Bill Murray’s Journey in the Ghostbusters Franchise: From Reluctance to Reluctant Success

Introduction

Bill Murray, one of Hollywood’s most beloved and selective actors, was initially reluctant to become involved with any repository of 'comedy lightning in a bottle.' His reticence, however, did not last long, as evidenced by his decision to participate in the highly anticipated sequel and a cameo in the third installment. This article explores why Murray agreed to reprise his role in Ghostbusters, and delves into the making of these films, focusing on his experiences in Ghostbusters 2 and the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

The Reluctance of Bill Murray

When the subject of the original Ghostbusters sequel was broached, Bill Murray was clearly hesitant. He had always been careful about the projects he took on, and seen from his perspective, a sequel seemed less than beneficial. 'I was very very reluctant to do it,' said Murray, explaining, 'I was in absolutely no hurry. I probably thought that the only reason anyone would want another one was just to make money. And I was probably the most reluctant.' Although he had never been one to push through, the unique circumstances of the reunion proved irresistible.

The Reunion and the Pitch

Around the 36th Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), Bill Murray received an honor that came with asking him about his career. When the topic of the sequel was brought up again, the actor explained, 'I don’t know if Ivan [Reitman] set it up, but they got us all back together in a room. We hadn't been together since the movie came out, and it was just really really fun to be together. We were really funny together.' The filmmakers had pitched a story idea that Murray thought 'Holy cow, we could make that work.'

Changes and Challenges

Unfortunately, the story extracted during the pitch meeting did not materialize. Somewhere along the way, the story changed. The actors, except for Murray, Harold Ramis, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver, had already signed on. They continued to shoot with the scene they had before changing the story. Murray recounted, 'It ended up not being the story they wrote. They got us in the sequel under false pretenses. Harold had this great idea, but by the time we got to shooting it, I went, 'What the hell is this, what is this thing.' By the time we started shooting, we had to figure out how to make it work.'

The Cameo in Ghostbusters III

Murray’s involvement didn’t stop at the original sequel. He also appeared in a cameo for the third Ghostbusters movie. The third film featured a brand new, all-female cast, and as Murray put it, 'Those are some of my favorite funny people. Those girls are so funny. You talk about improvising and they did nothing but fire grenades all day long. I sat in amazement watching them.' On the experience of working with the new cast, he shared, 'It’s interesting to be a guy and listen to girls talk. You don’t get that opportunity all the time to listen to women at their most direct and frank, especially women who are that funny.'

Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the Future

Despite the challenges, Bill Murray is set to return for the highly anticipated Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Directed and written by Jason Reitman, the son of the original film's director Ivan Reitman, the sequel aims to bring the franchise back to its roots. Murray noted that he and the cast were 'just in it for a little while, but it was physically painful.' The heavy costumes, which weighed a lot, made the experience uncomfortable, yet Murray anticipates something great to come from it. 'I think he’s really got something. It was hard. It was really hard. That’s why I think it’s gonna be good. We were just in it for a little while but it was physically painful. Wearing those packs is extremely uncomfortable. The special effects in this one are a lot of wind and dirt in your face and there was a lot of going down and getting back up. I was like, "What is this? What am I doing? These are like Bulgarian deadlifts or a Russian kettlebell getting up and down with this thing on my back." It was very uncomfortable.'

Final Thoughts

Despite his initial reluctance, Bill Murray’s journey in the Ghostbusters franchise reveals a deeper commitment to the characters and the spirit of the original film. From his work on Ghostbusters 2 to his cameo in the third film and the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Murray remains a significant part of the franchise, contributing to its enduring legacy.

Conclusion

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