Excellent news for fans of The HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy as Coming Soon point me the way of Planet Magrathea for some casting information on the movie.
Marvin the robot is to be voiced by the stunningly awesome Alan Rickman, that man’s voice alone can act better than a whole raft of Hollywood, and the voice of the Whale (Oh go read the book!) is to be given to one of the funniest UK comedians there is, Bill Bailey. Oh that man really is funny.
Check out the entry for 4th January 2005 – Two amazing voice castings confirmed!, you’ll note that Rickman’s contract had not yet been signed, but that was sometime ago and as you can now see from the extract of the IMDB cast list, he’s locked in:
Martin Freeman – Arthur Dent
Mos Def – Ford Prefect
Sam Rockwell – Zaphod Beeblebrox
Bill Nighy – Slartibartfast
Bill Bailey – Sperm Whale (voice)
John Malkovich – Humma Kavula
Alan Rickman – Marvin the Paranoid Android (voice)
That is one exciting cast list. Actually, I wonder if this isn’t the most anticipated movie for me this year, it might well be up with Star Wars for me.
Ahhh! Alan Rickman as marvin! yes suddenly I too have hope for this film, I saw a trailer on TV and I was sure it was Alan’s voice (theres no mistaking it because its goregous) *gigles*
I am not the greatest fan of the movie yet but I already got me two t-shirts one with “42” and another with “Don’t Panic” written on it. Why? I don’t know much of anything but I do know with certainty the books and the BBC radio broadcast are the best thing I ever had the pleasure to experience (besides that other thingy) and I want to advertise it for free, that’s right, the first thing that is, the second thingy is happy to advertise itself. Anyway, I got the shirts from a fan that makes them himself, here: http://www.graffitiusa.com Knock yourself out.
—“OMG, look at that cast! Rock on! I’m so going to be waiting with bated breath for this flick to come out. And it takes a lot for me to say that about any movie these days. Wow. And if it really is as good as we think it will be, I will pre-order the DVD, too. *swooning* I love me some Alan Rickman. Oooooooh-la-la.” ~ : Lilly
You are exactly the reason why this book was written in the first place. I hope you enjoyed the crash landing on earth. So long and thanks for all the fish.
Hmmm.. adapted from a sacred text,a cast to die for, genius director, huge budget and SFX… the anticipation was audible… and then we got Dune… so when Peter Jackson came along with LOTR it looked like Hollywood had learned its lesson. Sadly, this all feels more like a Dune than a LOTR, but i wait to be proved wrong…
I know marvin had an intelligence the size of a planet, but even that doesn’t excuse the abnormally large head he has. Whoever designed him obviously didn’t see the TV series.
All looks a bit dissapointing to me, but we’ll see!
I also just saw the teaser trailer and I am so psyched for this one!!!
Ok all of you. just sir back and be patient and hope the world doesn’t get demolished in the meantime, before we get to see it. I have my doubts about this film as do many of us but having seen the new trailer I have to say I feel a bit better about it. I am a big fan of the original radio version and somewhat less fond of the BBC TV series. The books of course began in between the other two encarnations and all three have their strengths and weeknesses. We just have to wate to see what’s been retained from the films three forrunners and hope for the best concerning the new material. And of course they are going to modernize it…it isn’t 1970 any more folks.
uh.. cough, but, ahem, doesnt anybody think its weird that Mos Def and Sam Rockwell are supposed to be cousins? eh? I suppose it is possible… after all they dont call it the infinite improbability drive for nothing…
you what! token black guy!?
where does it say in the book what any of the characters look like aside from clothing?
I think this will be great, since all the other versions were only translations of a concept, it cant go wrong really can it?!
Oh my… 3 movies with Alan this year. Even if it’s just the voice, it still will be a reall treat for all the Alanfans out there. Me being one of them.
Yeah!
Alan as Marvin will rock!
-Owl
When I heard Alan Rickman was playing Marvin, my first thought was of his character in Galaxy Quest.
The omens for this film are incredibly good.
Oh, I cannot wait for this film now!!!!!!
Bill Bailey as the Whale is going to just be amazing! And Alan Rickman – I see him playing Marvin in a very Snapish way.
You just know it’s gonna be the best film this year!
Wait a minute, Mos Def as Ford Prefect? Did they read the book?
Sorry if I come as a bit cynical, but doesn’t that sort of scream out that they’re trying to “modernize” it a bit? The rest of the cast looks awesome, but I’m getting some bad vibes from him. I guess as long as he isn’t just a token black guy, then he’ll be fine.
Hmm, IMDB says that the director was a zombie in Shaun of the Dead. Interesting.
Bill Bailey will make a fanastic sperm whale. I am looking forward to this film even more now;.
I had some doubts after i heard a few things about the script over a year ago (Humma Kavula?). But they tell me Douglas Adams pended them himself before he died so im hopefully they dont mess up.
And with Alan Rickman how can they fail
OMG, look at that cast! Rock on! I’m so going to be waiting with bated breath for this flick to come out. And it takes a lot for me to say that about any movie these days. Wow. And if it really is as good as we think it will be, I will pre-order the DVD, too.
*swooning* I love me some Alan Rickman. Oooooooh-la-la.
I gotta say, this movie came in right in time just as I was starting to read the book a few months ago.
Dont panic!
This film is going to be great! What a cast! Bill Bailey is one of the funniest men around. I cant wait.
Rickman as Marvin?
Suddenly I have hope for this film…