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Groundhog Day Star Teases TV Show In Development
Groundhog Day actor Stephen Tobolowsky has teased a TV adaptation of the famed Bill Murray film. Directed by Ghostbusters star Harold Ramis, Groundhog Day’s popularity grew with age, continuously building on the initial acclaim it received in 1993. Today, the film is known by a wide cross section of fans, from all over the world. Of course, a major part of its success was the inclusion of Murray, who at the time, was kicking off what would go on to become a decade of fantastic roles.
Though Murray’s Groundhog Day performance was indeed brilliant, the film also had the additional strengths of a script that some have since described as perfect, as well as a director revered for his comedic sensibilities. The film’s story of a crusty and cynical weatherman forced to repeat the same day until he learns to be a better person touched on issues of morality and philosophy, all while making audiences laugh. It’s hard to imagine it ever receiving a sequel, or even being rebooted. However, a TV series based on the concept now seems a far more likely possibility.
According to a new interview with Tobolowsky on The Production Meeting podcast, a Groundhog Day TV series is indeed on its way. Tobolowsky played Ned in the original film, the annoying Flanders-esque insurance salesman who Phil (Murray) runs into everyday. Though Tobolowsky didn’t reveal too many details, he did say he was approached by a producer while working on the Sony lot and asked to revisit the role of Ned for a new TV series. Tobolowsky willingly agreed, and that was as much information as the Groundhog Day star was willing to provide. Check out the full quote below:
Naturally, the first question that most Groundhog Day fans will immediately be asking about this apparent new TV series is whether or not Murray will be involved. Anyone who has spent time following the beloved 69-year-old’s career will know at this point that he is notoriously choosy about the roles he takes. In all honesty, it’s difficult to imagine Murray committing to the lengthy production scheduled that being a reoccurring character on a TV series involves. The odds of him possibly making a cameo at some point seem debatable, at best. But even if Murray was involved, could the intentionally repetitive nature of Groundhog Day be enough to sustain a TV series? Or would each successive season involve a new lead character being altered by the mysterious nature of Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day?
It’s hard to really imagine this being a TV series that can offer up much more than the film already has. This isn’t to say that fans of the film wouldn’t be eager to check out just what a Groundhog Day TV series would be like, but beyond catering to that initial curiosity, the series would really need something special to keep it afloat. Whether that special something is delivered in the form of a brand new, previously unconsidered take on the original film’s plot, or landing the likes of Murray in a lead role, however, remains to be seen.
