There’s one cameo in theGhostbustersfranchise that has always been puzzling, but it’s gotten even weirder over the years.TheGhostbustersfranchisecame back from the dead in the 21st century, with new legacy sequels attempting to tell a new story with new characters. Not all of these characters make sense though.
The newest era of theGhostbustersfranchise has a different atmosphere to the first two movies from the 1980s. WhileGhostbusters IIis often derided as a flop, the original movie is a nostalgic classic.Ghostbusters: AfterlifeandGhostbusters: Frozen Empireclearly hope to honor the original, but they have their own style.
As theGhostbustersreboot movies have tried to forge their own identity in the 21st century, it hasn’t always been the smoothest transition. With a more reverent tone and a commitment to sci-fi spectacle, the new era ofGhostbustersmovies is still finding its feet in some ways. This change has had many unintended side effects, including some cameos that make no sense.
J. K. Simmons’ Role In Ghostbusters: Afterlife Feels Like A Missed Opportunity
Simmons' Talents Are Completely Wasted
Thecast ofGhostbusters: Afterlifefeatures actors of all ages, asthe franchise set up its future by introducing the next generation of Ghostbusters. Perhaps the most surprising part of the legacy sequel was the fact that the original Ghostbusters only appeared for a brief moment, but this wasn’t even the movie’s weirdest cameo.
J. K. Simmons plays Ivo Shandor, the deceased leader of a cult devoted to worshipping Gozer.Ghostbustersfans might remember this name from the original movie, since Shandor is the architect who designed the Manhattan building which serves as an antenna to concentrate spiritual energy and bring Gozer to the human realm.
Ghostbusters: Afterlifebrings Shandor back, buthe is killed almost instantly by Gozer.This is a shocking way to prove that Gozer is an agent of chaos without any semblance of a human moral code, but it feels like a huge waste of potential for the character, not to mention J. K. Simmons.
Ivo Shandor Could Have Returned In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
J. K. Simmons' Role Looked Like A Sequel Tease At The Time
Casting such a talented and well-known actor to play Ivo Shandor signals to the audience that he has an important part to play. The fact that he was then killed off so quickly felt like a huge anti-climax. Of course, big actors have cameos in movies all the time, but they’re usually part of a joke or a reference, or there’s some good reason for casting them.
Shandor would have been an interesting villain forGhostbusters: Afterlife.Since this wasn’t the case, it seemed as though Simmons' appearance might have been a tease to set upFrozen Empire,with Shandor serving as the main antagonist of this new era as a ghost. TheGhostbustersfranchise went in another direction, making Simmons' role as Shandor look pointless.
