Why Bill Murray Was Forced To Drop Out Of Wes Anderson's Asteroid City

Actor Bill Murray has appeared in nine of director Wes Anderson's eleven feature films to date. Murray did not have a role in Anderson's 1996 debut feature "Bottle Rocket," but came on board for his sophomore feature "Rushmore" in 1998. Since then, Murray has popped up in every one of Anderson's increasingly twee and mannered dramadies, often in smaller, supporting roles, but also as the title character in 2004's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." Something about Anderson's ultra-constructed aesthetic sensibility has long meshed well with Murray's world-worn sarcasm, and their mutual filmography has been astonishing to witness expand.

Anderson may be one of the few people who has Bill Murray's famous 1-800 number written down. For context: Murray has revealed that he is selective about the films he appears in and only answers calls if they come through a specially set up 1-800 number that solely his friends and close collaborators know. Murray won't appear in just anything, but if Anderson or Jim Jarmusch come calling, he'll likely be game.

Anderson's fans might notice, then, that Murray does not have a role in the filmmaker's new movie, "Asteroid City." Many of Anderson's other usual collaborators appear — Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Tony Revolori — but Murray does not. One might postulate that the role played by Tom Hanks might have originally been intended for Murray.

Before one begins to speculate that Murray and Anderson have had some sort of oblique and secret falling out, know that Murray was unable to participate for a very practical reason: the 72-year-old actor tested positive for COVID-19. This was confirmed back in July of 2022 in an article by The Hollywood Reporter.

It's worth noting that Bill Murray's career was in something of a slump when Wes Anderson cast him in "Rushmore." Many of Murray's mid-'90s comedies were flopping at the box office and he was beginning to seem like something of a has-been in the public eye. "Space Jam" and "Larger Than Life" were larger-than-life embarrassments and while "The Man Who Knew Too Little" was clever and forthrightly funny, few saw it. "Rushmore" turned Murray into something of an indie darling, proving he could play more complex, soulful roles beyond the sarcastic jerks and aw-shucks baffoons he was best known for. After "Rushmore," Murray appeared in a supporting role in Tom Robbins' political biography musical "Cradle Will Rock" as well as Michael Almereyda's "Hamlet," in which he played Polonius.

In 2001, Anderson had Murray back for "The Royal Tenenbaums," and by 2003 he had received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation." Murray would still pop up in major commercial releases from time to time — it was in the early 2000s that he would play the voice of Garfield — but one can see a major shift in the last 20 years of Murray's career. He now works mostly with auteurs like Anderson, Coppola, Jim Jarmusch, Barry Levinson, and Cameron Crowe. Recent movies like "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" have become aberrations for him.

In August of 2021, it was reported that Murray was to appear in "Asteroid City." His role was recast when he came down with COVID-19. Murray recovered but was contagious for the time he would have had to shoot. The disease assured that Anderson would make his first film without Murray in 15 years.

In recent years, some have come forward with stories of Bill Murray's notorious temper. Murray's "Ghostbusters" co-star Dan Aykroyd once referred to him as "The Murricane" for his tendency to fly into a rage. Other stories began to surface of Murray not getting along with co-stars and that he would frequently argue with other actors. Richard Donner, the director of "Scrooged," once said that Murray was "as difficult as any actor." On the set of "Being Mortal," Murray was said to have inappropriately touched a P.A. (he paid them $100,000 to atone). Actor Seth Green also told a story on the YouTube show "Good Mythical Morning" about how Murray once, when Green was a young boy, picked him up by the feet and threatened to throw him in a trash can. Doubtless, Murray thought it was funny, although Green was openly horrified throughout.

Murray has defended his temperamental behavior by pointing out that he gets along with directors who treat him fairly; he has never fought, he said, with Sofia Coppola, Jim Jarmusch, or Wes Anderson. This may be the primary reason he wants to work with known colleagues and auteurs. Murray, it seems, would like to work on a set where he knows everyone.

Anderson's relationship with Murray, as far as anyone knows, is merely professional. As such, a director would be fine working with a major star who can be professional and turn in good performances, which Murray still seems capable of doing. Anderson, it appears, doesn't find him difficult or combative. Other co-workers may be a different matter.

"Asteroid City" opens in select theaters on June 16, 2023.