A spellbinding animation sequence for Sony Pictures’ newest Ghostbusters instalment: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an army of ghosts that cast a death chill upon the city, Ghostbusters, new and old, must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Following a prior creative collaboration in 2021, Frozen Empire director Gil Kenan approached Studio AKA director, Marcus Armitage to help break new ground in the Ghostbusters universe in the unveiling of a formidable antagonist: Garraka, the maestro of the death chill. Rising to the challenge, Armitage and his team embarked on the vital task of unravelling Garraka’s origin story to help usher this new villain into the series lore. Kenan and Armitage worked very closely at each stage of the storytelling process, making sure that each detail and movement felt essential. Kenan’s background in animation was a valuable asset in the creative dialogue between us, allowing Armitage and his team to hit the ground running.

Given Ghostbusters’ cinematic heritage, our mandate from Kenan was to craft a sequence that unveils Garraka’s genesis with clarity and visual allure, all while honouring the franchise’s essence. To deliver this, Armitage and his crew employed a blend of 2D hieroglyphic-style imagery, meticulously rendered in grayscale, before being transposed into a three-dimensional realm – as if they had been carved into stone. Realistic textures mimicking rock surfaces and cracks were infused alongside dynamic 3D camera movements, guiding us through the narrative. Armitage, in collaboration with our 3D artists, rigorously tested iterations of this idea until they found an approach that struck the perfect balance between impact and efficiency.

Our collaboration with Sony Pictures has been a delight and an irresistible dive into the ever-developing saga of Ghostbusters. It’s always a pleasure to work alongside Kenan and his team, bringing their ideas to life, and we look forward to the collective thrill of witnessing another spectral showdown on the silver screen.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now in cinemas.