and nothing else. It remains one of the best comedies ever made and it resolves completely.
Ghostbusters II is fine and rather better than its reputation. Afterlife is a warm but very nostalgic film that leans hard on the original. Frozen Empire is for people who liked Afterlife.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Ghostbusters movies?
Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, then Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. The 2016 film is a separate reboot and can be watched at any point or skipped.
Is the 2016 Ghostbusters part of the same continuity?
No. It is a complete reboot with different characters, and no other film in the series references it.
Do I need to watch the originals before Ghostbusters: Afterlife?
Yes, at least the 1984 film. Afterlife follows Egon Spengler's grandchildren and its final act depends entirely on knowing the original.