Ron Howard’s Lingering Regret Over Michael Keaton Collaboration
Ron Howard reflects on his enduring wish to work again with Michael Keaton, revealing a rare regret in his storied career and hinting at hopes for a future reunion.
Directors occasionally mention actors they’ve enjoyed working with, yet never managed to reunite with. It’s a curious predicament, especially for someone as established as Ron Howard, who could, in theory, simply offer a part. Still, Howard has openly admitted to a particular regret: not collaborating again with a certain star who, despite the passage of time, remains just out of reach.
One name you certainly won’t find in his credits is Bill Murray, given their long-standing animosity. The tension between the two has persisted for years, making any future partnership highly unlikely. But when it comes to other actors, Howard’s career has been marked by an impressive and diverse array of colleagues. Few can claim to have shared sets with the likes of John Wayne, Sydney Sweeney, Bette Davis, Kevin James, Henry Fonda, Warwick Davis, George Lucas, and Donnie Wahlberg. Howard, however, can tick all those boxes.
Frequent Collaborators and a Notable Absence
Throughout his career, Howard has often worked with familiar faces, including his brother Clint, his parents Rance and Jean, as well as Tom Hanks, Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, and Chris Hemsworth. Yet, among these recurring partnerships, one former collaborator stands out as a source of regret.
Michael Keaton, for a time, seemed poised to become a regular fixture in Howard’s films. Keaton first appeared alongside Henry Winkler in Night Shift, then took the lead in Gung Ho and The Paper. These roles placed him at the forefront of three of Howard’s earliest features. Despite this promising start, their professional paths have not crossed since.
A Regret That Lingers
At a ceremony marking his second star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Howard addressed this lingering regret.
“I’ve been so lucky in this business, I’ve worked with so many great people,”
he remarked.
“I have so few regrets, practically none of them.”
He then revealed the exception:
“One of them is just only that it’s been far too long since Michael and I made a film together. So I’m hoping to rectify that sooner rather than later.”
Given Howard’s prolific output—eighteen films since The Paper—and Keaton’s continued presence in the industry, it’s striking that their paths haven’t converged again. Keaton did step away from the spotlight for a period, but that was by choice. It seems there might have been opportunities for a reunion, yet it has remained elusive.
Looking Ahead
With both men still active and showing no signs of slowing down, the possibility of another collaboration remains. Perhaps all it would take is a simple phone call to bring them back together on set, finally putting Howard’s regret to rest.