In 2003, Bill Murray made the most embarrassing mistake of his career. Three years later, he did it again
Bill Murray voiced Garfield in two live-action and animated films, despite later apologising for the first. The story presents the sequel as a repeat of a casting mistake that had already drawn heavy criticism.
Murray reportedly agreed to the 2003 film after mistaking screenwriter Joel Cohen for filmmaker Joel Coen. He was reportedly paid $6 million; the 2006 sequel, *A Tale of Two Kitties*, earned less at cinemas, received even worse reviews and gained two Razzie nominations.
In short
- Murray voiced Garfield in films released in 2004 and 2006.
- He reportedly mistook Joel Cohen for Joel Coen when reading the first script.
- The sequel fared worse with critics and received two Razzie nominations.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Murray’s decision to return can be defended as a pragmatic choice: a sequel offered substantial pay, and a commercially successful first film may have suggested there was an audience for the character. Voice work also gave him a chance to bring his comic style to a familiar family franchise, even if the first film had drawn poor reviews.
The case against
The repeat casting can be seen as a poor artistic judgement, especially after Murray had apologised for the first film and its reception had made the risks clear. Returning for a sequel that was reviewed even more harshly could appear to put a large fee ahead of choosing work that better served the character or his reputation.
Explained simply
Bill Murray is an American actor and comedian known for films such as Groundhog Day and Ghostbusters. Garfield is a comic-strip cat created by Jim Davis, whose stories have also been adapted for television and film.
The 2004 film Garfield combined live-action actors with an animated version of the cat, voiced by Murray. Its screenplay was written by Joel Cohen, who is different from filmmaker Joel Coen, one half of the Coen brothers. The distinction matters because reports say Murray agreed to the role after confusing the two.
Murray returned to voice Garfield in the 2006 sequel, A Tale of Two Kitties. Both films drew criticism, and the sequel received two nominations for the Razzies, awards that highlight films and performances judged to be poor.