Bill Murray Returns as Venkman to Bust Slimer in Fun GHOSTBUSTERS-Themed Rivian Promo
Bill Murray is back in action as Dr. Peter Venkman, and he's got a familiar green ghost causing trouble again. A new Ghostbusters-themed commercial for electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian reunites the iconic character with Slimer for a fun Halloween promotion that also introduces a pretty cool feature for Rivian owners.
The commercial opens with Slimer stuffing his face with food. His feast doesn't last long, though, as Venkman arrives to deal with the troublesome ghost. It's a fun little reunion that brings some classic Ghostbusters nostalgia into Rivian's latest Halloween campaign.
The commercial also introduces Rivian's new "Halloween Mode," which transforms its electric vehicles into ghostbusting machines complete with spooky lighting, familiar sound effects, and a few surprises.
Rivian even went the extra mile for the commercial, outfitting one of its vehicles with Ghostbusters equipment and giving it the name Ecto-R1.
Rivian shared the following description of its collaboration with Sony Pictures: “PKE readings were off the charts. Good thing Dr. Peter Venkman and the Ecto-R1 were ready to take the call. This year, we teamed up with Sony Pictures to bring Ghostbusters to every Rivian.
“With the press of a button, Halloween mode turns your vehicle into an all-electric ghost-busting ride, with eerie lighting, iconic sounds and a few special tricks. It’s available through November 1, and is just one of the software updates every Rivian gets throughout the year to make your vehicle more fun and more capable. Find a Rivian location near you to see it in action.”
It's a fun way to celebrate Halloween while giving Ghostbusters fans something fun to play around with. Combining supernatural scares with comedy, and movies from the series regularly appear in Freeform's annual 31 Nights of Halloween programming.
Of course, seeing Murray put on his ghostbusting gear again is the real attraction here. The actor has appeared in all five live-action Ghostbusters films, although he played a different character in the 2016 reboot.
Murray's most recent appearance as Venkman was in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and while there's no confirmed live-action sequel on the schedule, the franchise still has more adventures in the works.
The next confirmed project is Netflix's animated series Ghostbusters: Night Shift, which takes place in the 1990s and is scheduled to premiere in 2027. There have also been rumors about additional Ghostbusters projects in development, including a possible live-action follow-up to Frozen Empire, but nothing has been officially announced.
For now, it's just fun seeing Murray return as Venkman, especially when he's going after one of the franchise's most recognizable ghosts.
The Rivian commercial is a nice little Halloween treat for longtime fans, and the custom Ecto-R1 is a pretty awesome ride. I'd love to see that thing cruising around New York City hunting ghosts!
Check out the Ghostbusters-themed Rivian commercial below and enjoy Murray's return as Peter Venkman!