Even though the US version of Ghosts was already a remake itself, there are enough differences that have allowed the series to stand on its own. The ghosts have been Americanized (with the addition of a Revolutionary War soldier, a Native American man, and a 1920s jazz singer, for example), and Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) are much more successful at running Woodstone Manor than their British counterparts were at managing Button House. Plus, because the UK version didn’t originally air on network television here in the States, many viewers weren’t exposed to the original series in the first place (although there might have been some people who caught it via streaming). Just having the two versions seemed okay at first since there hasn’t been a ton of crossover in terms of plot (beyond the basic premise for the show).
But now, a German adaptation is in production by BBC Studios Germany, with a French adaptation also in the works. An Australian version of the series has also recently been announced, and it will be available on Paramount+ sometime in 2025. Not only will the US show now have to compete for viewers with all of these other adaptations (which is a major risk of expanding a franchise too quickly), but also adding all of these additional versions of the same show will dilute what makes Ghosts special. The US version already treads on familiar territory set up by the British sitcom, but having multiple other shows with the same premise and similar versions of the characters airing at the same time will only end up diminishing the unique qualities of the series. The original Ghosts wasn’t based on a major blockbuster movie or toy or previously successful project, so it is unique in that it comes from a fresh concept, but it won’t be special if there are many versions of the same series out in the world.
