Depending on who you ask, a movie version of <The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is finally going into production. The staple of middle-school libraries has been in development since at least the mid-80s. It was originally optioned by Ivan Reitman in 1982, who wanted to cast either Bill Murray or Dan Akyroyd in the role of Ford Perfect. After Aykroyd passed along a script with the words "Ghost" and "Busters" stamped on it, the idea was scrapped.

In the '90s, the director of Austin Powers was attached to the Hitchiker's but he eventually gave up on it after a series of intense budget negotiations.

Currently, an unknown named Garth Jennings is in control of the project. If it ever gets off the ground, it's slated for a 2005 release (just like the perpetually-in-development Fletch Won, Goonies 2 and Indiana Jones IV). According to rumors, Garth has the best intentions and has begun assembling a cast of British actors, among them Martin Freeman, who played a character a UK sitcom called The Office. He's slated to play Arthur Dent.

Today, Ain't It Cool News ran a picture of the proposed design for Marvin, the Paranoid Android. He's slated to be played by Warwick "I'm the Leprechaun, an Ewok AND Willow” Davis. I've always pictured the android as looking like a suicidal CP-30. The image above would better suit an angst-filled son of Marvin.

Click here to watch test footage of Marvin sulking.