We ain’t afraid of no ghost – so in honor of the newest release, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” The Daily Texan ranked the five movies of the Ghostbusters franchise. 

#5 Ghostbusters (2016)

Despite the refreshing take of the female-led cast which features Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, the film’s shortcoming lies within its storyline and its script’s lack of originality. The film resembles a pasted copy with little tweaks to the original Ghostbusters. Although the remake appeals more to the comedic aspect, with each member bringing in their own humor, the story lacks chemistry among the cast, solidifying the 2016 film at the bottom of the totem pole.

#4 Ghostbusters II (1989)

Piggybacking off the success of “Ghostbusters” (1984), “Ghostbusters II” provides interesting drama and still possesses the heart and charm of the original. However, the sequel appears more family-orientated and veers away from its horror side, an initial building block in its forerunner, which makes the motion picture underwhelming compared to its predecessor.

#3 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

The newest addition to the franchise’s reboot proves a more solid watch. With its recurring characters from its predecessor, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” featuring Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd, the film’s introduction of new villains creates a refreshing approach. Despite occasional script issues, the expansion of its apocalyptic and mythical realm in this reboot takes the original franchise to new, exciting places.

#2 Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Ranked second, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” stands as the reboot that didn’t disappoint. Its dark and striking visuals allow the franchise to dip more into its initial genre: horror. While tugging at the heartstrings of longtime fans by building a story off of the passing of one of its original characters, Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), the film imbues nostalgia by bringing in the other three original Ghostbusters, building off of the concept of “passing the torch” and making for a delightful watch. Although sticking to its core of an action-packed and comedy-filled movie, the fresh faces and storyline allowed the franchise to expand its domain.

#1 Ghostbusters (1984)

Although “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” stands as a close second, the entire franchise would not exist without its original motion picture. Even with an absence of character growth and a true emotional core, the film’s glory basks in its authenticity with memorable characters along with its fuse of action, horror and comedy that reaches audiences of all ages. The project exercised setting and visuals to its fullest extent considering the time period, furthering the praise and success of the cult classic.