Ghostbusters: Afterlife - Mini-Pufts Character Reveal

With Ghostbusters: Afterlife set to be released in theaters in seven months (assuming no more delays), the Sony marketing machine has, finally, started running again. It's been almost a year and a half since the first (and currently, only) trailer for the film was released. While we have yet to get a second trailer, Sony has just released a short clip from the movie that reveals a new character. Read on to find out more...

Let's start by watching the short 51-second film clip before reading on. Also, you can click on all images from here on out for nice full-size enlargements


Less than a minute, and there's so much to take in. The first thing that you're, likely, to notice is the Elmer Bernstein music from the original film. I love that Bernstein's work is included in the film, thought I hope that it's used sparingly. Ghostbusters: The Video Game overused Bernstein's score to the point where it lost its magic.


We're in a big box store (filmed inside a Canadian Walmart), where Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd) is picking out some Baskin-Robbins ice cream from the freezer section. I wonder if there will be a promotional tie-in with Baskin-Robbins? He hears a woman's scream coming from elsewhere in the store. I suspect that it's Callie (Carrie Coon), dealing with a ghostly terror dog, based on a fan theory MrMichaelT told me. The scream doesn't faze The Groob. He casually walks away, having settled on "Jamoca", which is Baskin-Robbins' "exclusive blend of coffee" (as per their website).


Now he's in the confectionery aisle of the store, looking at the various Baskin-Robbins toppings. "Strawberry... Red Velvet... Blue Velvet," he chuckles as he walks away.


The camera lingers on a nearby shelf, where a bag of Stay Puft Marshmallows is moving by itself. (I wonder if these will get a real-life release in the packaging seen in the movie.) It looks like something is trying to escape from within the bag. This shot is reminiscent of the scene in Dana's kitchen where the camera notices the carton of eggs, while Dana does not.


Grooberson eventually notices, and spies the bag. As Elmer Bernstein's music hits its crescendo, out pops... The Pillsbury Dough Boy!


Just kidding. It's the cutest little Stay Puft Marshmallow Man you ever did see. He stretches and yawns, as if being awakened from a deep sugary sleep.


Grooberson must think he's the Pillsbury Dough Boy, too, as he goes to give him a little tickle on his belly.


The Mini-Puft will have none of that. As soon as Grooberson's finger comes near, he goes from cute confection to marshmallow menace...and bites it!


Just as he recoils from the pain, a whole bunch more Mini-Pufts come riding in on a Roomba remote vacuum that slams into Grooberson's shoe.


Over in the outdoor area of the store, a menagerie of Mini-Pufts are roasting themselves on a barbecue grill. I remember when King Kong did that once for Independence Day.


If that's not enough marshmallow masochism for you, another group of marshmallow minions are making a S'more out of one of their brethren using Hershey's chocolate bars. Will we get an official promotional tie-in with Hershey's?


Mr. Grooberson doesn't know what to make of the whole sordid scene.


That's all Sony will give us for now, but WOW is that a lot to hold us over until November.

The Mini-Pufts seem to be a cross between the Marshmallow Minis/Minions from Ghostbusters: The Video Game and the gremlins from Gremlins, with a touch of The Child's (aka Baby Yoda) cuteness from The Mandalorian. I love that they're mischievous little devils, and not something kiddie-fied, which is what helped to drag down the second film. Ghostbusters should have a bit of a dark comedic edge to it, and this shows that Afterlife has the right tone, hearkening back to films of 1984.

If you like the Mini-Pufts, you can already purchase official merchandise featuring them. Within the past few weeks, Numskull revealed their line of Pin Kings-brand Ghostbusters enamel pins, which includes sets featuring the Mini-Pufts.


At the start of this article, I stated that I believe the woman's scream coming from elsewhere in the store is Callie (Carrie Coon) dealing with a ghostly terror dog. I believe that that's what the "Can't Hide From Ghost Dog on Aisle Six" pin is in reference to. I was talking this over with MrMichaelT from the Ghostbusters Wiki, and he reminded me that there was some filming in the Walmart in Deerfoot City (an outdoor shopping center located in northeast Calgary, Alberta, Canada) in late September 2019. Also, we see a Terror Dog-esque paw hitting the hood of Mr. Grooberson's car in the trailer. Putting two and two together, the belief is that a ghostly "Terror Dog" chases someone in a big box store, likely Grooberson, and later becomes solid enough to stand on the car hood. MrMichaelT has the theory that both Terror Dogs simultaneously pursue Callie and Grooberson. It's also interesting to note that the Dog in the pin design is chomping down on a PKE Meter. Otherwise, I have no explanation for the slogan, and why they're calling it a "Ghost Dog" and not a "Terror Dog".

[UPDATE]
In addition to alerting me to the video, Matthew Jordan also pointed me to this Facebook post by the Campfire Marshmallow company. They will be manufacturing real-life bags of Stay Puft Marshmallows, and appropriately enough, MINI Stay Puft Marshmallows. The bags of regular marshmallows look very much likes the ones seen in the movie clip. Campfire, you might remember, sold Ghostbusters Marshmallows back in 2016.


Anyway, let's hope that the Afterlife PR Machine continues chugging along and start reaching high gear soon.

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Thanks to Matthew Jordan for alerting me to the video.