The original 1984 Ghostbusters was almost very, very different thanks to a few almost-castings that didn’t happen. The beloved film continues to be iconic for its humorous look at the supernatural, and unique tonal storytelling within that genre. Ghostbusters starred Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Ernie Hudson, and more. However, a number of the roles in the beloved cult classic film were almost played by other acclaimed actors.
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The 1980s saw a boom in franchise films, including Ghostbusters. Many of these franchises started the careers of some of Hollywood’s most beloved stars. Several actors who turned down Ghostbusters went on to star in their own massively successful franchises, most notably Jurassic Park, Beetlejuice, and several others. Without its iconic cast, Ghostbusters would not have become the cult classic it is today.
You are watching: 8 Actors Who Turned Down Major Roles In Ghostbusters
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Michael Keaton
Keaton Was Considered For The Role Of Peter Venkman
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Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Michael Keaton was considered for the role of Venkman, which ultimately went to Bill Murray. Keaton was one of several actors to turn down the role, upon reading an early version of the script that once lacked the comic relief that continues to earn Ghostbusters praise today. He went on to star in a number of successful blockbuster projects throughout the 1980s, notably the cult classic comedy-horror Beetlejuice and the titular Batman. The actor additionally starred in a number of successful dramas, including Clean and Sober.
He later appeared alongside Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, and more in the 1993 adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. The late 1990s and 2000s saw the actor perform in a number of family movies, including Herbie Fully Loaded, Jack Frost, First Daughter, and more. Keaton’s vast experience across different film genres, even early in his career, would still have made him a solid fit for the role of Venkman in Ghostbusters.
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Venkman’s character holds Ph.D.s in parapsychology and psychology and is a professor at Columbia University. The character’s humorous sarcasm and disinterest in the ghost busting the movie suggests make him the perfect addition to an often overzealous gang of supernatural hunters. He is often more interested in flirting with his female clientele than actually busting the ghosts he was hired to find. This running joke remains one of the film’s many sources of comic relief.
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Tom Hanks
Hanks Was Also Considered For Venkman’s Role
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Tom Hanks is now a two-time Academy Award winner, a seven-time Emmy Award winner, a five-time Golden Globe winner, and a two-time SAG Award winner. Hanks first became known in popular culture as “America’s Dad”, as many of his early career roles were in romantic comedies and family drama films. The same year Hanks would have starred in Ghostbusters, he instead starred in Splash, a 1984 romantic comedy film about a man who falls in love with a mermaid named Madison (Darryl Hannah).
Hanks went on to become known as one of the best romantic comedy actors of his generation, appearing in Nora Ephron’s Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail. Hanks is also known for his impactful roles in historical dramas, notably the Academy Award-winning Philadelphia, which stars Hanks as a gay lawyer battling AIDS as he sues his own firm for discrimination. Hanks later starred as the titular Forrest Gump, which saw the character through several pivotal moments in history. Hanks has more than proven his acting prowess, but his sincerity would not have delivered the same dry sarcasm as Murray’s Venkman.
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John Candy
Candy Was Offered The Role Of Louis Tully
Comedian and actor John Candy turned down the role of Louis Tully after his ideas for the script were rejected. The role ultimately went to Rick Moranis. Louis’ character is the quirky next door neighbor to Dana. He becomes possessed by Vinz Clortho, who, along with Zuul, opens the interdimensional gate to bring Gozer the Gozerian, God of destruction, forth. This makes Louis patient zero for the titular Ghostbusters.
Candy starred alongside fellow almost-Ghostbuster Tom Hanks in Splash, and Bill Murray in 1981’s Stripes prior to Ghostbusters. He most famously appeared opposite Steve Martin in the heartwarming holiday film Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Candy continued to work with director John Hughes until his untimely death in 1994, when he passed away after suffering a heart attack in his sleep. Candy had a family history of heart problems, and his father suffered the same fate (via The New York Times).
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Jeff Goldblum
Goldblum Was Offered The Role Of Egon Spengler
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Acclaimed actor Jeff Goldblum was offered the role of Egon Spengler, the professor whose studies created the framework for the titular Ghostbusters ghost-busting system. Spengler’s humorous lack of social skills outside of academia are a part of the character’s charm. He is entirely oblivious to Janine Melnitz’s romantic interest in him. Spengler is one of the titular four Ghostbusters, and the role ultimately went to Harold Ramis.
Goldblum turned down the role of Spengler before starring in a number of science fiction films throughout the 1980s. This all culminated in his role as a much more charismatic academic in Jurassic Park opposite Laura Dern. While his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm saw the actor step into the shoes of a chaos scientist and mathematician, Goldblum’s charisma might not have carried the awkwardness needed for Spengler.
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Goldblum went on to forge an incredibly successful career, frequently collaborating with director Wes Anderson on The Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs, Asteroid City, and more. He has also appeared in a number of popular television shows, including Will & Grace and Glee. He is soon to appear in one of the biggest films of 2024, the much-anticipated film adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical Wicked.
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Chevy Chase
Chase Was Offered The Role Of Venkman
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Original Saturday Night Live cast member and acclaimed actor-comedian Chevy Chase claims to have turned down the role of Venkman in Ghostbusters (via IndieWire). Chase claimed to have seen an early version of the script in which the film fell further into the horror genre than the comedy it turned out to be. Despite turning it down, Chase remained confident in his choice.
Chase once hosted the “Weekend Update” segment of Saturday Night Live, which is currently hosted by Michael Che and Colin Jost. Chase went on to have an illustrious career in the film and television world. Among his most popular films are National Lampoon’s Vacation,!Three Amigos!, Snow Day, and more. Chase played the drums in The Leather Canary alongside Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who went on to form the legendary jazz band Steely Dan. Chase once claimed to have perfect pitch in his memoir (via I’m Chevy Chase…And You’re Not).
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Eddie Murphy
Murphy Was Considered For The Role Of Winston Zeddemore
Ernie Hudson played Winston Zeddmore in Ghostbusters, but Eddie Murphy was once considered for the part. The script was reportedly changed after Murphy turned down the role. Zeddmore is often the voice of reason for the group, as he does not have a scientific background and thus has more real-world experience outside the bubble of academia. While the part is humorous, Murphy definitely could have offered a different take.
Murphy went on to become a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor. He began his career in stand-up comedy in the 1980s, appearing in a number of films, including Beverly Hills Cop. Murphy’s film career soared to new heights in the 1990s, when he starred in The Nutty Professor and voiced Mushu in Disney’s Mulan. Murphy’s distinct voice paved the way for a number of other notable voice acting roles, including Donkey in Dreamworks’ Shrek. Murphy finally dipped a toe into the paranormal with the 2003 film The Haunted Mansion.
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Julia Roberts
Roberts Almost Played Dana Barrett
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Dana Barrett, Louis Tully’s neighbor in Ghostbusters, quickly finds herself enraptured in the group’s exploits. Her apartment building turned out to be the portal for the demon who possessed Louis in the first film, and she finds herself connected to the group throughout the franchise. Dana later marries Venkman. The role ultimately went to actress Sigourney Weaver, who, up until 1984, had predominantly starred in drama films, and was initially hesitant to audition.
Julia Roberts was also in the audition room (via Yahoo News). Throughout the 1980s, Roberts went on to most famously star in Mystic Pizza and Steel Magnolias. Her career reached household name status in the 1990s, for her roles in famous romantic comedies Pretty Woman, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Runaway Bride, and Notting Hill. The actress additionally made a name for herself in several dramas and psychological thrillers, from Flatliners to Sleeping With The Enemy. She most recently starred in the 2023 Netflix film Leave The World Behind. Roberts would have bought her own energy into the role, and it may have even changed the early trajectory of her career.
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Robin Williams
Williams Nearly Took On The Role Of Venkman
The beloved late Robin Williams was once considered for the role of Venkman. Williams was known for his fantastic career in films across a wide array of genres, from action adventure to drama and comedy. The Academy Award winner famously starred as an unorthodox yet inspirational teacher in 1989’s Dead Poets Society, and went forth to bring humor and heart to Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, and The Birdcage. Williams later took on another scholarly role as a Harvard professor in Good Will Hunting opposite a young Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
Williams worked on the Night At The Museum franchise, playing President Teddy Roosevelt as New York City’s Museum of Natural History comes to life at night. He was a working actor until he died by suicide in 2014. Given Williams’ heart and versatility, he would have played Venkmansteh differently than Murray, but made the Ghostbusters role just as memorable for generations of audiences.
Sources: The New York Times, IndieWire, I’m Chevy Chase…And You’re Not, Yahoo News
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Ghostbusters
PG-13
ActionFantasyComedy
Ghostbusters is a 2016 film following paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan as they unite to combat a ghost invasion threatening Manhattan.
Director
Paul Feig
Release Date
July 14, 2016
Writers
Katie Dippold
Cast
Melissa McCarthy
, Kristen Wiig
, Kate McKinnon
, Leslie Jones
, Chris Hemsworth
, Neil Casey
, Charles Dance
, Michael Kenneth Williams
, Cecily Strong
, Andy García
, Matt Walsh
, Ed Begley Jr.
, Steve Higgins
, Michael McDonald
, Karan Soni
, Zach Woods
, Nate Corddry
, Toby Huss
, Katie Dippold
, Jessica Chaffin
, Jamie Denbo
, Steve Bannos
, Adam Ray
, Bill Murray
, Dan Aykroyd
Character(s)
Abby “Wonton” Yates
, Erin Gilbert
, Jillian Holtzmann
, Patty Tolan
, Kevin
, Rowan North
, Harold Fillmore
, Agent Hawkins
, Jennifer Lynch
, Mayor Bradley
, Agent Rorke
, Ed Mulgrave
, Dean Jones
, Jonathan
, Benny
, Tour Guide
, Graffiti Artist
, Officer Stevenson
, Rental Agent
, Waitress
, Flasher Ghost
, Lead Singer / Slimer (voice)
, Martin Heiss
, Cabbie
Runtime
117 minutes
Main Genre
Comedy
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Source: https://www.phonggdkrongpac.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment