‘Ghostbusters Experience’ to open at Madame Tussauds New York this summer

CULVER CITY, Calif., May 10 (UPI) — The Ghostbusters Experience, which was inspired by the upcoming supernatural comedy movie, is to open July 1 at Madame Tussauds New York.

Construction of “this multi-layered and sensory environment is already underway and is designed to fully immerse visitors into the fantastical and spirited world of the new film,” Sony Pictures said in a press release.

“Visitors to Madame Tussauds New York will also be invited to engage with Ghostbusters like never before. The cinematic experience is brought to life with state-of-the-art technology, authentic props, costumes, a vehicle, gadgets and exclusive content designed to spook guests as they move through multiple scenes inspired by the film,” the studio explained. “After exploring the iconic Ghostbusters Headquarters, guests experience the epic finale, in which visitors take part in a ghost hunt of their own, saving New York City from a paranormal villain. This supernatural encounter will also include figures of the Ghostbusters crew from the new movie, all of whom are prepared to help visitors wage battle against nefarious paranormal activity.”

“Ghostbusters has an incredible, passionate fan following, and now [virtual reality] technology allows the fans to become a Ghostbuster themselves within Madame Tussauds New York. The technology is breathtaking, the experience is thrilling, and what better way is there to use VR, than to let audiences inhabit the stories they love,” Ghostbusters creator Ivan Reitman said in a statement.

“Who wouldn’t want to answer the call, suit up as a Ghostbuster, and blast their way through a ghost-infested New York apartment with a proton pack?” added Jake Zim, senior vice president of digital marketing at Sony Pictures. “We expect this experience will draw fans of all ages to Madame Tussauds [wax museum] and generate a lot of buzz around the release of our new Ghostbusters film this summer.”

The third film in the franchise will feature Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth. It is to open July 15.

The first two movies were released in the 1980s, and starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson.