Bill Murray Abandoned Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’ Due to COVID

Bill Murray’s mysterious absence from Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” didn’t go unnoticed this week after Focus Features boarded the project and revealed new details about the film.

The actor – an Anderson regular who has raised films such as ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ and ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ – was one of the first to be attached to the film shot in Spain, which entered in production last September. On Wednesday, however, Murray was noticeably absent from the pic’s cast, which includes Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Carell, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton and Adrien Brody, among many others. .

A source close to the production tells Variety that Murray contracted COVID-19 shortly before filming began on the film last September, and the project was forced to recast his role. It is not believed that he shot any scenes before giving up.

It is understood ‘Morning Show’ star Carell replaced Murray in the film.

Speculation is rife that Murray could be sidelined after it emerged that Searchlight Pictures halted production of Aziz Ansari’s ‘Being Mortal’ last April after an inappropriate behavior complaint was filed against the 71-year-old actor. Sources say, however, that the allegations have nothing to do with Murray’s absence from ‘Asteroid City’.

In April, Murray was quick to offer his version of events, telling CNBC that he “had a difference of opinion with a woman I work with.”

“I did something that I thought was funny and it wasn’t taken that way,” Murray told CNBC. “The film studio wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check everything and investigate and so they stopped production.

“From now on, we talk and try to make peace with each other,” Murray continued. “We are both professionals. We love each other’s work — we love each other, I think. If we can’t get along and trust each other, there’s no point in going any further to work together or to make a film… It was quite an education for me. I haven’t done much but think about her for a week or two.

The exact nature of the complaint against Murray has never been disclosed.

Searchlight Pictures released Anderson’s last three films, but parted ways with the filmmaker for “Asteroid City,” which is with Focus Features domestically and parent company Universal Pictures internationally. Focus Features took the photo on board in post-production.

Co-written by Anderson and Roman Coppola, the film is described as a “poetic meditation on the meaning of life”. Set in a fictional American desert town circa 1955 and its Junior Stargazer convention, the film brings together students and parents from across the country for academic competition, rest and recreation, comedy, drama, romance and Moreover.

“Asteroid City” is produced by Anderson and his longtime collaborators Steven Rales, founder of production company Indian Paintbrush, and Jeremy Dawson.