Ghost share cryptic new trailer, teasing the end of Papa Emeritus IV and a potential movie release

News
By ( Metal Hammer ) published

The new era of Ghost is kicking off in cinematic style

Ghost Tobias Forge
(Image credit: Press/Loma Vista)

Ghost have released a cryptic new trailer on social media.

The 30-second clip, released today (April 4), seemingly teases the end of the current incarnation of the band’s frontman, Papa Emeritus IV, and a movie release.

The short trailer opens with Papa, portrayed by real-life Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge, dancing up a ramp before, in a potentially symbolic gesture, bowing out.

It then ends with the words “Coming soon to cinemas worldwide”.

The new trailer follows a period of seeming inactivity for the band, who haven’t played live since a tour through Australia in October 2023.

Forge has also previously hinted at an impending end for the Papa Emeritus IV character.

“At some point between now and when the next album comes, there will have been a change,” the vocalist told Hammer late last year. “That’s all I will say.”

Forge confirmed in the same interview that he has begun writing the next Ghost album, which will follow 2022’s Impera.

Historically, a new album cycle has always heralded a “new” vocalist for the band, in a tradition that dates back to the ascension of Papa Emeritus II in 2012 (although every incarnation of the frontman has been portrayed by Forge).

As for the “Coming soon to cinemas worldwide” tease, Forge has also told Hammer that he wants to turn the two concerts Ghost played in Los Angeles in the autumn of 2023 into a film, and the words could well reference that.

“We were essentially shooting a film [at the L.A. gigs],” the singer stated.

“And we used two nights of crowds as extras […] It’s going to be a film with a concert element. So a lot of what you experienced [at the two L.A. shows] is going to be part of this project.”

Ghost do not have any live dates announced at time of publication. They surprise-released a new compilation album, 13 Commandments, on December 1, 2023.

Matt Mills
Matt Mills
Online Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.