Bill Murray Allegedly Fired

[AdminAssistant]

...from Ghosbusters III.

Now, this is all coming from tabloids, so take it with several grains of salt.

It's no secret that Columbia Pictures has been wanting to make a third Ghostbusters movie for a while now. It's taken time, but eventually most of the original cast was on board.* Bill Murray, as one of the original creators, had to sign off on the script before it could be green-lit.

He sent his reply to Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd in the form of the script, ran through a shredder with a note attached, "No one wants to watch fat, old men chase ghosts." Ramis and Aykroyd have (allegedly) booted Murray from the project and are going to make it anyway.

Now, I tend to believe this because Murray is a bit...eccentric, to say the least. It sounds like something he would do. Add in the fact that he's never been enthusiastic about the project and..it makes sense. And if so, GOOD FOR HIM! Does the world need another sequel? Another crappy remake of some popular 80's film? No. No, it does not. The second Ghostbusters is bad enough, with the pink goo and the painting and the freakin' Statue of Liberty. Leave it alone, Hollywood.


* I'm not sure about Rick Moranis, but it seemed unlikely that he would come out of retirement unless Bill was part of the project.

[Mytical]

It will probably be like the A-Team. New actors portraying the roles. Which would be a travesty all of it's own. Remakes CAN be good, but they have to be handled right, and hollywood seems to be more miss then hit with remakes.

[Aethian]

I wouldn't mind if they made a live action remake of the cartoon "Extreme GhostBusters" where the guys were retired and it was a new crew who took over.

[Boozy]

He sent his reply to Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd in the form of the script, ran through a shredder with a note attached, "No one wants to watch fat, old men chase ghosts."

I think Mr. Murray might have a point there.

[Salted Grump]

They already have a Ghostbusters III. It's called the (2009) game.

And yes, Murray phoned in his lines at first, but he got into the groove of things pretty quickly.

[Panacea]

Bill Murray's character wouldn't be a loss, IMHO.

It was Ramis and Aykroyd I went to see in those movies, and who had the best lines. I never really saw any chemistry between Murray and Sigourney Weaver in either movie.

And I've never though Rick Moranis was funny. Ever.

But I'd still go see a Ghostbusters III if Ramis and Aykroyd are in it.

[AdminAssistant]

Murray's deadpan delivery and sarcasm are exactly what the film needed as a contrast to Aykroyd's awkward excitement and Ramis' sneering intellectualism. I've read that the part was intended for John Belushi. I think Murray did it better than Belushi could have.

I love Rick Moranis, especially in those movies. The circumstances of his retirement make it all the sadder. (His wife died of cancer, and he left the business to raise his children.)

Look at it this way. Ramis' last project was Year One. Aykroyd's last project was Yogi Bear. They need this a hell of a lot more that Murray does, than Weaver does, even more than Ernie Hudson does. And, to be blunt, neither looks like they would be physically capable of carrying a proton pack up a flight of stairs.

[senor boogie woogie]

What I have read about Bill Murray is that he does not have an agent and he more or less sorts out what he wants and does not want to do. If you want Bill Murray, you have to find Bill Murray. If you can find Bill Murray you can pitch the idea to him if he is willing to talk to you.

I think that he has done well for himself financially and more or less works when he wants to work. There are people out there who want him in things and he knows this. I have a feeling that he is one of these people who has made X amount of money in his life, and he is happy and free to do as he likes. However, he did get a divorce not too many years ago, so maybe alimony is biting him in the butt.

Ghostbusters III does sound a bit dumb and wayyyy out of date. Akyroyd and Ramis are over 60. Their zenith of popularity was 20 to 25 years ago. I am probably way off base, but it seems that probably they want one more BIG paycheck before retirement, and possibly Murray doesn't want the hassle. Personally, I think it would be a silly flop, sequels made years and years after the first film or series usually tanks (Blues Brothers 2000 is a good example of this, or the retched Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes).

[Ginger Tea]

or the retched Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes).

I dunno, it's the only time I found Helena Bohan Carter (sp) attractive

[AdminAssistant]

If you want Bill Murray, you have to find Bill Murray. If you can find Bill Murray you can pitch the idea to him if he is willing to talk to you.

There is a phone number that goes directly to a voicemail. You call the number and make your pitch, and sometime, eventually, maybe he calls you back.