Bill Murray Is a Ghostbuster Once Again… in a Car Ad

Bill Murray has reprised the role of Dr. Peter Venkman in a new advertisement for Rivian electric vehicles that sees the original Ghostbuster respond to a call of Slimer terrorizing a suburban house by pulling up in the “Ecto-R1,” aka a Rivian R1S SUV decked out like the original Ecto-1 ambulance/hearse.

The 70-second spot shows off the special new Ghostbusters-themed Halloween software update for the R1S, R1T pickup truck, and new R2 SUV. In it, Rivian owners can play with a Ghostbusters UI on the cars’ main center touchscreen display, play “‘Mallow Mash” on the screen by squashing the Mini-Pufts flying around, plus hidden Easter eggs to discover. The update also adds custom sounds, a Slimer settings theme, a Trick or Treat Mode that can detect and greet costumed guests with Ghostbusters sound effects and lights, and custom themes for the exterior light bars, cabin lights, and overhead lights such as Proton Pack and Ghost Trap.

The Ghostbusters Halloween theme will be available in Rivians from today through November 2. Rivian launched its highly anticipated R2 earlier this year to great reviews. It keeps a very similiar design as the lauded R1S but shrinks both the size and the price. The R2’s base price is $45,000, though in this current early stage of production, only the maxed-out, tri-motor, fully loaded Performance model is available for a starting price of $58,000.

Murray last played Dr. Venkman in 2024’s Ghosbusters: Frozen Empire, which IGN’s reviewer did not care for. The last Ghostbusters video game was 2022’s Ghostbusters, Spirits Unleashed, an asymmetrical multiplayer game our reviewer thought was OK.