We Travelled From A Parallel Dimension to Celebrate 40 Years of Ghostbusters

Over the years LEGO have provided us with some awesome movie and television tie-ins; Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Stranger Things and Big Bang Theory to name but a few. However, the focus here is Ghostbusters. 2024 celebrates the 40th anniversary of Ectoplasm and the latest movie Ghostbusters Frozen Empire landed in our cinema theatres on 22^nd March 2024 (which is the fifth film in the series and the eagerly awaited sequel to Ghostbusters Afterlife).

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF A CULT CLASSIC:

This franchise began with the G.O.A.T on 8^th June 1984 and rapidly became a cultural phenomenon. There have been many toy lines created for the franchise including the 1980s Kenner “The Real Ghostbusters” figures, alongside Hasbro, Plasma, Blitzway, Playmobil and of course, LEGO who have provided us with plastic joy.

LEGO released the 508-piece Ghostbusters Ecto-1 (21108) in June 2014 and this coincided with the 30^th anniversary of the movie. The model sadly retired in 2016, but with it, we managed to nab four minifigures including Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler and Winston Zeddemore. This rendition of Ecto-1 had space for up to three minifigures, had a removable roof AND could fit inside the impressive 75827 Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters. The iconic Firehouse (released in 2016) comprises of 4,634 pieces, is two storeys high and has nine LEGO Minifigures. Sadly, this was retired at the end of 2018 and is still a grail set for many.

In July 2016 we also saw the release of 75828 LEGO Ecto–1 & 2, which was based on Ghostbusters: Answer The Call. The set provided us with 556 pieces, five LEGO Minifigures, one ghost figure, the Ecto-1 vehicle and the Ecto-2 motorcycle. Answer The Call is a controversial instalment of the franchise and some believe it doesn’t count as being part of the series. Retirement came for this set at the end of 2017. 1^st July 2018 saw Peter Venkman and Slimer join the LEGO Brickheadz 41622 and comedically Slimer is created in brick form with his beloved hotdogs!

2020 rolled around and announced the awe-dropping 10274 LEGO Ghostbusters ECTO-1 based on the Afterlife version. Whatever people’s opinion of the movie, this 18+, 2352 piece set is awesome, with features like a trapdoor with a ghost trap, a moving ghost sniffer, working steering and various paranormal detection equipment. This set is still available now for £209.99, but is rumoured that it may disappear around the middle of 2024.

LEGO Dimensions began in 2015 and covered a broad array of characters and vehicles, a significant few being from the 80s TV shows we all loved. We got level packs, story packs, vehicle packs and character packs and LEGO Ghostbusters got them all. Ghostbusters 71242 is a story pack that enabled us to create Zhu's Chinese Restaurant gateway on the portal and gave us six new exciting levels to play, alongside an Abby Yates minifigure and a mini Ecto-1 which can be rebuilt into the Ectozer and The PerfEcto at various points of the game using the detachable LEGO game tags. Then we have the 71228 level pack with a Peter Venkman minifigure, mini Ecto-1 and a ghost trap. These sets were in circulation for around 16 months before becoming retirees. Finishing off the legendary lineup we have the 71241 LEGO Fun Pack featuring Slimer and the slime shooter and the 71233 LEGO Fun Pack consisting of Mr Staypuft and a buildable Terrordog. Sadly, LEGO Dimensions was cancelled on 23^rd October 2017 and no further expansion packs were made.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK:

What LEGO movie/television tie-ins do you think are the best - are there any that haven’t been made that you think LEGO should recreate?