Wes Anderson saddles up: a Bill Murray western may be next
Wes Anderson is saddling up for a Western — and Bill Murray could be riding shotgun. At Cinema Paradiso in Paris, the Texas-born filmmaker teased a cowboy project that tips its hat to his roots.
Right then, Wes Anderson and Bill Murray have started dropping hints about teaming up again—and this time, it might finally be for a Western. If that pairing sounds a bit odd, just picture Anderson's pastel-coloured symmetry colliding with cowboy hats and dusty landscapes. Personally, I'm all for it. The man grew up in Texas, after all, so if anyone's going to launch a high-concept cowboy movie, I suppose it is his destiny.
Murray Wants Spurs, Anderson Might Agree
All this surfaced during a recent screening of The Grand Budapest Hotel at Paris's Cinema Paradiso, basically in the Louvre's courtyard—so, very on-brand for Anderson-level eccentricity. In the middle of the event, Bill Murray popped up on stage (yes, just like that) and told the crowd he wants to do a cowboy film with Anderson. Apparently, Murray's got strong opinions here: 'He's from Texas, and I feel like he owes it to the world to make a cowboy movie.' He even did a cowboy walk for the crowd, which definitely helps with the mental image.
Turns out, Anderson didn't bat the idea away. In fact, he openly said, 'We will do a Western, you know. I think. For many years, we've talked about doing a Western. Owen and Luke Wilson, I think, will be a part of that… They're from Texas, too, and I think it's our destiny.' So yes, apparently cowboy ambitions have been simmering for quite a while.
These Two Have Form… And a Few Near Misses
- Bill Murray's Anderson credits: Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch, The Phoenician Scheme (that last one's fairly recent).
- He also voiced a character in Isle of Dogs—which, if you missed it, is now on HBO Max.
- He was meant to be in Asteroid City, but Steve Carell took over after Murray caught COVID-19 mid-filming.
Murray also had a bit of fun dissecting Anderson's on-set demeanour. If you ever wondered what makes the director crack a smile while working, Murray reckons it's only desserts.
What's Actually Next?
So, is the Anderson Western happening? Sort of. There have apparently been conversations 'for years', but nothing greenlit yet. Meanwhile, Anderson is in the middle of an untitled project co-written with Roman Coppola and Richard Ayoade. That one's expected to start filming somewhere in Europe in late 2026.