h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here's a quick synopsis of the film which Hollywood will probably make (God help us all):

It opens with the Earth Fighter Fleet defending us from the Vogons (we win). Ford Prefect has to go, (our corporate kissy-huggy friend for this film is GM- My, don't they make wonderful consumer goods?!), sorry Ford. Zaphod Beeblebrox (one head this time, still three arms, he's a writer for H2G2) and his girfriend (ex-stripper) Trillian discover a plot to do something boring and obvious (crash the moon into the Earth, wipe out rainforests etc. etc. you know the type of ultimate disaster thingy I mean). Arthur is the shadowy figure who is 'running' our heroes and surprise surprise we find out he's the baddy. Lots of car chases and sex scenes. At the end, well who cares, no one's going to watch this far, are they?

Ok, now the cast:

Arthur Dent: David Carradine
Zaphod: Tossup between Arnold Swarzchneggar (sp?) and Steven Seagal.
Trillian: Flavour of the month, perhaps Jennifer Lopez?
SlartiBartfast: Hulk Hogan


Gone from the original:
Well, just about everything really; Magrithea, Vogon poetry, Proof of God's non-existence, 42, Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters, Milliways, Marvin (unless he becomes a female sex android), Disaster Area etc. etc.

I hope I'm wrong, but I got a bad feeling about this one...

I hope it's good, considerably better than the Harry Potter films have been, and the LOTR films.

As it's not being made in America, I hope it is fairly faithful.

I'm no movie maker, but I fail to see how a movie version will be able to include all the things that made the books so wonderful.

As I said in the other thread... It should NOT be faithful! No version yet has been faithful to the original (radio series). Similiar but quite divergent... and do not think it can't be done as a movie. Think about it, it went from Radio to book to TV to video game to picture book to who knows what I may have missed so far. And before someone comes along and says, "but the TV show was so cheesy" keep in mind it was still funny and entertaining, cardboard sets and fire extinguisher jets and all.

Well, it'll have to be slightly faithful. But if it looks like the film will suffer for its faithfulness, then it shouln't.

I think Zaphod should be Eddy Murphy

How about Jim Carrie as Zaphod,Jennifer Tilly and Trillian and Robin Willians as Arther.

WayneFrWpg

Absolutely not. Jim Carrie ruins most movies he's in and Robin Williams hasn't been funny in a movie since Mrs Doubtfire, and he knows it. And Jennifer Tilly's squeaky voice, while I think she's quite easy on the eyes, makes my ears bleed.

I think Eddie Murphy might actually be able to do a great job of playing Zaphod. The question is, with or without the two heads, would anyone else ever get a word in?

How about Jennifer Connelly for the part of Trillian? She can act, she's good to look at, but has anyone ever seen her in a comedy?

For Arthur, I think Hugh Grant could be good. Though that could go horribly wrong just as easily.

Yes, it is true that all the previous versions haven't been faithful to anything that had gone on before, however, they all had one thing in common - they were written by Douglas Adams. The question now is, do we want someone else to write a Hitch Hiker story, or should we go with faithfulness to any of the previous versions?

Well from my discussions with Robbie, I was lead to believe that they are going to be using the script that Douglas wrote prior to his death.

I know the studio in LA don't want Robbie to say too much too soon.

Do you know if it is a Douglas Adams screenplay or a screenplay with Douglas's name on it?

Eddie Murphy would be good, I think it would be refreshing for zaphod to be African American.

"For Arthur, I think Hugh Grant could be good. Though that could go horribly wrong just as easily."

Yes, it could end up with a brick through my TV screen.

oh, and what about the older son of 'My Family' as Ford? Maybe a bit young but I think Ford is youngish so maybe... Got loony and subtle in the right quantities I think.

Eddie Murphy and Jim Carrey would both ruin it, in my opinion... they may be loud and crazy, as Zahphod is described, but they're too in-your-face.
It's true: Hugh Grant could go horribly wrong. Arthur needs to be a really naiv person, and Hugh Grant doesn't really convey "naiv" to me.

I'm actually wondering if I should go see the film at all...

oh i agree, the dude from "my family" would be perfect in my opinion

He would be, mebbe be a bit older though.

I think we should quit giving all the roles in anticipated movies to actors and actresses that are already well known and/or the "flavour of the week" as said previously. Whatever happened to scouting around for unknown talent?

qwkk the guy from my family is not 'flavour of thge month' he is an up and coming talent and would make a good ford. Kris Marshall I think? Or is that the other brother?

Zaphod I dunno. Or arthur. But yes, I think relative unknowns would be far better as the strength of the characters in hhgttg is far stronger than any actor and chosing a well known would enforce that actors personality over that of the character which would be disasterous.