1999 was an amazing year of movies. One of the best ever. Being John Malkovich, The Matrix, Fight Club, Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut, American Beauty, the list goes on and on. A film that also belongs on that list, but is rarely mentioned in the same space, is Galaxy Quest. The smart, hilarious send-up of geek culture with a sci-fi twist was a modest hit, grossing $91 million worldwide, but continues to be popular because it struck a cultural chord and was so ahead of its time.

The idea of a Galaxy Quest sequel has been batted around for years. In a recent oral history of the film done by MTV, several members of the cast jumped on board. Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Sam Rockwell, Justin Long – along with director Dean Parisot, producer Mark Johnson and writer Robert Gordon all talked about it. They would do a Galaxy Quest sequel in a heartbeat. Read their quotes below.

These quotes come from the fantastic, detailed, must-read oral history of Galaxy Quest over on MTV. It ends like this:

Tim Allen: There’s a sequel somewhere. It’s written, but I haven’t really gotten a straight answer about it, but Hollywood is a very peculiar place. It is none of my business. Writer Robert Gordon: On the record, I definitely have ideas for a sequel. Off the record, OK, turn your recorder off. Justin Long: So many people ask me about a sequel. Producer Mark Johnson: If we announced a sequel or a TV show, there’d be genuine excitement, not “It’s too late.” We’ve tried. I’d do it, Dean would do it. But we need Bob. It’s a Bob Gordon joint, but Bob is a very specific guy. Sam Rockwell: F–k yeah, a sequel would be amazing. If it was a respectful script to “Galaxy Quest.” Sigourney Weaver: Tell Bob, tell Dean, we are all ready for a sequel. I still have my costume! Allen: How’s this for a sequel: it’s 15 years later. The Thermians come back, but they haven’t aged. Maybe they don’t have warp anymore so it took 15 years. They have to search for a new homeland. Sarris [the main villain] is gone but his family never forgets and you take it from there. . .

So there are ideas, maybe even a script, and lots of willing actors. Why hasn’t this happened? Well, maybe that idea isn’t quite good enough. Or maybe the executives don’t think a movie with all these actors, some of whom (Rockwell, Long) got more famous after the film, is financially viable. In 1999, Galaxy Quest cost $45 million. In 2014, it would cost probably double that, then add another $100 million for marketing. Now you are looking at a $200 million sequel to a cult classic. You begin to see why some people would be scared.

Nevertheless, as a fan, I’d love to see Galaxy Quest sequel. What do you think?