Editing Galaxy Quest (section)

== Production ==
=== Development ===
The original [[spec script]] by David Howard was titled ''Captain Starshine''.<ref name=MTV/> Howard stated he got the idea while at an [[IMAX]] presentation, where one of the trailers for an upcoming "Americans in Space" film was narrated by [[Leonard Nimoy]], a leading actor from ''Star Trek''. The trailer got Howard thinking about how the other ''Star Trek'' actors had become pigeonholed in these roles since the cancellation of ''Star Trek'', and he then came up with the idea of "What if there were real aliens involved?" From there, he considered that the rest of his script, "in a lot of ways, just wrote itself, because it just seemed so self-evident once the idea was there".<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/02/10/interview-with-galaxy-quest-screenwriter-david-howard-part-2-of-3 | title = Interview with GALAXY QUEST screenwriter David Howard (part 2 of 3) | first = Kenneth | last = Plume | date = February 10, 2000 | access-date = January 2, 2020 | work = [[IGN]] | archive-date = January 2, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200102154238/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/02/10/interview-with-galaxy-quest-screenwriter-david-howard-part-2-of-3 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Producer [[Mark Johnson (producer)|Mark Johnson]], who had a first-look deal with [[DreamWorks Pictures|DreamWorks]], did not like Howard's script but was fascinated with its concept of space aliens who misconstrue old episodes of a television series as reality. Johnson purchased the script and had Bob Gordon use the concept to create ''Galaxy Quest''.<ref name=MTV>{{cite news|first=Jordan|last=Hoffman|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1873653/galaxy-quest-oral-history/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725190814/http://www.mtv.com/news/1873653/galaxy-quest-oral-history/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2014|title='Galaxy Quest': The Oral History|work=MTV.com|publisher=[[ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks|MTV Networks]] ([[Viacom (2005–2019)|Viacom International Inc.]])|date=July 23, 2014|access-date=March 11, 2015}}</ref> A fan of ''Star Trek'', Gordon was hesitant, believing ''Galaxy Quest'' "could be a great idea or it could be a terrible idea" and initially turned it down. Gordon, who did not read ''Captain Starshine'' until after the film was completed, started from the premise of washed-up actors from a sci-fi series involved with real extraterrestrials.<ref name=MTV/> Gordon's initial drafts added elements of humor to Howard's script, such as the ''Protector'' scraping the walls of the space dock when Webber pilots the real ship for the first time. The scene with the "Chompers" leading into the Omega 13 came from Gordon's viewing of the horror film ''[[Event Horizon (film)|Event Horizon]]'', which featured a rotating tunnel lined with sharp blades leading into the ship's engine room.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://gizmodo.com/33-secrets-you-probably-never-knew-about-the-making-of-1759220814 | title = 33 Secrets You Probably Never Knew About the Making of Galaxy Quest | first = Gordon | last = Jackson | date = March 8, 2016 | access-date = December 15, 2024 | work = [[Gizmodo]] }}</ref> Gordon became more confident when he completed the scene where Nesmith confesses to the Thermians, which he felt he nailed.<ref name=MTV/> He submitted his first draft to DreamWorks in 1998, and it was immediately green-lit.<ref name=MTV/>

Johnson wanted [[Dean Parisot]] to direct. Parisot had directed another film Johnson produced, ''[[Home Fries (film)|Home Fries]]''. However, DreamWorks favored [[Harold Ramis]] because of his experience and hired him in November 1998.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Fleming |title=Ramis preps for blastoff on 'Galaxy Quest' |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/ramis-preps-for-blastoff-on-galaxy-quest-1117488013/ |work=Variety |date=November 1, 1998 |access-date=January 23, 2016 |archive-date=February 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202121049/http://variety.com/1998/film/news/ramis-preps-for-blastoff-on-galaxy-quest-1117488013/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Ramis wanted [[Alec Baldwin]] for the lead role, but Baldwin turned it down. [[Steve Martin]] and [[Kevin Kline]] were also considered, but Kline turned it down for family reasons. Ramis did not agree with the casting of Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith and left the project in February 1999. Parisot took over as director within three weeks.<ref name=MTV /> Allen said that the version of the film pitched to him by Ramis and [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] felt more like ''[[Spaceballs]]'', and that they wanted an action star to do comedy rather than a comedian to do an action film.<ref name="thr dec2019">{{cite web | url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/dreamworks-screwed-up-why-galaxy-quest-wasnt-a-bigger-hit-1264866 | title = DreamWorks "Screwed Up": Why Cult Classic 'Galaxy Quest' Wasn't a Bigger Hit | first = Byron | last = Burton | date = December 24, 2019 | access-date = December 30, 2019 | work = [[The Hollywood Reporter]] | archive-date = December 30, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191230193120/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/dreamworks-screwed-up-why-galaxy-quest-wasnt-a-bigger-hit-1264866 | url-status = live }}</ref> Sigourney Weaver, who had worked with Ramis on ''[[Ghostbusters]]'', said that he also wanted actors who had not appeared in science-fiction roles before, a choice she thought odd since veterans of the genre would know what was humorous.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> After seeing the film, Ramis said he was impressed with Allen's performance.<ref name=MTV /> Johnson named the main villain after film critic [[Andrew Sarris]], while admitting he also considered "Haskell" after [[Molly Haskell]], who was married to Sarris. Once Sarris discovered this, he mocked "This guy wants to insult me? Oh, boohoo. As long as they spelled my name right, I'm okay."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/08/06/this-week-hollywood-78/|title=This week in Hollywood|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|author=Shaw, Jessica|date=August 6, 1999|access-date=January 31, 2023|archive-date=January 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131175743/https://ew.com/article/1999/08/06/this-week-hollywood-78/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Casting ===
Following Parisot's assignment as director, Allen was quickly cast as Nesmith,<ref name="thr dec2019"/> and had to choose between ''Galaxy Quest'' and ''[[Bicentennial Man (film)|Bicentennial Man]]''. The ''Bicentennial Man'' role went to [[Robin Williams]].<ref name="MentalFloss"/><ref name="io9"/> Allen said he was a big sci-fi fan and had hoped the role would launch a second part of his career as a sci-fi actor.<ref name="io9"/><ref name="thr dec2019"/> Some of Allen's sci-fi knowledge was put to use during production: for example, when the crew is about to land on an alien planet, Allen brought up the issue of a breathable atmosphere with Johnson and Parisot; this became dialogue for Fleegman and Kwan in the movie.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> About his role, Allen said he based his performance more on [[Yul Brynner]]'s [[Ramesses II]] from the 1956 ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'', and less on [[William Shatner]] as [[James T. Kirk|Captain James Kirk]] from ''Star Trek''.<ref name="io9"/>

[[Alan Rickman]] was selected to be Alexander Dane, who played the alien Dr. Lazarus. Rickman had been interested in the part not so much for the sci-fi elements, but because of the humor. He said "I love comedy almost more than anything. This really is one of the funniest scripts I've read," and that "actors are probably the only professionals who send themselves up. We actually have a sense of humor about ourselves."<ref name="starlog 2000">{{cite magazine | title = Galaxy Quest | first = Bill |last = Warren | date = January 2000 | magazine = [[Starlog]] }}</ref> While the original script made Dane a [[Order of the British Empire|ceremonial knight]], Rickman suggested the title would be too much for the character, and this was dropped, though he remained listed as "Sir Alex Dane" in the credits.<ref name="io9"/><ref name="MentalFloss"/> Rickman also provided input into the [[prosthetic]] piece that Dane would use to play Lazarus, saying "it was important for it to be good enough to convince the aliens who believe we're the real thing, but also cheesy enough to imagine that it was something he applied himself".<ref name="io9"/> Rickman's sense of drama came into play during initial reads and script revisions. Rockwell said that Rickman "was very instrumental in making sure the script hit the dramatic notes, and everything had a strong logic and reason behind it".<ref name="thr dec2019"/> The scene where Dane, as Dr. Lazarus, gives a final, powerfully emotional speech to Quellek, played by [[Patrick Breen]], used Rickman's sense of drama, according to Rockwell.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Rickman was initially annoyed with Allen's excitement over his role,<ref name="io9"/> but eventually the whole cast bonded over the film.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Dr. Lazarus' catchphrase, "By Grabthar's Hammer", was written as a temp line in Gordon's script; Gordon planned to replace "Grabthar" with something less comical, but the line stuck as the production crew started using it around their offices and had it printed on t-shirts.<ref name="MTV"/>

Weaver had loved the script since her first read when Ramis was the director, stating "that great sort of ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|Wizard of Oz]]'' story of these people feeling so incomplete in the beginning, and then during the course of this adventure, they come out almost like the heroes they pretended to be in the first place".<ref name="MentalFloss"/> She particularly loved the part of Madison: "to me she was what a lot of women feel like, including myself, in a Hollywood situation."<ref name="thr dec2019"/> In addition, she had long wanted to work with both Allen and Rickman.<ref name="io9"/> Once Parisot replaced Ramis, Weaver lobbied Parisot to cast her, insisting that Madison needed to be blonde and have large breasts to capture the humor of a sci-fi production.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> She was surprised when she got the role.<ref name="io9"/> Weaver said that this role, given some of her personal insecurities, was closer to "telling the truth about myself and science fiction" compared to her performance as Ripley in the ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'' films.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> She wore a blonde wig (which she kept after production) and an enhanced bosom, which many of the crew said gave Weaver a new personality. Weaver often left the set in costume and returned to her hotel to admire herself,  saying that she "loved being a starlet".<ref name="MTV"/>

[[Tony Shalhoub]] originally auditioned for Guy Fleegman until [[Sam Rockwell]] was cast. Shalhoub was cast as Fred Kwan<ref name="io9"/> and worked with Parisot to develop the character. Kwan was loosely based on [[David Carradine]], who was a non-Asian in an Asian role in the television series ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]''. Additionally, it was rumored that Carradine frequently acted while [[Substance intoxication|under the influence of drugs]]. Although Shalhoub could not overtly portray a "stoner" in a PG-13 film, he insisted that Kwan should always be shown eating to subtly reference the stoner stereotype.<ref name=MTV />

Rockwell, who wanted to develop a more serious dramatic acting career, initially considered declining the role after he was cast. He eventually recognized that several successful dramatic actors had done comedy roles early on, and his friend [[Kevin Spacey]] persuaded him to take the part.<ref name=MTV /><ref name="thr dec2019"/> He was the last of the main actors to be cast.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Rockwell fashioned Fleegman after cowardly characters from other films, such as [[John Turturro]]'s Bernie in ''[[Miller's Crossing]]'', [[Bill Paxton]]'s Private Hudson in ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'', and [[Michael Keaton]]'s "Blaze" in ''[[Night Shift (1982 film)|Night Shift]]''. Rockwell drank a lot of coffee before certain scenes to help create the over-excitement and jitters associated with the character.<ref name=MTV /> Rockwell's character's name, Guy Fleegman, is a homage to Guy Vardaman, a little-known actor who worked extensively on ''Star Trek'' either as a [[stand-in]] or in bit roles.<ref name="io9"/> Rockwell and Shalhoub improvised some dialog to contrast Fleegman as an alarmist while Kwan was always nonchalant.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> [[Daryl Mitchell (actor)|Daryl Mitchell]] had worked with Parisot on ''Home Fries'', and Parisot felt he was the perfect choice to play Webber.<ref name="thr dec2019" /> [[David Alan Grier]] was the second choice.<ref name="MTV" />

{{multiple image
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[[Justin Long]] was cast as Brandon, and it was Long's first feature-film role.<ref name="MentalFloss"/> Long had just completed a pilot for a television show under casting director Bonnie Zane, who suggested Long to her sister [[Debra Zane]], the casting director for ''Galaxy Quest''.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Long said he was nervous auditioning as an unknown actor at the time, competing against [[Kieran Culkin]], [[Eddie Kaye Thomas]], and [[Tom Everett Scott]].<ref name="MentalFloss"/> Parisot had given Long a copy of ''[[Trekkies (film)|Trekkies]]'', a film about the ''Star Trek'' fandom, to help prepare for the character.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Long based his character on a combination of [[Philip Seymour Hoffman]]'s Scotty J. from ''[[Boogie Nights]]'' and the [[Comic Book Guy]] from ''[[The Simpsons]]''.<ref name=MTV />    [[Paul Rudd]] auditioned for a role.<ref name=MTV />

One of the first "Thermians" to audition was [[Enrico Colantoni]]. Colantoni loved the script and spent time before his audition developing the behavior he thought the Thermians should have.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Parisot said that at the end of Colantoni's read, the actor offered a possible voice for the Thermians. Parisot immediately loved the voice and used it to establish the nature of the Thermians for the rest of the casting process.<ref name="ign thermian">{{cite web | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/12/27/2276785 | title = Galaxy Quest: How the Thermians Were Born | first = Tara | last = Bennett | date = December 27, 2019 | access-date = December 30, 2019 | work = [[IGN]] | archive-date = December 30, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191230222145/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/12/27/2276785 | url-status = live }}</ref> Colantoni led how the Thermians would act, which he called "happy Jehovah's Witnesses" taking everything in with "love and acceptance".<ref name="starlog 2000"/> Other actors cast as Thermians included [[Jed Rees]] and [[Rainn Wilson]] (his feature-film debut). According to Debra Zane, they had "a difficult time finding an actress to play a Thermian. Ultimately, Zane was so impressed with [[Missi Pyle]]'s audition that she sent the casting tape directly to Parisot, with a note stating "If this is not Laliari, I will resign from the [[Casting Society of America|CSA]]."<ref name="io9"/> [[Steven Spielberg]], also impressed by Pyle, asked for Laliari's role to be expanded, which developed into the romance with Kwan.<ref name="io9"/><ref name="MentalFloss"/> [[Jennifer Coolidge]] was the second choice for the role.<ref name=MTV />

Actors cast as Thermians went to "alien school" to learn how to move and talk, since they were "basically giant calamari hiding in human shape", according to Parisot.<ref name="ign thermian"/> The walk was inspired by how the [[marionette]]s were articulated in the series ''[[Fireball XL5]]''.<ref name="cnet documentary">{{cite web | url = https://www.cnet.com/news/galaxy-quest-cast-warmly-recalls-1999-sci-fi-classic-in-new-documentary-never-surrender/ | title = Galaxy Quest cast warmly recalls the sci-fi classic in new documentary | first = Bonnie | last = Burton | date = November 26, 2019 | access-date = December 30, 2019 | work = [[CNet]] | archive-date = December 31, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191231005402/https://www.cnet.com/news/galaxy-quest-cast-warmly-recalls-1999-sci-fi-classic-in-new-documentary-never-surrender/ | url-status = live }}</ref> Other idiosyncrasies were developed by the actors during this training,<ref name="ign thermian"/> and several of their lines came out of improvisations.<ref name="cnet documentary"/> Wilson's role as Lahnk was to have been larger in the film, but the actor was double-booked for an NBC pilot in New York City. He received a crash course on how to act like a Thermian from Colantoni, Rees, and Pyle, but still was nervous around the A-list actors leading the cast. Wilson said that a deleted scene involving Lahnk, released with the film's home media, was wisely cut given how nervous he was, flubbing his lines several times.<ref name="ign thermian"/>

=== Filming ===
[[Linda DeScenna]], [[production designer]] of the film, was interested in the project because it would not have the same aesthetics as other 1990s science fiction films, and "it didn't have to be real, hi-tech and vacuformed".<ref name="io9"/> DeScenna drew inspiration for the sets not only from ''Star Trek'', but also from ''[[Buck Rogers]]'', ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'', and ''[[Lost in Space]]''.<ref name="starlog 2000"/> DeScenna had hoped to incorporate more essence of the reuse of props and set elements from these shows within the film, but the film didn't provide enough space for this.<ref name="starlog 2000"/> She used color theming to help distinguish the key elements of the film, with steam blue for the Thermians and the ''Protector'', while Saris and his species were made to be a green tone that stood out against that.<ref name="starlog 2000"/> The design of the Thermian station was influenced by the works of artist [[Roger Dean (artist)|Roger Dean]], especially his cover art for the [[Yes (band)|Yes]] live album ''[[Yessongs]]'' (1973).<ref name="io9"/>

[[File:Goblin_Valley_2007.jpg|thumb|right|[[Goblin Valley State Park]] was used for the scenes on the alien planet.]]
The bulk of the film was shot in studios in Los Angeles. Scenes of the alien planet were filmed at [[Goblin Valley State Park]] in [[Utah]].<ref name="io9"/> At the time, access to the park was partly by [[dirt road]]; fees paid by the production company were used to upgrade the entire access road to [[asphalt pavement]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feather |first=Lauren |date=2022-04-21 |title=9 Things You Didn't Know About Goblin Valley |url=https://www.thetravel.com/9-things-you-didnt-know-about-goblin-valley/ |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=TheTravel |language=en}}</ref> Other locations used in the film included the [[Stahl House]] as Nesmith's home and the [[Hollywood Palladium]] for the fan conventions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/g/Galaxy-Quest.php|title=Filming Locations for sci-fi spoof Galaxy Quest (2000), in Los Angeles and Utah|access-date=December 31, 2019|archive-date=December 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231010517/https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/g/Galaxy-Quest.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to Weaver, Allen hectored her to sign a piece of the Nostromo, the spaceship from ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'', in which she had starred; she ultimately did, writing "Stolen by Tim Allen; Love, Sigourney Weaver", which she claims upset him greatly.<ref name="io9"/> During the period of filming, the entire cast attended a 20th-anniversary screening of ''Alien''. After filming wrapped, Weaver kept the wig she wore for the role.<ref name="MentalFloss"/>

The film's visual effects were created by [[Industrial Light & Magic]] (ILM) led by [[Bill George (visual effects supervisor)|Bill George]]. A challenge in the CGI was making distinctions between scenes that were to be from the 1980s ''Galaxy Quest'' show, which would have been done normally through practical effects, and the more realistic scenes for the contemporary actors.<ref name="starlog 2000"/> Various practical effects were also used, such as the "piglizard" creature that the crew transports onto the ''Protector''.<ref name="starlog 2000"/>

=== Post-production ===
After most production was done, Johnson said that DreamWorks was confused by the film, as it was not what they had expected from the script they greenlit, but pushed on post-production as they needed a film to compete with [[Columbia Pictures]]' ''[[Stuart Little (film)|Stuart Little]]''.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> The film originally received an [[R rating (Motion Picture Association of America)|"R" rating]], according to Collins and Weaver,<ref name="Weintraub">{{cite web | last=Weintraub | first=Steve "Frosty" | url=https://collider.com/lindsey-collins-john-carter-r-rated-galaxy-quest-interview/146719/ | title=Producer Lindsey Collins Talks ''John Carter'', Deleted Scenes, and an R-Rated ''Galaxy Quest''?! | publisher=Collider.com | access-date=July 29, 2013 | archive-date=May 28, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528133013/http://collider.com/lindsey-collins-john-carter-r-rated-galaxy-quest-interview/146719 | url-status=dead }}</ref> before being recut to achieve a family-friendly rating. Shalhoub did not remember any darker version of the film.<ref>{{cite web | last=Weintraub | first=Steve "Frosty" | url=https://collider.com/tony-shalhoub-pain-and-gain-galaxy-quest-interview/ | title=Tony Shalhoub Talks ''Pain and Gain'' and ''Galaxy Quest'' | date=April 26, 2013 | publisher=Collider.com | access-date=July 29, 2013 | archive-date=July 12, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712112726/http://collider.com/tony-shalhoub-pain-and-gain-galaxy-quest-interview/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Gordon had not planned to write a "family-friendly" film, and his initial script included mature scenes, such as DeMarco attempting to seduce aliens, and the crash of the escape pod into the convention hall decapitating several attendees.<ref name="MTV"/>

While ''Galaxy Quest'' was in post-production, Paramount released ''[[The Rugrats Movie]]'', which was a box-office success. DreamWorks at that point pushed to have ''Galaxy Quest'' tailored for a younger audience to compete with ''Rugrats''.<ref name="documentary rugrats">{{cite video | title = Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary | date = 2019 | people = Bennett, Jack (director) | time =1:15:00 | medium = Motion picture | publisher = [[Fandom (website)|Fandom]] }}</ref> According to the cast and crew, ''Galaxy Quest'' was re-edited to achieve a "PG" rating, requiring scenes to be cut that could have survived if a "PG-13" rating had been targeted instead.<ref name="MTV"/> In the "chompers" scene, DeMarco's line "Well, screw that!" was [[Dubbing (filmmaking)|dubbed]] over her original "Well, fuck that!"<ref name="MTV"/><ref name="io9"/> Weaver stated she purposely made her dubbed line stand out as a form of protest from her original line.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Several scenes involving Dr. Lazarus were cut, as DreamWorks felt they were too kinky for the desired rating. One cut scene showed Dr. Lazarus' crew quarters on the Protector, which Allen called a "proctologist's dream and nightmare".<ref name="MTV"/><ref name="thr dec2019"/> Other scenes were added to provide what Dreamworks felt was necessary continuity for the intended younger audience, such as showing the limo with Nesmith and the aliens "beaming up" from Earth.<ref name="documentary rugrats"/>

In theaters, the first 20 minutes of the film were presented in a 1.85:1 [[Widescreen|aspect ratio]] (minus the opening showing clips from the TV show which were in 1.33:1), before changing to a wider 2.35:1 ratio when Nesmith looks out upon space as the ''Protector'' arrives at Thermia to maximize the effect on viewers.<ref name="MentalFloss"/><ref name="io9"/> However, this caused some problems with projectionists at movie theaters when showing the film as they had not opened up the screen curtains far enough for the wider aspect ratio. Projectionists had to be told at later showings to prepare for this transition. On the DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases, however, after the opening scene showing the TV clips, it goes directly from 1.33:1 to 2.35:1 and remains that way for the rest of the movie.<ref name="MTV"/> [[David Newman (composer)|David Newman]] composed the score.

=== Promotion ===
Before the release, a promotional [[mockumentary]] video titled ''Galaxy Quest: 20th Anniversary, The Journey Continues'', aired on [[E!]], presenting the ''Galaxy Quest'' television series as an actual cult series, and the upcoming film as a documentary about the making of the series, presenting it in a similar way to ''Star Trek''; it featured fake interviews of the series' cast (portrayed by the actors of the actual film), "Questerians", and critics.<ref name="MentalFloss"/>

While these additional materials were made, DreamWorks devoted very little advertising to the film despite its placement near the Christmas season, which the cast and crew felt hurt the potential for the film.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Unlike most films where the second and ongoing weekend box office takes decline, ''Galaxy Quest'' saw rising numbers over the first several weekends, and DreamWorks' [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] apologized directly to Parisot for failing to market the film properly.<ref name="thr dec2019"/> Additionally, the primary trailer used for the film used a cut of the film before all the specific effects were complete, and Johnson felt that if the trailer had used the completed versions, it would have helped draw a larger audience.<ref name="thr dec2019"/>

=== Relation to ''Star Trek'' and other science fiction works ===
''Galaxy Quest'' is an acknowledged homage to ''Star Trek''; Parisot said "Part of the mission for me was to make a great {{'}}''Star Trek''{{'}} episode."<ref name="MTV"/> Gordon's original script was titled ''Galaxy Quest: The Motion Picture'' as a reference to the [[Star Trek: The Motion Picture|first feature ''Star Trek'' film]], and elements such as departing the space dock and the malfunctioning transporters were further nods to the film.<ref name="MTV"/>  The prefix of the ''Protector''{{'}}s registration number NTE-3120 ostensibly alludes to some sort of similar [[United Federation of Planets|space federation]], but in reality stands for "Not The Enterprise", according to visual effects co-supervisor Bill George.<ref>Jody Duncan & Estelle Shay, "Trekking into the Klaatu Nebula", ''Cinefex''&nbsp;81, April 2000</ref><ref>{{cite video | title = Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary | date = 2019 | people = Bennett, Jack (director) | time =13:00 | medium = Motion picture | publisher = [[Fandom (website)|Fandom]] }}</ref> Parisot refuted claims that the rock monster that Nesmith battled was based on the rock monster that had been scripted for ''[[Star Trek V: The Final Frontier]]'', but instead was more inspired by the [[Gorn]] that Kirk faces in the ''Star Trek'' episode "[[Arena (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Arena]]".<ref name="MTV"/> This homage also extended to the original marketing of the movie, including a promotional website<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.galaxyquest.com/galaxyquest/index.html |title=Welcome to Travis Latke's Galaxy Quest Vaults |work=archive.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011202071547/http://www.galaxyquest.com/galaxyquest/index.html |archive-date=December 2, 2001 }}</ref> intentionally designed to look like a poorly constructed fan website, with "screen captures" and poor [[HTML]] coding.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Nigel G.|title=5 Reasons Why the Fake 'Galaxy Quest' Fansite is Awesome|url=http://www.thegeektwins.com/2012/11/5-reasons-why-fake-galaxy-quest-fansite.html|access-date=2021-10-27|website=The Geek Twins|date=November 29, 2012|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027213102/http://www.thegeektwins.com/2012/11/5-reasons-why-fake-galaxy-quest-fansite.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other aspects of the film were homages to other seminal science fiction works. The Thermians' native planet, Klaatu Nebula, is a reference to the name of the alien visitor in the classic ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' (1951).<ref name="MentalFloss" /> Quellek's line "I'm shot" was influenced by the same line from James Brolin's character in ''[[Westworld (film)|Westworld]]''.<ref name="MTV" /> The blue creatures on the alien planet were based on similar creatures in ''[[Barbarella (film)|Barbarella]]''.<ref name="MTV" /> The "chompers" scene with Nesmith and DeMarco trying to reach the self-destruct abort button was inspired by a scene from the 1997 film ''[[Event Horizon (film)|Event Horizon]]'' involving whirring blades.<ref name="io9" /> The effects for the Omega 13 activation were inspired by the ending scene from ''[[Beneath the Planet of the Apes]]''.<ref name="MTV" />

In his review of ''Galaxy Quest'', James Berardinelli states that the movie shares the "same central conceit" with a short story by [[Ruth Berman]] titled "Visit to a Weird Planet Revisited" published in the 1976 anthology ''[[Star Trek: The New Voyages|Star Trek: New Voyages]]'' in which William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and [[DeForest Kelley]] are transported to the real {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701|2}} while filming an episode of ''Star Trek'' and are pursued by [[Klingon]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Berardinelli|first=James|title=Galaxy Quest (United States, 1999)|url=https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/galaxy-quest|access-date=2024-12-16|website=ReelReviews}}</ref>