Rick Moranis Won’t Cameo In Ghostbusters Reboot Because It Didn’t Appeal To Him

Rick Moranis (Strange Brew, Honey I Shunk the Kids) hasn’t appeared in a live-action film since 1997’s Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, however, he has provided voice-over work for several animated projects in the past 18 years. He was asked to come out of his unofficial retirement to make a cameo in Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters remake, but he turned down the offer. The Hollywood Reporter was able to nab a rare interview with the 62-year-old comedian and found out why he passed on the opportunity.

“I wish them well,” Moranis told THR. “I hope it’s terrific. But it just makes no sense to me. Why would I do just one day of shooting on something I did 30 years ago?” Moranis played accountant-turned-Keymaster Louis Tully in the original Ghostbusters and then five years later became the Ghostbusters’ accountant/babysitter in the 1989 sequel.

Moranis chose to take a break from acting once his wife passed away in 1997. He decided it would be best to focus his time and effort on their two small children. Now that his children are all grown-up he is ready to make the transition back into acting.

“I took a break, which turned into a longer break,” he explained. “But I’m interested in anything that I would find interesting. I still get the occasional query about a film or television role and as soon as one comes along that piques my interest, I’ll probably do it. [But Ghostbusters] didn’t appeal to me.”

The main Ghostbusters cast includes Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy and Leslie Jones. Costarring in the film are Andy Garcia, Cecily Strong, Michael K. Williams, Matt Walsh, Chris Hemsworth and Neil Casey. Original Ghostbusters cast members Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts Sigourney and Dan Aykroyd will all make a cameo. It’s being directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat), based on a script he co-wrote with Katie Dippold.

Ghostbusters is due in theaters July 15, 2016.