Directors sign up for Hollywood film

The big-screen version of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy has moved a step closer to reality with the appointment of a directing team.

Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith have been signed up to helm the project, which will be their first feature film.

However, under their working name of Hammer and Tongs, they have produced a string of acclaimed pop videos, including Fatboy Slim's Right Here, Right Now, Supergrass's Pumping On My Stereo and Blur's Coffee and TV.

The British duo will join Chicken Run writer Karey Kirkpatrick, who has already given Douglas Adams' original movie script a polish. Adams was first employed by production house Spyglass to produce a script five years ago, and spent much of his later years working on it.

Budgeting and start dates for the film will be set soon, Hollywood trade bible Variety reports today.

Spyglass partner Birnbaum said: "We finally cracked the story, and hired these clever English fellows to make sure that the picture is visually inventive and funny and accessible to contemporary audiences while still connected to the book Douglas wrote almost 25 years ago."

Hammer & Tong's home page

Published: 17 Jun 2003