1988 Film, Ranked Among the 'Most Fun Fantasy Movies of All Time,' Is the Only Movie Eddie Murphy Regrets Turning Down
- Eddie Murphy turned down the lead role in the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," a decision he later regretted.
Ask any big name in Hollywood if they've turned down a role and you will probably get a laundry list of answers, but not all of them will be lined with regret. In Eddie Murphy's case, of all the movies he turned down, there was only one that he "felt like an idiot" for saying no to.
When Murphy was offered the lead in a bizarre new movie combining live-action actors with animated characters, he wasn't convinced. In fact, the concept sounded so ridiculous to him that he passed. In his words , it sounded "like bull s—."
Years later, Murphy formed a very different opinion.
The 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit has since become a beloved classic, and Collider recently included it on its list of the "Most Fun Fantasy Movies of All Time."
Eddie Murphy Was Supposed to Play Bob Hoskins' Role
Murphy revealed during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that he was originally supposed to play Eddie Valiant, the hard-boiled detective eventually portrayed by Bob Hoskins.
The actor admitted that he simply didn't understand how the movie was supposed to work — the combination of animation and live-action sounded ridiculous to him.
At the time, it was certainly an unusual pitch. Robert Zemeckis' movie put humans and cartoon characters together in the same physical world, with Hoskins' Valiant investigating a murder involving Roger Rabbit.
All of the classic cartoon characters from Disney, Looney Tunes, and more in one movie, complete with a tongue-in-cheek noir mystery and an Acme barrel full of meta-jokes? Robert Zemeckis's blockbuster comedy blends animated icons with live-action stars and wraps the whole thing up in a nice, bright bow. Warning: Exposure to Jessica Rabbit at an impressionable age may cause the premature onset of puberty.
Considering the enormous technical challenges involved in making the movie, Murphy's hesitation wasn't completely unreasonable. Who Framed Roger Rabbit ultimately became notable for how convincingly it integrated animated characters into its live-action environments.
Hoskins ended up taking the role, giving one of the movie's most memorable performances as the reluctant detective.
Murphy Now Regrets Passing on the Hit
The irony is that Who Framed Roger Rabbit didn't just work. It became a major success and one of the most distinctive movies of its era. It even has a Certified Fresh, near perfect 96% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes .
Murphy later told Fallon that it was the only movie he had turned down that became a big hit, and he didn't exactly hide his regret.
"Now every time I see it, I feel like an idiot," Murphy said.
That's a particularly painful Hollywood what-if considering Murphy was already becoming one of the biggest comedy stars of the decade. His energetic comedic style could have made Eddie Valiant a very different character from Hoskins' weary, cynical detective. Especially on the heels of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Sep 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
