Ant-Man 3 Secretly Cast Bill Murray, The Actor Reveals
Bill Murray has revealed that he has joined the cast of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Murray is one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood and has been a part of a number of high-profile films like Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, and Lost in Translation, just to name a few. He can currently be seen in theaters in Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch and is set to return in Ghostbusters: Afterlife set for theaters later this year.
Bill Murray has dipped his toe into the realm of franchise filmmaking before, yet the results have not been the best for him. He famously feuded with Lucy Liu on the set of Charlie's Angels, for which he was subsequently cut from the sequel. He has regretted making the Garfield movies, only signing on to the first film because he thought the script was being written by one of the Coen Brothers. He did, however, appear in both Space Jam movies and lent his voice to the role of Baloo in the 2016 Jungle Book. Both films went on to become box office hits. Yet, one realm Murray has never gone is the superhero movie, although that now seems to be changing.
According to an interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine, via The Cosmic Circus, Murray revealed that he has filmed a part in a Marvel movie. While he didn't say the film by name, he did reference the director's previous film, Get It On, which was helmed by Peyton Reed, confirming the Marvel movie is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Murray says he is not really interested in superhero films and says his role is most likely a one-off role. Murray said in the interview, which has been translated from German:
"You know, recently I made a Marvel movie. I probably won’t tell you, but never mind. In any case, some people were quite surprised why I decided on such a project. But for me the thing was quite clear: I got to know the director – and really liked him very much. He was funny, humble, everything you want from a director. And with the cheerleader story “Bring It On – Girls United” he made a movie years ago, which I think is damn good. So I agreed, although I’m not interested in these huge comic book adaptations as an actor otherwise...Let’s put it this way: the director is a good guy, and now I’ve at least tried out what it’s like to shoot a Marvel movie. But I don’t think I need that experience a second time. And to come back to your previous question: I have mostly had a pretty good knack for avoiding the nasties of this industry. Fortunately, most good artists are also good people. At least that’s how I experience it with my friends.”
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is currently filming, with a release date set for July 28, 2023. The film will see the introduction of Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors, after being teased in the season finale of Loki. Currently, details about the plot are under wraps, and it is currently unknown if past Ant-Man performers like Judy Greer and Bobby Cannavale will return to the film. With Murray joining the cast, it paints a new picture for the scope and storyline of the upcoming third Ant-Man film.
With Murray confirming his one-time involvement in the MCU, it is unlikely his role is a substantial one in the film or franchise and likely a fun cameo similar to Matt Damon in Thor: Ragnarok. Given the involvement of Kang the Conqueror in the film's story, it is possible Murray could be a character from a point in history that the heroes or villains encounter like in the Bill and Ted movies. Murray famously appeared in a crowd-pleasing cameo in 2009's Zombieland, so a similar appearance by the actor in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania could go over big with audiences.