The upcoming sequel to the Ghostbusters franchise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, looks to bring in new fans to the classic series by tailoring the film to a younger demographic. Nevertheless, that won't lessen the demented humor that the franchise is known for. While this may not include characters being chased by ghost dogs, there could still be other spine-tingling ways to get laughs from the audience. In fact, the film's newly released clip serves as an example of how the film's most classic callbacks are still as effective now as they were in the '80s.
The scene in question features Paul Rudd's character at the grocery store, where he encounters a small collection of tiny Stay Puft marshmallow men. Obviously, the scene serves as a callback to their much larger counterpart from the original film that terrorized New York City. However, the scene may also being acknowledging another classic franchise from Rudd's recent past.
In 2015, Rudd starred as the titular hero, Scott Lang, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Ant-Man. But before he became the pint-sized hero, he was an ex-con who took what he could get when it came to finding a job. One of those jobs was in a Baskin-Robbins, where he scooped ice cream under the fake identity of 'Jack.' The scene briefly saw him dealing with an obnoxious customer before being called in to speak with his manager.
Once there, the manager fired him after discovering his true identity. This was also the scene where the now-famous line "Baskin-Robbins always knows" was uttered. It appeared that Rudd had left the ice cream company behind for good, but Ghostbusters: Afterlife appears to have brought his past back to haunt him one more time. During the clip, the first few seconds show Rudd's character in front of the freezer containing Baskin-Robbins ice cream, where he attempts to find an appealing flavor.
While the moment may not be particularly important, the camera does spend a long time in front of the cooler, showing off the company's many flavors. Considering this happens with Paul Rudd in the frame, it may have been a deliberate nod to his time as the Marvel superhero. That being said, most Hollywood blockbusters must also note the products that partner with them to help promote the film. In this case, the lingering shot could also just be product placement for the film.
At this time, there has been no confirmation as to whether the Easter egg was purposeful or just a happy accident. But if the scene was for product placement, Rudd's inclusion works two-fold for Baskin-Robbins due to his previous appearance with the company in Ant-Man. Whether it was planned or not, the scene will undoubtedly add more of an impact for fans of the actor and his MCU role.
Directed by Jason Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd and Mckenna Grace. The film arrives in theaters Nov. 11.