 The movie was first optioned in 1982 by producers  Ivan Reitman (qv), Joe Medjuck (qv) and Michael C. Gross (qv).  Douglas Adams (qv) wrote three drafts for them per his contract.  During this time, Medjuck and Gross were considering  Bill Murray (I) (qv) or Dan Aykroyd (qv) to play Ford Prefect,  but then Aykroyd sent them his idea for _Ghost Busters (1984)_ (qv)  and they did that movie instead.