Halloween just got a lot more terrifyingly great for fans of Ghostbusters, the iconic supernatural franchise created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and launched in 1984. Directed by Ivan Reitman, the original film stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, the trio of quirky parapsychologists and unlikely ghost catchers in New York. Thanks to its witty humor, memorable monsters, and excellent cast, the comedy’s popularity extended well beyond its initial box-office success.

That popularity eventually spawned sequels, animated series, video games, and more, with the franchise remaining one of the most beloved supernatural comedy franchises. The film series continued with Ghostbusters II in 1989, reuniting the original team for another adventure across Manhattan. Almost thirty years later, director Paul Feig rebooted the franchise with Ghostbusters, a.k.a. Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, and Chris Hemsworth. Sony later revisited the original concept with Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021, and followed it up with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in 2024. Together, these Ghostbusters films have kept the franchise alive across generations, uniting familiar characters with younger ones who inherit the iconic proton packs. Now, three major installments are part of Fandango’s free, ad-supported streaming lineup, making for an easy Halloween marathon at no rental cost. The 1984 film arrived on Fandango on October 1 and became exclusive to the ad-supported platform for its seasonal promotion. Additionally, Ghostbusters II and Feig’s Ghostbusters stream for free via Fandango’s “Free to Scream” Halloween hub.

‘Ghostbusters’ Is the Perfect Binge for Halloween

As avid Ghostbusters fans know, the free-to-stream lineup offers three distinct versions of the franchise, starting with the original team’s fight against Gozer and the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Ghostbusters II raises the stakes through Vigo the Carpathian, whose sinister portrait threatens Dana (Sigourney Weaver) and her infant son Oscar, while the 2016 reboot features a different team facing a sudden spirit invasion. The first Ghostbusters remains the franchise’s most successful film, both critically and commercially, earning around $370 million (after further theatrical releases) on a $25–30 million budget and boasting a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, on the other hand, is the least successful, with a 41% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing $202 million on a budget of $100 million.

Three Ghostbusters films are streaming for free on Fandango. Follow Collider for the latest streaming news.

Release Date

June 8, 1984

Runtime

107 minutes

Writers

Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis