What Parents Should Know Before Seeing Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire With Your Kids

Few franchises can touch Ghostbusters when it comes to that satisfying, nostalgic punch. Especially for Gen X and, I hesitate to say it, even some geriatric Millenials who grew up watching Stantz, Venkman, and Spengler zip into their surprisingly chic jumpsuits to battle ghosts. It’s that nostalgia that often has many of us wanting to share an experience we loved so much with our children. And now that Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is about to premiere in theaters, many parents might want to know if the latest installment is appropriate for kids to watch. And the answer is, unfortunately, a bit complicated. Here’s what parents need to know.

What is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire about?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the fifth installment in the Ghostbusters franchise and the sequel to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, where fans were introduced to the next generation of ghostbusters, Egon Spengler’s grandchildren. That movie saw single mom Callie (Carrie Coon) bring her two kids — Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) — to the farmhouse she inherited from her estranged dad Egon (the late Harold Ramis). Trevor and Phoebe inherited their grandpa’s ghostbusting talents, and save the town from his old nemisis Gozer. This time around, the Spenglers return with their mom Callie and science teacher-turned-ghostbuster Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd) and head to New York City to team up with the original Ghostbusters Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Ackroyd), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) to battle a new evil spirit, who wants to see the world descend into a second Ice Age.

Is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire appropriate for kids?

The trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire sees lots of familiar faces coming back for this installment, including everyone’s favorite receptionist Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts), who gets to zip into the suit herself when the Spenglers all arrive in New York City. Much like the earlier versions, there’s a lot of humor and silliness in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. But parents should be aware that there will also be some adult humor, violence, and frightening scenes full of the supernatural, which could prove to be a bit too much for little kids.

For example, one of the lines from the trailer is “tall, dark, and horny at 12 o’clock.” And then there’s the army of ghosts, which are literally scaring people to death, a lion statue coming to life, a dragon ghost running rampage through New York City. That’s just the trailer, remember.

What is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire rated?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has a PG-13 rating for “supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references.” Feels pretty accurate. The 2021 movie, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, was also rated PG-13, so if your kids were comfortable watching that one, they should do well with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire as well.

How can you watch Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is coming to theaters across the country on Friday, March 22. So get ready for something strange in the neighborhood.