Bill Murray Is 'St. Vincent De Van Nuys'

Bill Murray doesn’t go to work for just anyone. As he advances in years he’s been more and more picky with the roles he chooses, and the only films you can pretty much guarantee that he’ll appear in are those that have Wes Anderson seated in the director’s chair. However, he does currently have two interesting non-Anderson projects on the horizon. The first is “Hyde Park on Hudson” in which he’ll play the 32nd President FDR alongside Laura Linney and Olivia Williams. The second is frequent Anderson collaborator Roman Coppola’s “A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III” with Jason Schwartzman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and, of course, Charlie Sheen.

Well, we can now amend that earlier statement to read that Murray has three interesting non-Anderson projects on the horizon as he looks set to lead the cast of the Black List dramedy “St. Vincent De Van Nuys.” Ted Melfi penned the script and will also direct for what will be his debut feature, which follows a 12-year-old boy who forms an unlikely friendship with his war veteran neighbor (Murray). It sounds like a fun role for Murray who will be seen regularly drinking, gambling and hiring prostitutes on his way to becoming a mentor to the young child. Sounds about right.

To us, it seems like Murray will be playing a slightly reined-in version of Brendan Gleeson’s wonderfully dark but lovable character in “The Guard,” perhaps mixed with a little Herman Blume, and it sounds like a great way for him to cut loose in a comedy again. Variety reports that Jack Nicholson had previously been linked to the role, but as much as we’d like to see his big grin on the screen again, we can’t help but feel Murray seems like a better fit for the part. We’re hoping that the Black List status and Murray’s seal of approval means that this is a cracking script. But let’s not get too excited yet, and remind ourselves that it was only two years ago that Murray starred in “Passion Play.” And sorry Dan Aykroyd, looks like he's still not ready to sign for "Ghostbusters 3."