After 40 years, Ghostbusters Is Now A Billion-Dollar Film Franchise

Ghostbusters has officially crossed the $1 billion threshhold as the latest entry in the series, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, had a $45.2 million opening weekend in the US. Meanwhile, Dune: Part Two earned $17.6 million at the US box office, according to Box Office Mojo, and globally, the film has made $574 million so far. Combined with the $433 million global box office gross of its predecessor, the Dune franchise under director Denis Villeneuve has also crossed the billion-dollar mark.

Despite reviews being mixed, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire surpassed the opening weekend of Ghostbusters: Afterlife ($44 million) and did better than expected. Exhibitors estimated the film to open in the range of $30 million based on early ticket sales (via Deadline), but Frozen Empire surpassed those numbers.

Part of Ghostbusters’ success can also be traced to Sony’s advertising and promotional campaign. The company used traditional trailers and TV spots, had Bill Murray appear during the NFC Championship intro, and had promotional tie-ins with Mercedes-Benz, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and more.

Sony also recruited the Ghostbusters fandom to help drive awareness of the film–including a March 14 day with fans and the cast at the iconic Hook and Ladder location in Tribeca, social media collaborations, and AR experiences. Adam Savage, formerly of Mythbusters, has also been covering the film’s production extensively through a series of behind-the-scenes videos on his popular Tested YouTube channel.

This weekend will be a big test for the film, as it faces some titanic competition when Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire arrives.