He described the success as a phenomenon that would forever be his biggest accomplishment and, compounded by the failure of his personal project The Razor's Edge, he felt "radioactive". Music was required for a montage in the middle of the film, and " I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis and the News was used as a temporary placeholder because of its appropriate tempo.

As Vox notes, the mayor, a government representative, is motivated to release the Ghostbusters after being reminded that their success will save the lives of "millions of registered voters", a cynical view of an official who is motivated by what allows him to retain his position.This left 13 months to complete the film, with no finished script, effects studio, or filming start date. The left page is the excerpt about vengeful spirits in "Ghosts From Our Past" seen in Chapter 13 of the 2016 movie. FX Master Steve Johnson on Creating Slimer With the Help of Cocaine and John Belushi's Ghost [Exclusive]". Their initial draft was completed when they left the Vineyard in mid-July 1983, and a third and near-final draft was ready by early August. The lighting used throughout the painting consumed so much power that the rest of the studio had to be shut down, and an additional four generators added, when it was in use.

Ghostbusters was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1985: Best Original Song for "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr.Ramis believed it was extraneous to the fast-moving plot, however, so Reitman used the footage as a dream sequence during the mid-film montage instead.