Bill Murray Passed on Making a Clint Eastwood War Movie — and His Reason Makes Total Sense -

Back in the 1980s, Bill Murray was in his prime. It was in this decade that he made Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Scrooged, and plenty of other memorable classics that still hold up today. The world was Murray’s comedic oyster, though he was already showing signs of becoming a more serious actor as well. It turns out, we may have been closer to a more serious Murray in the ’80s than anyone ever imagined. Early in the decade, Murray dreamed of playing a part in a Clint Eastwood action flick, and even went so far as to call up the actor/director himself. Sadly, the pair never ended up making a movie together, and the reason makes a ton of sense when you think about it.

Bill Murray Wanted To Make a Clint Eastwood Movie — Until He Found Out the Idea

John Winger (Bill Murray) holding a rifle in 'Stripes' — Image via Columbia Pictures

When reflecting on his career in a March 2025 interview with Howard Stern, Murray recounted his desire to be in a Clint Eastwood movie. “A long time ago, I was watching the Clint Eastwood movies of the day like Thunderbolt and Lightfoot or whatever the hell the movies he was making then,” Murray explained on The Howard Stern Show, “and I thought his sidekick gets killed, and he avenges, but the sidekick gets a great part, a great death scene [and] I was like ‘I got to call this guy.'” Hoping to make his mark as an Eastwood sidekick, Murray did just that. But when he called up the director, Eastwood responded by asking Murray if he would consider making another war comedy. After some consideration, Murray refused.

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War can be a funny thing.

Having just made Stripes in 1981, Murray was (understandably) concerned about becoming typecast. He didn’t want his entire filmography to be military comedies, and he feared acquiring an Abbott and Costello-like career. Despite his dreams of working alongside Dirty Harry himself, Murray passed on the Eastwood offer. As a result, it would be over a decade before he would actively pursue more dramatic roles. “It’s one of the few regrets I have is that I didn’t do it because it was a big-scale thing,” Murray recalled to Stern. “[Eastwood] had access to World War II boats, and he could have made a flotilla — and there was some cool stuff in it.” To this day, he still apologizes to Eastwood, who he believes is “certainly well over it.”

What Movie Did Clint Eastwood Have in Mind for Bill Murray?

It’s hard to say what ’80s-era Eastwood flick Murray is referencing here. As far as we can tell, Eastwood didn’t make a war comedy in the 1980s. Perhaps it was a project that fell apart completely after Murray’s refusal? However, the actor-director did go on to make a more serious war drama in 1986 titled Heartbreak Ridge, which he starred in as Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway. The film was a Korean War picture that was inspired by the real-life Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, but it was not at all a comedy as Murray describes. Instead, it was a heartfelt and pensive picture that was praised by critics for its dialogue.

Still, it would have been something to see both Bill Murray and Clint Eastwood in their ’80s years working together on a war flick. These are two that we would never cast opposite the other initially, but upon further inspection, there’s something there that could have been great. However, it was probably best that Murray passed on it, as it allowed his career to blossom in ways it may not have been able to otherwise.