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

Director at the moment is Jay Roach (Meet the Parent).

However there's been no new news for a while.

Rama

The only problem with Craig Ferguson is that he's got a highly pronounced Glasgow accent, which couldn't be further from the Arthur sound.

Who is from Surrey, if I remember right?

(so I'll play him..... Ok, I'm a little short, but I look good in robe (IMHO))

Who is from Surrey, if I remember right?

(so I'll play him..... Ok, I'm a little short, but I look good in robe (IMHO))

Ok, here's my humble contribution. Hugh Laurie would probably make a really good Arthur - and he's kind of a minor Hollywood 'name' these days. If you must have Patrick Stewart, he would be good as the Book (alternatives could be Stephen Fry or even Tom Baker) How about Jeff Bridges for Zaphod?
But I agree definitely NOT Jim Carrey for Arthur.

How about Richard E Grant for AD?
English and can play the slightly awkward card to a T

REG as AD? Hmmmmm.....

Hmmm, REG could be quite good as Arthur, I suppose. I just feel he's maybe not feckless enough. Hugh Laurie, I think, is very good at being (a) terribly English and (b) stupid but likeable. Both are qualities I think AD needs.

True but Hugh Laurie might just be a bit too assertive!? My impression of Arthur is of someone who is always rather suprised at the way life takes him and not someone who is short of a penny. Whoever it is needs to have that very English quality of self depreciation to the point of embarassment, I think. Jim Carey?, surely they couldnt do that to us.Its not legal!

Well, I'm just curious as to what's going to happen with the movie know that Douglas has died. You all seem converse as if the movie still hasn't progressed anywhere. No offense meant of course. But is the movie still going to be made now that the man himself is dead?

Personally I was just responding to some previous input and offering some thoughts on if a movie were made. I believe the whole thing has stalled at the moment. Obviously DNA's death will mean that any movie plans will be held up in the near future, but h2g2 has been such a powerful success that I suspect a film version will be inevitable at some point down the line. (Let's hope whoever ultimately attempts it will have absolute respect for the spirit of the original.)

I didn't know there was going to be a movie but Jim Carey is definatly wrong for Arthur he might pull off Zaphod but I doubt it. I reckon Hugh Lorrie would be good for Prefect, and Woody Allan for the depressed robot who's name has escaped me.

DNA finished the script just before he died, unknown as to the current status of the film, but Ever Hopeful.....

How could anyone forget the name of that Robot, .... The Depressed one... You know the one that's got a Brain the size of a planet.... That can read minds.... .....

.....

With a Pain in the Diodes all down his left hand side.....

With the Catchphrase "Life, don't talk to me about Life".....

You could use his voice and have the robot computer simulated or annermatronic or whatever they call it.

M....M...M.... Maaaarviiin....

Someone suggested Richard E Grant for Arthur. Which is completely wrong, as REG is perfect for Ford. My other 'perfect' Ford is Jeff Goldblum (whose only drawback is being American). Hugh Laurie is still my favorite for Arthur - you want someone who can play confused, bemused, resigned, and HL can do this very well.

I just remembered another Ford candidate that we thought of a while ago - Steve Buscemi.

As for plans for the movie, things had stalled because Disney weren't sure they wanted to spend a huge budget on a movie that might only have a niche appeal. Then came the threatened Actors' and Writers' strikes, which meant that there was a deadline for giving the green light. That effectively passed, at which point Jay Roach had to commit to another movie which was a go, otherwise he'd be out of work for a year. Douglas was busy with a new novel.

Now Douglas has died, the worst case scenario is that Disney get the Farrelly brothers to rewrite the movie, retitle it 'Dude! You're an Alien!' and make it for $20m. But I stress that at the moment, the project is simply stalled. With luck, Jay Roach will return to it and make it the way he and Douglas wanted. He had worked with Douglas for well over a year on the project, and Douglas was reportedly very happy with Jay as the director.

If those dodgy rumours about someone publishing Douglas' unfinished works turn out to be true, then it would be great for his screenplay to be published. That way, even if the movie is made badly, we'd know what Douglas really intended. Certainly, for the parts of the movie he outlined to us a while ago, it would be fantastic. But I guess I'm just a fanboy at heart.

This is all a bit academic since the film is basically stalled at the moment and may not even happen for years. However, there's no harm in a spot of idle speculation.
Ford is quite tricky one. I think Jeff Goldblum might be good but that Steve Buscemi would be a bit too creepy and not instantly likeable enough for Ford. How about Ioan Gruffudd? Or possibly, on a more controversial note, Hugh Grant??!

For Ford you want someone who's odd. Hugh Grant isn't odd - he'd make an interesting Arthur, though. Ford has to be just not quite normal looking, right from the word go.

I reckon Hugh Grant would be perfect for Arther. He practically is Arther. He's nervous and he could do the pathetic bit really well! I still reckon Hugh is more of a prefect than an Arther.