'Ghostbusters' Ecto Cooler Returns In May; New Empire Cover And Character Banners Revealed

Back in February, an image of a new can of Hi-C's nostalgic drink Ecto Cooler, inspired by the Real Ghostbusters cartoon back in 1987, emerged online. This seemed to be confirmation that the Coca-Cola Company was going to revive the beloved flavor after it was discontinued in 2001. Now an official press release from the soft drink company has revealed when we'll see Ecto Cooler return to shelves in honor of the new Ghostbusters movie hitting the big screen this summer.

In addition, some new character banners and covers from Empire magazine have arrived, showing off more images of the team played by Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones.

First up, here's the new image of the Hi-C Ecto Cooler available in juice boxes and cans:

Hi-C Ecto Cooler will be sold in 10 packs of 6 oz. juice boxes and also in 6-pack and 12-pack 11.5 oz aluminum cans. What's cool is that the cans have a thermal ink that will turn slime green when the juice inside is cold. The final can itself appears to be a little different than the one that hit the web earlier this year, but it's nothing drastic. However, I'm a little disappointed that at least the new version of Slimer isn't featured on the can along with the retro package design.

Anyway, Ecto Cooler will hit shelves on May 30, but if you can't wait until the, you can enter a sweepstakes to get it before everyone else by following Ecto Cooler on Twitter and Facebook. Read the full rules for the sweepstakes right here.

Charles Torrey, Vice President, Minute Maid/Hi-C Brands, Coca-Cola North America had this to say about the news:

Hi-C Ecto Cooler fueled a pop culture phenomenon that is well remembered and beloved by fans to this day. Sony Pictures was extremely enthusiastic about bringing it back for this special occasion, and the timing of the upcoming Ghostbusters film made this the exact right time.

For more details, you can stay tuned to the new Ecto Cooler website right here.

But that's not all the Ghostbusters goodies that have arrived as there's a new Empire cover that has just been unveiled along with a trio of banners that have been hitting Twitter recently. Check them out:

Below you can check out the full press release for Ecto Cooler, otherwise Ghostbusters hits theaters on July 15.

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Fans of the ghoulish green goodness of Hi-C Ecto Cooler have one more reason to celebrate the return of the Ghostbusters franchise to the silver screen. This summer, the juice drink of choice for those nostalgic for the '80s and '90s will officially return to store shelves for a limited time. Its resurgence comes after a 15-year hiatus, much to the delight of fans everywhere. Ghostbusters hits theaters on July 15, 2016.

"Hi-C Ecto Cooler fueled a pop culture phenomenon that is well remembered and beloved by fans to this day," said Charles Torrey, Vice President, Minute Maid/Hi-C Brands, Coca-Cola North America. "Sony Pictures was extremely enthusiastic about bringing it back for this special occasion, and the timing of the upcoming Ghostbusters film made this the exact right time."

Hi-C Ecto Cooler became a cultural mainstay in 1987 as a tie-in with the original Ghostbusters franchise. The drink's immense popularity kept it around for more than a decade and kept people deliciously hydrated until it was discontinued in 2001.

Since then, popular online sites have cited Hi-C Ecto Cooler fondly in articles on '90s nostalgia, and have inspired vocal online fan groups. Those groups, along with some lobbying support from Sony Pictures, spurred The Coca-Cola Company to bring Hi-C Ecto Cooler back, just in time for the new Ghostbusters theatrical release this summer.

Fans who can't wait to get their hands on Hi-C Ecto Cooler until May 30 can enter for a chance to win it before it is available for purchase.  To enter and learn more about the Sweepstakes, fans can follow @Ectocooler on Twitter and Ecto Cooler on Facebook. Visit: http://bit.ly/HiCEctoCoolerSweeps to read official Hi-C Social Sweepstakes rules and entry details.

Hi-C Ecto Cooler will be sold in 10-packs of 6-ounce juice boxes and in 6- and 12-packs of 11.5-ounce aluminum cans. The cans are specially printed using thermal ink that turns an eerie shade of slime green when the product inside is cold.

Hi-C Ecto Cooler fans can follow the brand on social media at Facebook.com/ectocool and Twitter.com/EctoCooler or learn more at www.ecto.cool.