Bill Murray Details ‘Ghostbusters’ Reboot Cameo
Bill Murray has confirmed that he filmed a cameo for the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot, despite his initial reluctance to rejoin the supernatural comedy franchise. In early August, it was reported that Murray would participate in the Paul Feig-directed comedy, which stars Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, two actresses that Murray openly lobbied for when talks of an all-female Ghostbusters began. “I like those girls a lot. I mean, I really do,” Murray told Vulture, adding that he was approached by them for the cameo. “They are tough to say no to. And Paul is a real nice fellow.”
In 2011, Murray told David Letterman that starring in a third Ghostbusters movie would be his “nightmare,” adding that the poor response to the 1989 sequel soured the series for him. However, Murray has been a strong supporter of the reboot and eventually warmed to the idea of appearing in the new film. “You know, they were incredibly nice to ask me, and I really enjoyed being there,” Murray said. “They have such a jolly group, and they are going to have great success with this project. I didn’t want to overshadow [them] or anything, and I feel really good about it.”
As for the cameo itself, Vulture reports that Murray will not be reprising Dr. Peter Venkman, who the actor portrayed in the first two Ghostbusters installments. Instead, it’s rumored that Murray will play the polar opposite of a Ghostbuster in his small role: A debunker of the spiritual world. Original Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd also filmed a cameo as a conspiracy theory-obsessed taxi driver alongside Kristen Wiig.
There was originally talk of a “baton-passing” scene between the OGs (original Ghostbusters) and the reboot crew, but those plans were nixed following the death of Harold Ramis. The new Ghostbusters, which also stars Saturday Night Live‘s Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones along with Chris Hemsworth, will hit theaters July 15th, 2016.