History Trivia / GalaxyQuest

* InspirationForTheWork: David Howard stated he got the idea while at an IMAX presentation, and while waiting for the show to start, one of the trailers for an upcoming "Americans In Space" film featured the voice of Creator/LeonardNimoy. The trailer got Howard thinking about how the other Star Trek actors had becoming pigeonholed in these types of roles since the cancellation of ''Star Trek'', and then came up with the idea of what if there were real aliens involved. From there, he considered the rest of his script "that, in a lot of ways, just wrote itself, because it just seemed so self-evident once the idea was there".
* LoopingLines: The "chompers" scene features Gwen seeing the completely nonsensical hallway full of banging metal blocks and exclaiming, "''Screw that!''"--except that from the movement of her mouth it's entirely clear that she originally said "fuck". Presumably the line was looped to keep the film to a PG rating. There are also a couple of other lines in the film that don't disguise the dub as well. (The film's director eventually admitted he made no attempt whatsoever to make the dub look at all convincing.)
* MethodActing: Creator/SamRockwell drank a lot of coffee before shots to help create his overexcitement and jitters associated with the character.
* MissingTrailerScene: The trailer shows the Thermians discovering the ''Galaxy Quest'' show for the first time and declaring the crew to be their saviours.

* PermanentPlaceholder: Dr. Lazarus' {{catchphrase}} "By Grabthar's Hammer" was written as a temp line in the script when filming started, with Robert Gordon planning to find a less funny word than "Grabthar", but the line stuck as the production crew started using the line around their offices and printed T-shirts with the saying.

* ReferencedBy: ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'': In the episode Velocity, as [[SplitPersonality Blitzwing]] and [[SuperSpeed Blurr]] play a game of Chicken, Blitzwing's Hothead and Icy personalities state "Never give up! Never surrender!"...and then [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Random Blitzwing]] lets out a "NEVER MIND!!" and crashes straight into a building.

* WordOfStPaul: According to Creator/TonyShalhoub, his FantasticallyIndifferent performance as Fred Kwan was inspired by rumors of Creator/DavidCarradine being constantly stoned during the production of ''Series/KungFu1972''.

* Alan Dane was going to be the main bad guy, but was changed for being too unbelivable.

--->I loved ''Galaxy Quest''. I thought it was brilliant satire, not only of ''Trek'', but of fandom in general. The only thing I wish they had done was cast me in it, and have me play a freaky fanboy who keeps screaming at the actor who played "the kid" about how awful it was that there was a kid on the spaceship. Alas.

** Sam Rockwell ad-libbed Guy's reaction to Fred and Laliari making out: "That's not right!" Even the screenwriter admits it was better than what he had scripted.

* ThrowItIn: The scene where Brandon rushes to throw out the trash was in the script but cut prior to production to save on time and costs. Then a very brief free moment opened up in the schedule and the decision was made to shoot it anyway; everyone rushed to film the scene in two takes at the very last minute.

* EnforcedMethodActing:
** When the crew first arrives on the ship and Guy screams in terror, Creator/SigourneyWeaver nearly jumps out of her skin in shock. Apparently the director (purposely) didn't tell her that that was about to happen.
** Sam Rockwell loaded himself up with caffeine to help portray jittery nervousness in scenes where his character is panicking.

** There was originally going to be a reference to Alexander having a knighthood, which was removed on the suggestion of Creator/AlanRickman as he felt his character would not have been able to attain a knighthood.[[note]]The knighthood was undoubtedly a reference to ''Sir'' Creator/AlecGuinness, who was knighted in 1959, the year after winning an Academy Award for ''Film/BridgeOnTheRiverKwai'', and played Obi-Wan Kenobi 18 years later.[[/note]] However, the credits still refer to him as "Sir Alexander Dane".

** There was originally going to be a reference to Alexander having a knighthood. The credits refer to him as "Sir Alexander Dane".

** Creator/SigourneyWeaver came up with Gwen's blonde wig and ample bosom so as to contrast to [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Ripley]].

* It is so strongly considered an [[AffectionateParody honorary]] ''Star Trek'' film that it was voted the seventh-best movie in the franchise [[https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/12/diehard-star-trek-fans-rank-the-best-and-worst-movies in 2013]] -- by attendees at a Star Trek FanConvention, no less. (The fact that it helped keep the StarTrekMovieCurse straight may have been a factor: if ''Galaxy Quest'' is treated as ''Star Trek 10'', ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' and ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', which would otherwise have been "good" 10th and 12th installments, [[FanWank get bumped into the "odd-numbered movies that suck" column]].)

* It is so strongly considered an [[AffectionateParody honorary]] ''Star Trek'' film that it was voted the seventh-best movie in the franchise [[https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/12/diehard-star-trek-fans-rank-the-best-and-worst-movies in 2013]] -- by attendees at a Star Trek FanConvention, no less. (The fact that it helped keep the StarTrekMovieCurse straight may have been a factor: if ''Galaxy Quest'' is treated as ''Star Trek 10'', ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' and ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', which would otherwise have been "good" 10th and 12th installments, [[FanWank get bumped into the "odd-numbered movies that suck" column]]. [[TakeThat Where they belong.]])

* ReferencedBy: ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'': In the episode Velocity, as [[SplitPersonality Blitzwing]] and [[SuperSpeed Blurr]] play a game of Chicken, Blitzwing's Hothead and Icy personalities state "Never give up! Never surrender!"...and then [[Cloudcuckoolander Random Blitzwing]] lets out a "NEVER MIND!!" and crashes straight into a building.

* ReferencedBy: ''WesternAnmation/TransformersAnimated'': In the episode Velocity, as [[SplitPersonality Blitzwing]] and [[SuperSpeed Blurr]] play a game of Chicken, Blitzwing's Hothead and Icy personalities state "Never give up! Never surrender!"...and then [[Cloudcuckoolander Random Blitzing]] lets out a "NEVER MIND!!" and crashes straight into a building.

* It is so strongly considered an [[AffectionateParody honorary]] ''Star Trek'' film that it was voted the seventh-best movie in the franchise [[https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/12/diehard-star-trek-fans-rank-the-best-and-worst-movies in 2013]] -- by attendees at a Star Trek FanConvention, no less. (The fact that it helped keep the StarTrekMovieCurse straight may have been a factor: if ''Galaxy Quest'' is treated as ''Star Trek 10'', ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' and ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', which would otherwise have been "good" 10th and 12th installments, [[FanWank get bumped into the "odd-numbered movies that suck" column]].)

* It is so strongly considered an [[SpiritualAdaptation honorary]] ''Star Trek'' film that it was voted the seventh-best movie in the franchise [[https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/12/diehard-star-trek-fans-rank-the-best-and-worst-movies in 2013]] -- by attendees at a Star Trek FanConvention, no less. (The fact that it helped keep the StarTrekMovieCurse straight may have been a factor: if ''Galaxy Quest'' is treated as ''Star Trek 10'', ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' and ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', which would otherwise have been "good" 10th and 12th installments, [[FanWank get bumped into the "odd-numbered movies that suck" column]].)

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Film/ThreeAmigos''.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Film/¡ThreeAmigos!''.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Film/¡Three Amigos!''.

** ReliablyUnreliableGuns: Guy has to watch over knocked out Sarris, but when the baddie awakes his gun jams and he curses himself with "Oh yep, knew that was gonna happen. BIG surprise!"

* ExecutiveMeddling: The film was originally much more adult oriented, but Dreamworks executives forced the production to cut most of it so they could market it as a family film.

* SerendipityWritesThePlot: Daryl Mitchell was significantly younger than how the character of Tommy Webber was envisioned. This was incorporated into writing by making his character in the ShowWithinAShow a ridiculously young ChildProdigy.

* NamesTheSame: A very different Jason Nesmith is a singer-songwriter, and son of Music/TheMonkees' Music/MichaelNesmith.

* It is so strongly considered an [[SpiritualAdaptation honorary]] ''Star Trek'' film that it was voted the seventh-best movie in the franchise [[https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/12/diehard-star-trek-fans-rank-the-best-and-worst-movies in 2013]] -- by attendees at a Star Trek FanConvention, no less. (The fact that it helped keep the StarTrekMovieCurse straight may have been a factor; if ''Galaxy Quest'' is treated as ''Star Trek 10'', ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' and ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', which would otherwise have been "good" 10th and 12th instalments, get bumped into the "odd-numbered movies that suck" column.)

** Creator/PatrickStewart:
--->I had originally not wanted to see ''Galaxy Quest'' because I heard that it was making fun of ''Star Trek'', and then Creator/JonathanFrakes rang me up and said "You must not miss this movie! See it on a Saturday night in a full theatre." And I did, and of course I found it was brilliant. Brilliant. No-one laughed louder or longer in the cinema than I did, but the idea that the ship was saved and all of our heroes in that movie were saved simply by the fact that there were fans who did understand the scientific principles on which the ship worked was absolutely wonderful. And it was both funny and also touching in that it paid tribute to the dedication of these fans.
** Creator/TimRuss:
--->I've had flashbacks of ''Galaxy Quest'' at the many conventions I've gone to since the movie came out. I thought it was an absolute laugh-a-minute.

** Creator/WilWheaton:
--->I loved ''Galaxy Quest''. I thought it was brilliant satire, not only of ''Trek'', but of fandom in general. The only thing I wish they had done was cast me in it, and have me play a freaky fanboy who keeps screaming at the actor who played "the kid" about how awful it was that there was a kid on the spaceship. Alas.

--->It was, I mean, some of the stuff in it is so on the nose and so accurate, and perfect, and funny. And Rickman. Rickman with the peeling makeup. Stuff that LeVar's character does. I mean, it's a favorite. I don't know why that sequels never been made. I gather it's encumbered with a lot of people who need money before they even shot, but this seems rife for a remake.

** Creator/TimAllen on the other hand was a lifelong fan of science fiction and collector of memorabilia. He even stated that his dream was to command a starship.

** MrFixIt: The Thermians believe, because of the "historical documents," that Tech Sargent Chen can fix anything wrong. Since Fred Kwan is really a stoner, he constantly asks that Thermian engineer "and what does that mean?" Fortunately, the engineer thinks that Fred is doing a bit of spot training and gives the correct way to fix each problem. The Thermian engineer has one of these during this ParrotExposition.

* DiedDuringProduction: There were much-hyped plans to continue the film's story with an Amazon series and, miraculously, the entire cast was willing to revisit their characters. Unfortunately, Creator/AlanRickman passed away due to cancer and the project was put on indefinite hold.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Creator/AlanRickman took to disliking Creator/TimAllen due to the latter's easygoing attitude and frequent joking during the filming, which clashed with Rickman's serious-minded approach to acting. As their characters had a similar dynamic, Rickman used this to help fuel his performance. Despite their differences, Rickman acknowledged Allen did good work when the cameras were rolling.

** Creator/SigourneyWeaver stated that her role was a parody of her iconic role as [[Film/{{Alien}} Ripley]]. Gwen was the opposite of the progressive sci-fi heroine, being a "dumb blonde".

* OrphanedReference: Jason suddenly knows Guy's last name (Fleegman) when they're on the alien planet. In a deleted line, Guy reveals his last name during his breakdown on the shuttle.

** Writer Bob Gordon was working on the script for a sequel but decided not to pitch it because disliked how the studio forced the final cut to be trimmed and toned down.