He's one of the most successful movie stars of all time, but even Eddie Murphy regrets some of the big projects he passed on. In an interview with Associated PressThe Beverly Hills Cop and The Nutty Professor star mentioned three films that were monster hits in their own right, but perhaps could have earned a little more at the box office if Murphy's name had been on the poster.
“Ghostbusters, I was supposed to be in Ghostbusters,” Murphy said, which could have completed writer-star Dan Akroyd's original plan to bring in the Saturday Night Live dream team, including the late John Belushi before his passing. “Nor did Rush Hour. Didn't do that. Oh, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Those are my big three movies I'd like to make.”
Admittedly, all three films were huge successes in their own right, even without Murphy. His role in Rush Hour went to Chris Tucker, who played Detective Carter opposite Jackie Chan's slick Chief Inspector Lee, a film that went on to gross $245 million worldwide. The film was also followed by two sequels. The fourth film has been in development for quite some time.
When it comes to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Bob Hoskins' gruff and grumpy detective forced to work alongside an animated rabbit is a heavenly double act we never knew was possible. Besides being a groundbreaking entry in film history thanks to its special effects, it's a great watch thanks to Hoskins' brilliant performance. This is a view we would never have had if Murphy had agreed to it. With that in mind, perhaps skipping films like these wasn't such a bad choice after all.
