Robert Downey Jr. Wanted Bill Murray For A Role In IRON MAN But The Two Couldn't Connect

Robert Downey Jr. Wanted Bill Murray For A Role In IRON MAN But The Two Couldn't Connect

Robert Downey Jr. (Back to School) at one time considered Bill Murray (Ghostbusters) for a role in Marvel's Iron Man but the reclusive comedian could not be reached.

News
By BJD - Jun 02, 2012 07:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Iron Man
Source: Comic Book Resources

Bill Murray missed out on a chance to be part of the Marvel cinematic universe when in 2008 both Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau wanted to cast him in Iron Man as an undisclosed character. However, neither could find him.

Writer Scott Raab interviewed the actor for the new issue of Esquire. "Downey told me: ‘We wanted Bill to consider a role in Iron Man, but nobody could find him,’" Raab told Murray. "Show people are awestruck by your inaccessibility."

"I’m not trying to be coy," the actor replied. "It’s just practical for me. When the phone started ringing too many times, I had to take it back to what I can handle. I take my chances on a job or a person as opposed to a situation. I don’t like to have a situation placed over my head."


Someone should tell Mr. Murray that he's under no obligation to take a role and therefore shouldn't feel cornered when one is offered. RDJ should've just checked the Piermont bakery in NY if he wanted to find Bill Murray. I used to see Dr. Venkman there just about every morning with a depressed look upon his face.
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hulagan
hulagan - 6/2/2012, 8:20 PM
"I don’t like to have a situation placed over my head" - what does that even mean?
BJD
BJD - 6/2/2012, 8:30 PM
@hulagan: I think Murray's mental health is slowly deteriorating and I say that based on personal interactions I've had with him. So when he says something nonsensical like "I don’t like to have a situation placed over my head" you have to get out your dementia decoder ring, set it to the appropriate degree, and decipher.

Here is my translation of it..."I'm getting old,frail, the outside world is starting to frighten me, and I can't handle the pressure"
hulagan
hulagan - 6/2/2012, 8:38 PM
@BJD: haha i think your probobly right. It seems like murray is just a grumpy old man that hates doing movies people want to see.
cyclopstb
cyclopstb - 6/2/2012, 9:05 PM
He could be an understandable senator for Iron Man.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 9:34 PM
Murray's going to win an Oscar this year, I don't know what the hell you guys are talking about. He's younger than Jeff Bridges for Gods sake.
jessepostal
jessepostal - 6/2/2012, 9:58 PM
i don't think he's losing his mental health,i think he just wants to live his life,not commit to anything so he can do what he wants,and he doesn't need to do anything because he's set for life,let the man have fun
jbak368
jbak368 - 6/2/2012, 10:01 PM
Bill Murray is [frick]ing awesome, and he continues to give [frick]ing awesome performances. He won't win the Oscar though, because he'll be up against another presidential performance: Daniel Day-Lewis in Spielberg's LINCOLN.
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 6/2/2012, 10:02 PM
Maybe the dude just doesnt want to make big movies anymore. Rather be in smaller films with smaller roles or more meaningful.
95
95 - 6/2/2012, 10:42 PM
Iron Man 4! Bill Murray is awesome!
TheShakeBake
TheShakeBake - 6/2/2012, 10:45 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the last thing he was in was Zombieland??? Hilarious small role for him, practically made the movie in my opinion.
Sanderman
Sanderman - 6/2/2012, 10:46 PM
He'd make a great war machine ;)
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 10:48 PM
@jbak

I think Murray takes it because the Academy is known for awarding actors for a lifetime of work, even if the performance isn't the best they have ever done. In my opinion Murray got robbed for Groundhogs day, and I think this is finally the year he takes it. He appears to have gotten lost in that role. Even though I think Daniel Day Lewis will be the better actor, that doesn't mean he will automatically win. Remember in 2002 Russel Crowe was robbed and he acted circles around Denzel that year.
GiantNerd
GiantNerd - 6/2/2012, 10:50 PM
He was up for Pepper Potts. It's a damn shame..
rodney21a
rodney21a - 6/2/2012, 11:01 PM
Murray is god and he says

[frick] yo comicbookmovie klwon...
HeyVanity
HeyVanity - 6/2/2012, 11:10 PM
Who doesn't love Bill Murray. My dad met him years ago on a golf course. He was working on the computers that control the irrigation and accidentally sprayed Mr. Murray. He walked over to my dad, told a joke, and just laughed about it. I say let the man do what he wants. He's earned that.
EarOne
EarOne - 6/2/2012, 11:16 PM
is Garry Shandling's Sen. Stern back in this one..?? he could make a devilish alliance with Pearce's character.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 11:22 PM
I'm sorry Intruder, have you seen anything from that movie yet? I remember everyone said he was going to win one for nine, saying it was better than There Will Be Blood. And yes that year Russell Crowe was a million times better than Denzel. Training Day is incredibly overrated. Denzel basically won that award for playing a parody of a crooked cop. It was so over the top and stupid. Watch A Beautiful Mind again.
Alexandre
Alexandre - 6/2/2012, 11:24 PM
the dude rules. i like his recent choices so far why change it.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 11:28 PM
Denzel should have won for The Hurricane that was beautifully nuanced performance, and definitely the best of 1999.
bbarber2323
bbarber2323 - 6/2/2012, 11:31 PM
Dude Crowe is the definition of overrated. And Bill Murray is gonna be an Academy Award winner?? RFBD...you're seriously out there dude...
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 11:33 PM
Really Intruder? Had to bring up Heath Ledger. Everyone knows he deserved that so that is a moot point. Denzel didn't bring it in training day. If you watched any of his other amazing performances (Philadelphia, Glory, Malcom X, The Hurricane) you can tell he phoned that one in. It was a parody and nothing more.
jbak368
jbak368 - 6/2/2012, 11:33 PM
A Beautiful Mind and Training Day are both overrated, so THERE.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 11:36 PM
I'm assuming bbarber2322 doesn't watch any movies besides comic book movies. For Bill Murray watch Lost in Translation and Groundhogs day.

Also, when you have some free time watch LA Confidential, Master and Commander, The Insider, A Beautiful Mind. If anything Gladiator was his most overrated role, and Nailbiter check that movie out. It is a great character study driven by Crowe's outstanding performance.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 11:39 PM
Yeah Intruder all I see is a parody, and the least deserving of anything he has ever done. This speech is incredible, subtle, yet you can feel the emotion boiling underneath.
mob7medina
mob7medina - 6/2/2012, 11:40 PM
"What about Bob?" classic Bill Murray nuff said!
Ranger14
Ranger14 - 6/2/2012, 11:45 PM
Bill has all his mental faculties about him. He is just a little eccentric and his own person. He likes being that way. Not sure how they couldn't reach him. All they ave to do is attend one of the many celebrity golf tournaments that he plays in.

I am not a big Crowe fan. He's okay, but another one of those actors that just bugs me. The more I think about it, I do have quite a list of those. Decent actors, but just irritate me for some reason. :-P

Denzel is outstanding in Hurricane. Denzel is Denzel though. He's good even in sucky movies.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 11:47 PM
Haha, I'm going to re watch Training Day again tonight. I might change my mind on his performance, but I will say that Russel Crowe deserved the Oscar more. He carried that film, and earned Ron Howard his two Academy Award wins that year. Even though I thought Frost/Nixon was the best of what was nominated in 2009.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 6/2/2012, 11:51 PM
@batlizard

"Never go full retard."
HeyVanity
HeyVanity - 6/2/2012, 11:58 PM
That scene you posted, Intruder, is fantastic--my favorite of the film. I don't know how anyone could say Training Day was overrated.
holeymonkey
holeymonkey - 6/3/2012, 12:01 AM
I think in his statement about 'situations being placed over his head" refers to Marvel Studio policy of contracting actors to numerous possible films instead of one single role in one single film. Jeebus, didn't Chris Evans have to sign on to a possible 7 movies?!! Murray don't play that way.
blvdnoise
blvdnoise - 6/3/2012, 12:51 AM
Murray been like fcuk Hollywood.. lol Too bad though, that could have been pretty kool..
LAXtremest
LAXtremest - 6/3/2012, 1:47 AM
Man, I love Groundhogs Day... But Oscar worthy???
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