The cast of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire includes returning stars Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace, alongside original-film actors Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts. New additions include Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, and James Acaster.
If you are asking what is the cast of ghostbusters frozen empire, the names below are organized by their roles in the story. You will find out who plays the Spengler family, which familiar Ghostbusters return, and what the new characters add to the team.
A cast table makes it easy to check an actor’s character at a glance. The guide also clears up a common mix-up: some returning actors play the same characters from earlier films, while others join the franchise as new faces.
what is the cast of ghostbusters frozen empire?
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire stars a mix of the younger team introduced in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, established franchise leads, and performers from the 1984 original. The main cast includes Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson, Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler, Finn Wolfhard as Trevor Spengler, and Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler.
The original Ghostbusters return through Bill Murray as Peter Venkman, Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz, and Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore. Annie Potts is back as Janine Melnitz, and William Atherton returns as Walter Peck. New cast members include Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, and James Acaster.
Here is the central cast at a glance:
| Actor | Character | Role in the film | Best known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Rudd | Gary Grooberson | Teacher and member of the Spengler household | A newer Ghostbusters lead |
| Carrie Coon | Callie Spengler | Mother of Trevor and Phoebe | The family’s adult anchor |
| Finn Wolfhard | Trevor Spengler | Callie’s son and a young Ghostbuster | The older Spengler sibling |
| Mckenna Grace | Phoebe Spengler | Callie’s daughter and a gifted young investigator | A central young hero |
| Celeste O’Connor | Lucky Domingo | Friend and fellow young Ghostbuster | A returning Afterlife character |
| Logan Kim | Podcast | Friend and fellow young Ghostbuster | A returning Afterlife character |
| Bill Murray | Peter Venkman | Original Ghostbuster | A veteran member of the team |
| Dan Aykroyd | Ray Stantz | Original Ghostbuster | A veteran member of the team |
| Ernie Hudson | Winston Zeddemore | Original Ghostbuster | A veteran member of the team |
| Annie Potts | Janine Melnitz | Longtime Ghostbusters associate | The team’s familiar office manager |
| William Atherton | Walter Peck | Official with a history of conflict with the Ghostbusters | A returning franchise character |
| Kumail Nanjiani | Nadeem Razmaadi | A new character connected to a mysterious artifact | A newcomer to the franchise |
| Patton Oswalt | Dr. Hubert Wartzki | Researcher who helps explain the artifact | A new supporting character |
| Emily Alyn Lind | Melody | A mysterious young woman Phoebe meets | A new character in Phoebe’s story |
| James Acaster | Lars Pinfield | Engineer working with the Ghostbusters | A new member of the supporting cast |
The Spengler family and the younger Ghostbusters
The Spenglers carry the family story forward from Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Carrie Coon plays Callie, the mother of Phoebe and Trevor. Their move to New York brings the family into the old Ghostbusters’ world, but the film also gives each family member a different problem to face.
Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler
Phoebe is a clever, science-minded teenager who takes ghost hunting seriously. Mckenna Grace returns in the role after leading much of the previous film’s story. Her character’s age and ability matter to the plot: Phoebe wants to be treated as a full member of the team, even as the adults worry about the risks she faces.
That tension makes Phoebe more than a young recruit. She has to work out where she belongs among her family and the older Ghostbusters. If you are trying to identify the film’s central young character, Grace is the name most closely tied to its emotional story.
Finn Wolfhard as Trevor Spengler
Trevor is Phoebe’s older brother, played by Finn Wolfhard. He is part of the family’s move to New York and remains connected to the Ghostbusters’ work. His position differs from Phoebe’s: he is a teenager balancing ordinary growing-up concerns with the extraordinary family business.
Wolfhard’s role also connects the film to the younger audience that met the Spenglers in Afterlife. Trevor is not the same character as a member of the original team, even though he carries the Spengler name and becomes involved in ghostbusting.
Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd
Carrie Coon plays Callie, whose relationship with her children remains central as the family settles into life in New York. Paul Rudd plays Gary Grooberson, a teacher who became close to the Spenglers in the previous film. In Frozen Empire, Gary is part of their household and part of the newer Ghostbusters group.
Gary is not one of the original 1984 Ghostbusters. That distinction helps explain the film’s generational setup: he belongs to the newer team, while Venkman, Stantz, and Zeddemore represent the first generation.
Celeste O’Connor and Logan Kim
Celeste O’Connor returns as Lucky Domingo, and Logan Kim returns as Podcast. Both characters were introduced in Ghostbusters: Afterlife and remain friends of the Spengler children. Their return gives the younger group familiar teammates rather than making the new story rely on the family alone.
Lucky and Podcast are not members of the original film’s cast of characters. If you are comparing the two generations, look for these names alongside Phoebe, Trevor, and Gary on the newer side of the team.
The original Ghostbusters and familiar supporting characters
The returning veterans are an important part of the film’s connection to the earlier movies. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson reprise their roles as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore. These are the same characters associated with the original Ghostbusters team, not new characters with similar names.
The film also brings back Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz. Janine has long been connected to the Ghostbusters’ operation, so her return links the revived team to its history without making her one of the original field agents. William Atherton returns as Walter Peck, a recurring antagonist whose clashes with the Ghostbusters began in the first film.
These roles are useful to keep straight because the movie’s ensemble is large. The three original Ghostbusters are the veteran field-team members. Janine is a longtime ally, while Peck is an official whose relationship with the group is often adversarial.
Which original actors return?
- Bill Murray plays Peter Venkman.
- Dan Aykroyd plays Ray Stantz.
- Ernie Hudson plays Winston Zeddemore.
- Annie Potts plays Janine Melnitz.
- William Atherton plays Walter Peck.
Those names answer the common question about whether the old team appears. They do, but the movie does not replace the Spengler family with the original trio. It brings both generations into the same story.
New cast members and the characters they play
Several new performers expand the story beyond the returning team. Kumail Nanjiani plays Nadeem Razmaadi, a man connected to a mysterious artifact that becomes important to the plot. His character brings a personal link to the film’s supernatural threat.
Patton Oswalt plays Dr. Hubert Wartzki, a researcher who helps the Ghostbusters make sense of the object and its history. His part gives the story a source of specialist knowledge. He is not a returning Ghostbuster or an original-film character.
Emily Alyn Lind plays Melody, a mysterious young woman who forms a connection with Phoebe. Their relationship adds a personal thread to Phoebe’s story. James Acaster plays Lars Pinfield, an engineer associated with the Ghostbusters’ work. His character supports the technical side of the operation.
These newer parts have different purposes. Nadeem and Dr. Wartzki connect the team to the artifact and its background. Melody’s story intersects with Phoebe’s, while Lars helps with the equipment and practical work of ghostbusting.
How the two generations of cast members compare
The movie’s cast is easier to follow if you sort it by generation and story function. The original team brings franchise history, while the Spenglers and their friends continue the plot established in Afterlife. New characters create fresh links to the film’s central mystery.
| Group | Main actors | What they bring | Best for viewers who want |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Ghostbusters | Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson | Returning heroes from the earlier films | To see the familiar team again |
| Longtime supporting characters | Annie Potts, William Atherton | Familiar allies and an old source of conflict | Connections to the original movie |
| Spengler family and newer team | Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim | The continuing family story and younger generation | To follow the Afterlife storyline |
| New characters | Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, James Acaster | New relationships, expertise, and plot connections | To identify the additions to this film |
This comparison is more helpful than treating every performer as part of one team. Some actors play original characters, some reprise roles from the previous film, and others appear in the franchise for the first time.
Common cast questions, answered
Who plays Phoebe in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire?
Mckenna Grace plays Phoebe Spengler. Phoebe is Callie’s daughter and Trevor’s younger sister. She is one of the film’s main young Ghostbusters and has a personal storyline that develops alongside the larger supernatural threat.
Are the original Ghostbusters in the movie?
Yes. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson return as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore. Annie Potts and William Atherton also reprise their familiar roles as Janine Melnitz and Walter Peck.
Is the cast the same as Ghostbusters: Afterlife?
Some of it is. The Spengler family, Gary Grooberson, Lucky Domingo, and Podcast return from Afterlife. The original Ghostbusters also appear, and the film adds Nadeem, Dr. Wartzki, Melody, and Lars, among other new characters.
Is every returning actor a Ghostbuster?
No. Returning to the franchise does not mean a character is a Ghostbuster. Janine is a longtime associate, and Walter Peck is an official who has opposed the team. Check the character’s role, not just the actor’s name, if you are sorting the cast into teams.
What is the easiest way to identify the cast?
Start with the character you recognize. Match Phoebe with Mckenna Grace, Gary with Paul Rudd, or Venkman with Bill Murray. Then use the generation table above to tell whether the character belongs to the original team, the newer group, or the new supporting cast.
A practical way to keep the large cast straight
A common mix-up is assuming the movie has one single Ghostbusters team with every character in it. It is better to think of the cast in three layers: the original veterans, the Spengler family and their newer teammates, and the people who enter the story through the new mystery.
- Identify the generation. Murray, Aykroyd, and Hudson are the original team. Grace, Wolfhard, O’Connor, and Kim belong to the younger group.
- Separate family from teammates. Coon plays the children’s mother, while Rudd plays Gary, the teacher who joins the family’s life and Ghostbusters work.
- Mark the new characters. Nanjiani, Oswalt, Lind, and Acaster play characters introduced in this film.
- Check the character name before assuming the role. Janine and Peck return, but neither is one of the three original field-team members.
This quick method is useful if you are checking a cast list before watching, discussing the film, or looking for a particular actor. It also prevents a frequent confusion: the actors’ franchise history and their characters’ jobs are not always the same thing.
For example, an actor can return from an earlier Ghostbusters film without playing a ghostbuster. Likewise, a character can work with the newer team without being part of the original trio. Using both actor and character names gives you the clearest answer.
The cast of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire combines the Spengler family and their newer teammates with original stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson. Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, and James Acaster join as new characters.
If you want to identify someone quickly, start with the character name and use the table to check the actor and generation. That is the simplest way to keep the large cast straight when asking what is the cast of ghostbusters frozen empire.