A new crowd-funded replica proton pack is revealed, featuring all the details from Egon Spengler's real-life prop as seen in 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife movie. The latest film, which is directed by Jason Reitman, acts as a direct sequel to 1989's Ghostbusters II, following Spengler's grandchildren as they discover who their grandfather really was while facing off against ghostly threats of their own.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife proved somewhat divisive amongst critics but was a big hit with fans, currently sporting a lofty 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film brings back many of the elements (and characters) from the original Ghostbusters film, including the Ecto-1 vehicle and the iconic proton packs. Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) first discovers Spengler's proton pack in the barn and is promptly forced to use it after discovering Muncher, a metal-eating ghost in an abandoned factory. The movie brings back original Ghostbusters cast Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potz, as well as introducing franchise newcomers like Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, and Finn Wolfhard.
Now, as revealed during yesterday's Ghostbusters Day event, diehard Ghostbusters fans can get their hands on an exact replica of the franchise's iconic proton pack. The crowd-funded replica is designed by Haslab and is available to backers on the Hasbro Pulse website. Weighing in at a fairly hefty 15lbs, Haslab's replica features all the bells and whistles as seen on the prop used in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, boasting an impressive level of detail even on some of the internal components. Check out images of the proton pack replica below:
The Ghostbusters: Afterlife proton pack carries a hefty price tag of $399 and, according to the Hasbro Pulse website, is completely sold out at the moment. The crowdfunding campaign originally had a target of 7,000 backers, but managed to hit over 21,000, meaning there is clearly a strong desire for replica Ghostbusters props among cosplayers and hardcore fans. It should also be noted that the proton pack, which is expected to ship in the spring of 2023, doesn't include the actual neutrona wand, which is sold separately for $124.99.
The 2016 Ghostbusters reboot didn't sit all that well with fans, but Ghostbusters: Afterlife featured a return to many aspects of the franchise that they had come to love. A Ghostbusters 5 movie and an animated series are both officially in development, signaling that the franchise might be stronger now than it ever has been. The hugely successful crowd-funding campaign for the replica proton pack suggests there is very much an appetite for replica Ghostbusters props following the success of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and, hopefully, the fans who missed out on the campaign will have a chance to pick up their own proton pack later down the line.
Source: Haslab/Hasbro Pulse
