Afterlife Release Date, Cast, Plot And Trailer

Jason Reitman's feature film directorial career began in 2005 with the release of his debut film, "Thank You For Smoking." Since then he's become known for a particular style that often walks the line between comedy and drama, as seen in films like "Juno," "Up in the Air," "Tully," "Young Adult," and most recently "The Front Runner." His films are often small in scale, more devoted to exploring the intimacy and absurdity of human relationships than to big set pieces, and his comedy usually evolves out of interaction between characters and not out of a deliberate attempt to set up and then pay off gags. He's collaborated frequently with screenwriter Diablo Cody and with actors Charlize Theron, Jennifer Garner, Vera Farmiga, and others. 

Though he's undoubtedly formed his own writing and directing style, Reitman's interest in filmmaking has its roots in family. He is the son of actress Genevieve Robert and writer/director Ivan Reitman, who's best known for his films "Stripes," "Kindergarten Cop," and yes, "Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters II."

The "Ghostbusters" franchise is woven into the fabric of Reitman's life, so much so that he had a cameo in the second film back in 1989, amusingly as a kid who tells the Ghostbusters that his dad says they're "full of crap." A sci-fi comedy about ghost hunters isn't exactly in line with his previous films, but when it was announced that he would helm the new film, his familial ties to the franchise helped it all make sense.