Sigourney Weaver Reveals Benedict Cumberbatch Nearly Took Over Alan Rickman's Role in Galaxy Quest Sequel
By Grabthar's hammer, Sigourney Weaver reveals the long-delayed Galaxy Quest sequel nearly cast Benedict Cumberbatch in the role originated by Alan Rickman.
Galaxy Quest is one of those lightning-in-a-bottle movies: a premise that sounds like a throwaway gag — actors from a washed-up sci-fi show get mistaken for real heroes by aliens — that turns into a near-perfect mix of satire, space adventure, and heart. And the cast was basically unbeatable: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Daryl Mitchell, and more.
The sequel that almost happened
A follow-up has been kicked around for years, but things stalled after Alan Rickman died at 69. Now Sigourney Weaver says there was a version that nearly got off the launchpad — with Benedict Cumberbatch involved in a very specific way.
Speaking to Josh Horowitz at New York Comic-Con (via People), Weaver said the team had momentum and a story that worked. The twist that jumps out: Cumberbatch was discussed to take on, in her words, a version of Rickman's role.
They were absolutely going to do it and they had a very funny story. I think it would’ve happened by now. At a certain point, they talked about Benedict Cumberbatch playing a version of Alan Rickman’s part. It is very hard to come back to it without Alan there.
To translate that a bit: she is not saying Cumberbatch would have played Alexander Dane/Dr. Lazarus exactly as Rickman did. 'A version' sounds more like a clever workaround — maybe a new in-universe actor taking over the iconic Dr. Lazarus role, or another character from the same alien species. Either way, the hesitation makes sense. Recreating Rickman is a nonstarter, and everyone involved clearly knows it.
Weaver feels closer to Gwen/Tawny than Ripley
Weaver also said she identifies more with Galaxy Quest's Gwen DeMarco (who plays Tawny Madison on the show-within-the-movie) than with Ellen Ripley. Why? Because Gwen's experience felt uncomfortably accurate to how Hollywood can treat women — constantly judged on appearance, how you move, and how you look in a costume. That honesty is part of why she loved playing Gwen/Tawny.
What about the TV series?
The small-screen version has had plenty of smoke over the years. Different iterations have come and gone, with folks like Paul Scheer and Simon Pegg taking swings at scripts. As of now, it is still in the 'maybe, someday' zone. Personally, I would not mind if Galaxy Quest stayed a one-and-done gem — unless someone cracks a pitch that feels undeniable.
One more thing for fans
By Grabthar's hammer, the movie is getting a 4K Blu-ray this December. If nothing else ever happens, at least we get a pristine upgrade of the original.