After more than four decades in Hollywood, Eddie Murphy has delivered some of the most beloved characters and timeless comedies ever made. But even a legend has moments where he wonders what if?
While promoting his new Netflix documentary Being Eddie, Murphy sat down with the Associated Press and opened up about three major films he now wishes he had said yes to, projects that went on to become blockbuster cultural landmarks.
And the list is stacked.
Eddie Murphy reveals his top three "wish I would have done" movies. His new documentary "Being Eddie" is out now on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/WLP5IprhAr
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) November 13, 2025
In his own words, Murphy shared:
“Ghostbusters, I was supposed to do Ghostbusters and didn’t do that, and Rush Hour. Oh, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Those are my big three ‘wish I would have done’ movies.”
According to Murphy, the only reason those missed opportunities still stick with him is simple: they were massive hits.
Murphy was originally approached to join the cast of Ghostbusters, which later became one of the most iconic comedies of all time. But turning it down wasn’t a total loss; it directly cleared the path for him to star in Beverly Hills Cop, the role that solidified him as a global box office powerhouse.
“It was do this or that,” he explained. “So it worked out cool.”
And he’s not wrong, Beverly Hills Cop became the highest-grossing film of 1984 and launched one of his most beloved franchises.
Of all three, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is the one that most surprises fans today. The groundbreaking mix of animation and live action was unlike anything Hollywood had attempted at that level.
But in the early stages, Murphy wasn’t convinced.
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit? just sounded ridiculous to me and I passed on it,” he admitted. “Afterwards, I was like oh, that’s amazing.”
The film went on to win three Oscars and became a defining classic of the late ’80s.
Murphy also revealed he was originally eyed for Rush Hour, the buddy-cop smash that launched a franchise and helped turn Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan into one of Hollywood’s most dynamic comedic duos.
It’s hard to imagine the film without Tucker’s signature high-energy charisma—but it’s even harder not to picture what an Eddie Murphy–Jackie Chan pairing would have looked like.
Despite the huge success of all three films, Murphy doesn’t dwell on what could have been. His career is already filled with era-defining classics, and he’s quick to acknowledge that every “no” helped shape the opportunities that did come.
Being Eddie is now streaming on Netflix.
