Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire begins streaming on Netflix in July (when to watch)

Who you gonna call? Netflix! The streamer service has officially slated a streaming release date for the Sony Pictures movie Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and you don't have to wait too long. The newest movie in the Ghostbusters franchise hits the platform this summer.

According to the movie's page on the streaming service, Frozen Empire arrives for streaming on Monday, July 22. The movie first hit theaters back on March 22, which makes the wait period between theaters and Netflix exactly four months to the day. Typically, Sony movies premiere on Netflix about four to six months after their theatrical run, though the timing varies.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will make its premiere on Netflix at midnight PDT on Monday, July 22, which means the movie releases at 3 a.m. on the East Coast of the United States. Considering the movie drops on a Monday, that's pretty late to stay up to watch the movie. Plan for a Monday movie night after work, or feel free to burn the midnight oil if you're a night owl!

The new movie follows the 2021 film Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which currently isn't streaming on Netflix as of July 2024. Basically ignoring the funny reboot film starring Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig in 2016, Afterlife was a sequel to Ghostbusters II and centered on single mother Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon), the estranged daughter of an original Ghostbuster.

Also starring Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and the original cast of Ghostbusters, 2024's new sequel continues the story with the franchise's most chilling mission yet. When an ancient artifact releases ghosts that have the ability to send a "death chill" throughout New York City and set forth an Ice Age with disastrous effects, it's up to the team to put a stop to these ghosts.

Here's Sony's official synopsis of the movie:

"In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an army of ghosts that casts a death chill upon the city, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age."

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire saw a decline in box office returns, bringing in over $201 million worldwide compared to Afterlife's over $204 million worldwide gross. The film also had decreased critical acclaim as it holds a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while its predecessor holds a fresh rating. As always, you might disagree with critics, and the movie will likely become a hit on Netflix. That could tip the scales for a potential third film.

If you missed the movie in theaters this spring, make sure to give it a watch when it arrives for streaming on Netflix at the end of July. Even if you have already watched the movie, a second watch always offers new insight into movies. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire makes for a real blockbuster summer movie night and its premise just might cool you off. Still on the fence? Watch the trailer in the video below!

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