Upamanyu Biswas
In ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,’ a centuries-old malevolent spirit surfaces in the heart of New York City when an unwitting Nadeem Razmaadi sells his grandmother’s brass heirloom to Raymond Stanz. Soon, a dark, mysterious force called Garraka rises from the depths of the orb to lay claim of domination over the world. However, years before the orb passed into Raymond’s hand, it found its way to the Manhattan Adventurers’ Society, a group of adventurers who hunted down relics for sport in the early 20th Century. The club was renowned for its treasure-hunting premise, often brushing close to mystical artifacts of dubious origins. Interestingly, it has roots in reality.
The Real-Life Inspiration of Manhattan Adventurers Society
The Manhattan Adventurers’ Society is a fictional club in ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ conceived by director Gil Kenan and co-writer Jason Reitman. It was an order of explorers who would go around the world seeking hidden treasures, artifacts, and relics of great historical significance to raise their reputation through their finds. However, in the narrative, their quest for glory runs into a snag when they inadvertently perform a ritual in 1904 that releases Garraka’s power and leads to the icy death of several members. While describing them in hindsight, Dr. Hubert Wartzki calls the Society a bunch of “rich a******s” who would steal relics from around the world and celebrate them with acts of debauchery.
Although the Society may be fictional in origin, director Gil Kenan looked to ground the mythology of Garraka through the exploits of the Adventurers. In an interview, he revealed drawing inspiration from a real-life historical society in New York City, saying, “The specific choice to go [to the past] was connected to actually my wedding way back when I got married at a place in New York City that was called the Explorers Club. It’s still there, and it was an old British-style Gentleman’s Club but one specifically rooted in gentleman adventurers who would come back from their exploits around the world with some sort of artifact, and then they would sit around in a clubby way with brandy in their hand, and somebody would hold court and talk about the whale penis that they dragged back from Antarctica.”
The Explorers Club was formed in 1904, the same year when the flashback scene with the Manhattan Adventurers’ is set in the film. Their primary objective was to further exploration, fieldwork, and helm scientific discoveries. They have several chapters worldwide, and their headquarters are in New York City. In the film, the Manhattan Adventurers fall prey to a supernatural entity while trying to find the origins of their recovered brass artifact. However, it aligns with the spirit of exploration engendered within the real-life organization from which the Adventurers’ Society draws inspiration. Even in the face of danger, they seek to brave the unknown to gain access to forbidden knowledge. Unfortunately, in the case of Garraka, they step too far.
During filming, the production team availed the UK-based Winnersh Film Studios facilities at 1020 Eskdale Road, Winnersh in Wokingham, Berkshire, to tape the scene featuring the Manhattan Adventurers’ Society. The club adds to the lore of Garraka’s mysterious and dark origins and helps build a deeper sense of history in the Ghostbusters universe. Despite being drawn from other real-life exploratory societies, it stands as a unique addition to ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ and remains confined to a fictional order based in New York City.
Read More: Ghostbusters Frozen Empire Tribute: Who is Ivan? How did He Die?
