Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
The Last Starfighter is a 1984 American space opera film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan (Lance Guest), an average teenager recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also features Robert Preston, Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Norman Snow, and Kay E. Kuter.
The Last Starfighter, along with Disney's Tron, has the distinction of being one of cinema's earliest films to use extensive computer-generated imagery (CGI) to depict its many starships, environments and battle scenes. It is one of the first films to use CGI to represent "real-life" objects instead of digital graphics.
The Last Starfighter was Preston's final role on the big screen (though he would do cameos in TV movies afterwards until his death in 1987). His character, a "lovable con-man", was a nod to his most famous role as Harold Hill in The Music Man.[2] There was a subsequent novelization of the film by Alan Dean Foster, as well as a video game based on the production. In 2004, it was also adapted as an off-Broadway musical.
Cast
- Lance Guest as Alex Rogan / Beta Alex
- Dan O'Herlihy as Grig
- Catherine Mary Stewart as Maggie Gordon
- Robert Preston as Centauri
- Norman Snow as Xur
- Kay E. Kuter as Enduran
- Barbara Bosson as Jane Rogan
- Chris Hebert as Louis Rogan
- Dan Mason as Lord Kril
- Vernon Washington as Otis
- John O'Leary as Rylan Bursar
- George McDaniel as Kodan Officer
- Charlene Nelson as Rylan Technician
- John Maio as Friendly Alien
- Al Berry as Rylan Spy
- Scott Dunlop as Tentacle Alien
- Peter Nelson as Jack Blake
- Peggy Pope as Elvira
- Meg Wyllie as Granny Gordon
- Ellen Blake as Clara Potter
- Britt Leach as Mr. Potter
- Bunny Summers as Mrs. Boone
- Owen Bush as Mr. Boone
- Marc Alaimo as Hitchhiker
- Wil Wheaton as Louis' friend
- Cameron Dye as Andy
- Geoffrey Blake as Gary
Sequel
In February 2008, production company GPA Entertainment added "Starfighter – The sequel to the classic motion picture Last Starfighter" to its list of projects and two months later the project was reported to be "stuck in the pre-production phase".[19] It was still there as of January 2012.[20] Hollywood directors including Seth Rogen and Steven Spielberg, as well as screenwriter Gary Whitta, have expressed interest in creating a sequel or remake, but Jonathan R. Betuel has allegedly indicated that he does not want another film made.
The rights to the film have not been clearly defined due to conflicting information. Multiple sources say Universal Pictures still owns the theatrical and home media distribution rights while Warner Bros., which absorbed Lorimar Pictures in 1992, has the international distribution rights. Another source states that Universal has the option to remake the film while Betuel has sequel rights. Further complicating the situation is a claim that both Universal and Warner Bros. each have remake and sequel rights.[22]
In July 2015, it was reported that Betuel will write a TV reboot of the film.[23]
On April 4th, 2018 an article in IO9 stated Gary Whitta, working with John Betuel, had plans for a reboot movie
