The Disney+ Endlessly Quotable Sci-Fi Comedy That Still Needs A Sequel
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is now available for streaming on Disney+ through Hulu, and you can’t really call yourself a science-fiction fan if you haven’t yet watched this legendary satirical take on the genre.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Based on the Douglas Adams-created franchise of the same name, this feature-film adaptation boasts the same humor as the novel that inspired it. The movie performed quite well at the box office upon its 2005 release, earning over $100 million.
While critics who weren’t familiar with the source material didn’t fully enjoy its cinematic counterpart, it’s still a highly quotable adventure film that’s fun for the whole family and die-hard fans of the franchise alike.
Martin Freeman Stars As Arthur Dent
Centering on the life of Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy aims to uncover the mysteries of the universe through its subversive narrative as depicted in Adams’ novels.
Arthur, the only person to survive Earth’s destruction (or so he thinks), is accompanied by his friend Ford Prefect (Mos Def), an alien in disguise who is working on the titular field-guide in his efforts to uncover the mysteries of the universe.
Along the way, they meet up with a number of colorful characters who join them on their intergalactic journey.
Escaping Earth
Arthur’s initial concern in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is protecting his house from destruction to make way for a new highway being developed. But he quickly learns that Earth itself is about to be demolished.
Ford informs Arthur that something bigger is at play. An alien race known as the Vogons has decided to destroy Earth in order to construct their own hyperspace superhighway.
They’re able to escape destruction by hiding on a Vogon ship, but are then discovered by the less-than-amiable aliens, who torture them with their poetry before ejecting them into space to face certain death.
Sam Rockwell And Zooey Deschanel Also Along For Ride
Arthur and Ford are rescued by Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell), the newly appointed president of the galaxy in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Zaphod pilots the stolen star-ship known as Heart of Gold.
He’s accompanied by an Earth woman named Trillian (Zooey Deschanel) and a clinically depressed robot named Marvin who’s portrayed by Warwick Davis and voiced by Alan Rickman.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy transports its principal characters to the planet Magrathea, where Zaphod seeks answers to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything.
Mixed Reception
Upon its 2005 release, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy proved to be a commercial hit, but was met with mixed reviews.
Receiving a 60 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film’s biggest criticism was that Adam’s screenplay, which he co-wrote with Karey Kirkpatrick before his passing in 2001, assumed that audiences would be familiar with the source material that inspired the film adaptation.
While all of the elements that made the novels so appealing were evident to the franchise’s already established fan base, those who were unfamiliar with its extensive lore found themselves losing the plot.
Streaming The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Though there were talks of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy sequel, the box office earnings weren’t high enough to justify a second installment. While $100 million in box office receipts may seem like a financial success, the film didn’t earn enough money to justify its $50 million production budget.
Though we may never a sequel to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the iconic film can be streamed on the Hulu section of Disney+. Since this platform is currently in its beta phase, you will need to have an active subscription to both services in order to view the film.
