Hi-C Ecto Cooler Spooks Up a Return in Celebration of Ghostbusters: Afterlife Release
Courtesy of Coca-Cola
There's something strange in the neighborhood again.
In celebration of the highly anticipated new Ghostbusters film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Coca-Cola's Minute Maid division is bringing back an iconic beverage from its vault: Hi-C Ecto Cooler!
The ghoulish green drink is being given away to lucky fans following DrinkHiC on social media, packaged in an exclusive commemorative 12 oz bottle for the first time.
Ecto Cooler first came out in 1987, back when The Real Ghostbusters — the animated adaptation of the original 1984 live-action film, Ghostbusters — was a staple on Saturday morning television.
Though technically just a rebrand of Hi-C's Citrus Cooler flavor, which was released in 1965, the neon green color was perfectly reminiscent of the supernatural substance Ectoplasm used in the film, making the Ghostbusters product tie-in a no-brainer for fans.
Adding to the appeal? The addition of Slimer, the beloved ghost from the film, on the drink's juice boxes packaging.
In fact, Ecto Cooler was so popular among kids, it remained in production for a decade before finally getting discontinued in 2001, long after 1989's Ghostbusters II stopped playing in theaters and The Real Ghostbusters went off the air in 1991.
RELATED: Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trailer Hints at the Return of Original Cast: 'Have You Missed Us?'
Ernie Hudson, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd in a promo shot for 1989's Ghostbusters 2
The beverage's sweet and tart flavor (a combination of orange and tangerine fruit juices) didn't go anywhere, though. Minute Maid yet again rebranded the product "Shoutin' Orange Tangergreen" (this time, without Slimer). That got renamed again, in 2006, to 'Crazy Citrus Cooler" — though that was discontinued in 2007.
Years later, in 2016, Coca-Cola brought Ecto Cooler back, timed for the release of the Ghostbusters movie starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth.
That limited run was so popular, 6-packs famously began popping up on eBay to capitalize on fan demand.
RELATED: The Stars of Ghostbusters, Then & Now
Columbia Pictures
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
And now, Ecto Cooler is once again here, just in time for Ghostbusters: Afterllife.
Coming nearly 40 years after the original movie, the new Jason Reitman-directed film picks up in a future where ghosts have returned to haunt humanity. Paul Rudd, PEOPLE's current reigning Sexiest Man Alive, stars alongside Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard — the latter three who are said to play characters related to Ghostbusters original Dr. Egon Spengler (the late Harold Ramis).
Ramis's costars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson are rumored to return as well, as are former Ghostbusters stars Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts.
The trailer even closed out with Ray Parker Jr.'s Ghostbusters theme song.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife hits theaters Nov. 19.
