Every Ghostbusters Movie Ranked From Worst to Best

The Ghostbusters franchise was a hit during the 1980s, and it has seen a resurgence in recent years with 2016’s Ghostbusters and 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife. With Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire right around the corner, we’ve ranked every entry from worst to best to celebrate the franchise.

Ghostbusters, 2016

The first Ghostbusters movie in 27 years wasn’t as bad as many of its detractors say — but it wasn’t all that great, either. Melissa McCarthy leads a cast of all-female ghostbusters into action in a story set in a different timeline. The surviving members of the original cast were here, too, but none in their original roles and all in cameos.

While Ghostbusters is disappointing overall, there are still several fun moments and high points. Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones are both great, and Chris Hemsworth’s turn as the eye-candy-assistant-turned-possessed-evildoer is a lot of fun. The rock concert scene where the first ghost is captured is a blast. On top of that, the final action sequence in Manhattan is visually stunning with every one of the new Ghostbusters getting their chance to shine.

Ghostbusters II, 1989

Five years after the first film, the Ghostbusters returned in the highly anticipated sequel. As much as the sequel tries to recapture the magic of the original, it falls short due to a lack of originality and a villain that just doesn’t measure up to Gozer from the first movie.

By 1989, the public has largely forgotten about the heroics of the crew when they saved the city from destruction, and those who haven’t forgotten blame them for the damage to New York City. Politics and bureaucracy are what everyone wants in a Ghostbusters movie, after all. When a mysterious pink slime starts to cause dangerous incidents in the city, the gang must leave their life of performing at children’s birthday parties and hosting bogus public access shows to strap the proton packs on once again.

The biggest thing going against Ghostbusters II is that it tries too hard to be like the original. Story beats and the general formula are all the same. There are, however, some good moments. The courtroom scene where the Ghostbusters are reunited is one of the high points of the franchise, but a third act that feels anticlimactic drags this sequel down.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife, 2021

Whereas Ghostbusters (2016) was set in a different timeline, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a direct sequel to Ghostbusters II. It’s also a whole lot better than it probably had any right to be. The original cast is only in the film for a few minutes, but their appearance is done well and in an impactful way that sets up a bigger presence in future sequels.

Related: Ghostbusters Isn’t a Nostalgic Amblin Franchise – It’s a Skeezy Comedy Series

Harold Ramis sadly passed away in 2014, but the character of Egon Spengler looms large throughout the story in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Spengler’s grandchildren discover his legacy and research, including the Ecto-1, and embark on a journey as a new generation of Ghostbusters. It’s a nice way of introducing a new generation in a way that feels genuine and respectful to what came before.

Several scenes in Ghostbusters: Afterlife stand out, starting with the first scene with the Ecto-1 and proton packs. The return of the original Ghostbusters is both awesome and touching at the same time. The film also has some really great character work, with strong performances by Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, and Paul Rudd.

Ghostbusters, 1984

The original movie in a franchise is often the best one, and Ghostbusters is no exception. Turning 40 years old this year, the iconic original features some of the best comedic stars of the 1980s, led by Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. From the opening scene in the library with a ghost librarian, Ghostbusters is a fun, fast-paced ride.

The supporting cast is where Ghostbusters really stands out, though. Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis are excellent in supporting roles — especially Moranis, who is great as the nosy neighbor who later becomes a possessed dog. William Atherton is great as bureaucratic foil Walter Peck, and he returns in the sequel as well.

The hotel sequence with Slimer being the first ghost the crew catches is iconic, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the climactic battle is so well known that it’s revisited in almost every sequel. While some of the effects are pretty dated by today’s standards, the overall quality of the movie still holds up.

Ghostbusters was part of the zeitgeist in 1984. The movie helped launch cartoons, toys, and inspired tons of Halloween costume choices. Probably the best evidence of the movie’s popularity, though, is the success of the theme song. Ray Parker’s “Ghostbusters” was number one on the Billboard charts for numerous weeks in the summer and fall of 1984. It spent an impressive 21 total weeks on the Billboard Top 100 chart.