Netflix is expanding the Ghostbusters universe with an upcoming animated series titled Ghostbusters: Night Shift, set to premiere in 2027. Directed and co-written by Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman, the creative duo behind 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the upcoming Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the show aims to connect the classic 1980s films with their more recent successors.
Night Shift will be set in 1994 New York City, a period Kenan described as a fascinating mystery and a "lost part of the legend of ghostbusting." The series will explore what happened to the original Ghostbusters' firehouse headquarters while introducing a new ensemble of young protagonists who become ghostbusters. These characters will not begin with any ghostbusting expertise, but will need to quickly learn to combat supernatural threats. While the show will feature episodic "villains of the week," it will also weave a serialized narrative that ties into the established cinematic timeline.
"Ghostbusters has always been about punching up," Kenan stated, emphasizing that the franchise's core has always involved "outsiders who have to be scrappy and find a way in spite of the system to save the city or save the world." The new characters are expected to be inventive and face opposition from a system that doesn't fully understand them.
The choice of 1994 for the setting is deliberate, according to co-showrunner Elliott Kalan. He explained that this year represents a significant turning point for New York, marking the transition from the city's "old smelly" reputation to a more refined, albeit still characterful, urban landscape. This era also aligns with the emergence of punk culture.
The visual identity of Ghostbusters: Night Shift will reflect this punk aesthetic, with a reimagined Ghostbusters logo inspired by do-it-yourself photocopied band flyers. The show's soundtrack will also heavily feature punk rock music from the period. Co-showrunner Ben Hibon highlighted 1994 as an "incredibly exciting year for everything in New York," noting the convergence of music, culture, and immense creativity.
Kenan expressed a desire to explore other eras within the Ghostbusters lore in the future, but felt that 1994 offered the ideal juncture to develop the story from the existing films while capturing a pivotal moment in New York's history.