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Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters

They're here to save the world.

1984105 minPGMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
Ivan Reitman
Starring
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver

After losing their university jobs, three parapsychologists start a ghost-catching business in New York City and uncover a supernatural threat that could destroy the world.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ghostbusters?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ghostbusters streaming on Hulu and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Ghostbusters?

Ghostbusters earns 16 badges, led by Stood the test of time and Top 5% of films.

Show 8 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Ghostbusters worth watching?

Ghostbusters' Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 1.5M ratings across 6 sources. 86% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

98th percentile among Action97th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)94th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

77 /100

94th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Action96th percentile among 1980s

Critics 71 · Audience 77

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.8 — people broadly agree on this one.

86% liked it

96th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Action96th percentile among 1980s
86% rated it 7–1014% rated it 1–6

Critics 95% · Audience 88%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 8 wins / 10 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Effects, Visual Effects
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Music, Original Song

99th percentile

1.5M ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Action99th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 1% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$14M
Domestic gross$244M
Worldwide gross$297M

Returned 9.9× its budget — 94th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a silly, effects-driven supernatural comedy built around Bill Murray's sarcastic persona and the chemistry of its SNL-alumni cast.

Fans praised

  • Bill Murray's deadpan sarcasm and improvised one-liners
  • Perfect chemistry between the central trio (Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis)
  • Clever blend of genuine scares and witty comedy

Detractors panned

  • Dated special effects and shonky stop-motion animation
  • Thin, haphazard plot that loses focus in the second half
  • Bill Murray's character as unlikable and annoying

What stands out

DialogueDivisive90

Highly quotable, witty one-liners; detractors see forced banter

ActingDivisive85

Bill Murray's iconic deadpan; ensemble chemistry praised; detractors find Murray's character grating

OriginalityDivisive85

Fresh mix of comedy and supernatural; influenced pop culture

HumorDivisive82

Fans find it timelessly hilarious; detractors call it unfunny

Sound and musicDivisive80

Catchy theme song; Elmer Bernstein's score adds atmosphere

CharactersDivisive78

Three distinct personalities (brain, heart, mouth); detractors call them flat and sexist

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

Oscar-nominated for its time; stay puft and slimer iconic; many now find them dated

Plot and storyDivisive50

Simple premise but thin and loses coherence in second half

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 17 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Ghostbusters like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdJoyfulThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its supernatural premise for laughs, with Bill Murray's sardonic deadpan undercutting the horror, while the overall stance is affectionate and fun.
The rideThe film maintains a buoyant, absurdly comic mood through its run, with thrilling supernatural chases, but never gets heavy; the 'heaviest' stretch is the final battle, but even that is played for laughs.
StructureThe narrative follows a conventional beginning (job loss, startup), middle (rising success, Dana's possession), and end (confronting Gozer).

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's upbeat ending and hilarious adventure leave the viewer feeling entertained and uplifted.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterInvasion
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% (this title) · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Invasion: An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows a team of scientists who become ghostbusters and must stop an ancient god, Gozer, from destroying New York, fitting the overcoming the monster archetype with an invasion subtype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Identity · 14% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Cosmic stakes: Consequences reach beyond the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeAt its core, Ghostbusters is about an unlikely group of misfits who find belonging and purpose through their shared work and camaraderie.
StanceThe film celebrates its core theme of friendship by showing the team's bonds as the key to saving the world, all while mocking the supernatural and bureaucratic obstacles with a wry, affectionate eye.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalPopForeground music · original score · Elmer Bernstein
Setting1980s New York City, from university labs to haunted hotels and a climactic apartment building rooftop
MusicThe iconic theme song 'Ghostbusters' by Ray Parker Jr. is a central pop anthem, but the orchestral score by Elmer Bernstein drives the comic-heroic tone.

Content guide

Is Ghostbusters okay for kids?

PG

Ghostbusters is rated PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at moderate (48/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (34/100) and frightening material at moderate (49/100). Overall it is heavier than 78% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea12
  • BrazilL
  • Denmark11
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoA
  • Netherlands6
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/6
  • Russia12+
  • SpainA
  • Sweden11
  • Taiwan保護級
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 29% of all filmsHeavier than 78% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 41%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 81%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 90%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 75%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 73%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 73% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Ghostbusters have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ghostbusters?

Cast

Bill Murray
as Dr. Peter Venkman
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dan Aykroyd
as Dr. Raymond Stantz
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Harold Ramis
as Dr. Egon Spengler
Sigourney Weaver
as Dana Barrett
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Rick Moranis
as Louis Tully
newcomer then · star now
Ernie Hudson
as Winston Zeddmore
Annie Potts
as Janine Melnitz
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
William Atherton
as Walter Peck
David Margulies
as Mayor
Slavitza Jovan
as Gozer

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Ghostbusters?

Movies like Ghostbusters include Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) and Stripes (1981). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Harold Ramis, and several are stories about ghosts.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Ivan Reitman directed 5 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Ghostbusters?

86 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: god. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.