Throughout the course of his decades-spanning career, Eddie Murphy has headlined massive movies, to say the least. From 48 Hrs. and Trading Places to Shrek and Dreamgirls, Murphy truly has some impressive credits in his filmography. What’s even wilder is that had circumstances worked out in different ways, the Oscar nominee could’ve had even more marquee titles under his belt. Among the projects that got away is Ghostbusters and, while it stinks that Murphy couldn’t be involved, I understand why he passed on the project.
Eddie Murphy was in rarified air in the ‘80s, at which point he rose to prominence as a bonafide movie star. So, at the time, he was in a position in which he was not only offered a plethora of projects, but he also had the ability to turn them down if he so chose. During an interview with the Associated Press – which was shared to Instagram – Murphy recalled passing up Ghostbusters. Murphy also name-dropped a beloved ‘80s fantasy flick and a great ‘90s buddy comedy while talking about missed opportunities:
Yeah, there’s a couple of movies. Ghostbusters, I was supposed to do Ghostbusters and didn’t do that and Rush Hour. Oh, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Those are my big three ‘wish I would’ve done’ movies.
While speaking with the AP, Murphy admitted that he regretted not being a part of those movies, because they were “huge, giant hits.” He’s not wrong there, as all three films have powerful positions within pop culture. An interesting BTS Who Framed Roger Rabbit fact is that it nearly landed Murphy in the role of Eddie Valiant. But, as Murphy noted in this recent interview, he thought the concept was “ridiculous” until he saw the movie. Because of that, he now feels like an “idiot” for turning it down. He didn’t give a reason for passing on Rush Hour, but that flick still stands as one of the best buddy cop films of all time.
The Ghostbusters movies may vary in quality, but that first installment from Ivan Reitman – which was released in 1984 – is still perfect. Based on past interviews, that film’s co-writer and co-lead, Dan Aykroyd, apparently wrote the role of Winston Zeddemore with Eddie Murphy in mind after they worked together on Trading Places. Some may wonder why Murphy opted not to participate and, as it so happens, he had to choose between that and another little movie:
With Ghostbusters, I did Beverly Hills Cop instead. So it was like, do this or that, so it worked out cool.
Honestly, I have to agree with the Bowfinger star on that front, as I think he made the right choice. Initially a Sylvester Stallone vehicle, Beverly Hills Cop was a box office hit, and it turned Murphy into a true star. Not only that, but the film launched a film series, of which the latest installment, Axel F, was just released in 2024. All of that information – paired with the fact that Ernie Hudson ultimately gave a winning performance as Winston – is why I think everything, in hindsight, turned out for the best.
Still, it’s hard not to wonder what a Ghostbusters with Murphy would’ve looked like. The thought of the witty actor wielding a proton pack and taking on supernatural forces is just too cool (and funny) not to consider. Alas, it simply wasn’t meant to be and, ultimately, there’s no use crying over spilled milk… or slime in this case.
Anyone who wants to hear more of Eddie Murphy’s candid reflections should check out his new documentary, Being Eddie, which was just released amid the 2025 movie schedule. That introspective film is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription.