13 Things You Didn’t Know About The Original Ghostbusters

Thirty-two years ago, a movie about four guys defending New York City from the paranormal hit theaters. It would go on to spawn an empire — comic books, sequels, remakes, television shows, toys, the whole shebang.

Roger Ebert gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars. Rotten Tomatoes says it's still 97% fresh.

Yep, we're talking about Ghostbusters.

The idea for the first movie was originally conceived by Saturday Night Live alumni Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. The two comedian friends wrote the first version of the script together, which at the time involved time traveling and magic wands.

After Belushi’s death, Aykroyd (who went on to play Dr. Raymond Stantz in the film) rewrote the script with Harold Ramis (who went on to play Dr. Egon Spengler). Together, the two altered characters, cast members, and the overall plotline.

In his 1984 review, Ebert wrote, "Ghostbusters is a head-on collision between two comic approaches that have rarely worked together very successfully. This time, they do."

Very successful is right. This summer, the story is getting an all-female makeover and vying to be a blockbuster once more.

In honor of the Ghostbusters reboot, in theaters July 15, here are a few facts about the first film that even the biggest fans might not know.