Ghostbusters: Afterlife – A Parents Guide

Ghostbusters:  Afterlife, the long awaited sequel in the Ghostbusters franchise, is now available on various streaming platforms like STARZ.  But with supernatural elements, is it appropriate for younger kids?  With a PG-13 rating that includes language, sexual content, and spooky elements, here’s what parents need to know.

Ghostbusters:  Afterlife – A Parents Guide

There’s something strange in a small town in Oklahoma.  Who you gonna call?  The ghostbusters!!  Or at least their grandkids.  In this latest Ghostbusters sequel, two teenagers, Phoebe and Trevor (played by Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard), move with their mom Callie (played by Carrie Coon) to a small town in Oklahoma after their mom inherits their estranged grandfather’s ramshackle house.   It turns out, though, their grandfather isn’t just anybody.  He’s OG ghostbuster Dr. Egon Spengler.  A movie that targets a new (and younger) generation, here’s what parents need to know about the Ghostbusters:  Afterlife age rating.

What is Ghostbusters:  Afterlife Rated? 

Ghostbusters:  Afterlife is rated PG-13, which means that some material is not suitable for children under the age of 13.  For example, it might contain violence, nudity, and/or sexually suggestive language.  Here, the movie does contain violence (in the form of spooky elements), language, and some sexual content.  More about all that below.

Language

In this Ghostbusters sequel, characters say words like “h*ll,” “s**t,” “a**hole”  more than a few times.  However, it’s not as excessive as the profanity that can be heard in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings and Black Widow.

Spooky Elements

Because this is ultimately a movie about hunting ghosts, you can expect some spooky scenes.  There are no horror scenes, but there are scenes that are filled with suspense and can be scary for younger children, especially the scenes involving ghosts.  One ghost in particular can be frightening so if you are planning on taking your kids to see this movie, you’ll want to prep them in advance and make sure they’ll be okay with those scenes.  

Sexual Content

There isn’t nudity in this movie per se, but there is one character that is shown changing her shirt and her bra can be seen.  There are also two characters shown starting to make out.  These scenes are rather brief, but you’ll want to be prepared for them, especially if you have younger kids.

There’s also some sexually suggestive dialogue in this movie.  For example, some of the characters talk about virgins and reference another character wanting to “bone” another character.  And there’s also a reference to pole dancing.  Younger kids probably won’t even realize what these phrases mean, but again, it’s something to be aware of.  

Overall Thoughts

Ghostbusters:  Afterlife is a great movie.  I laughed a lot (in large part because of Paul Rudd’s character) and as an 80s kid who grew up watching the original Ghostbusters movie, I even shed a few tears.  While it is very much a love letter to the fans of the original movie, it’s also a great introduction for younger fans. I don’t want to write more about the storyline because I don’t want to ruin it.  But I’ll admit that I was clapping during some of the scenes.  

As a parent, though, you’ll want to be aware of some of the spookier scenes, which can be campy in nature.  For example, my son watched the movie with me, but he pointed out that it could be scary at times.  So as always, you’ll want to use your discretion as a parent.  

There are two post credit scenes in Ghostbusters:  Afterlife.

About Ghostbusters:  Afterlife

From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan.