Before something can become a cult classic, it needs to develop a cult following. That’s what happened for the movie “Galaxy Quest.” and a new documentary looks at how the film spent the last 20 years doing just that.

Tim Allen (as Jason Nesmith): “It’s all real.”

Justin Long (as Brandon): “Oh, my God, I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!”

Move aside “Star Wars” and “Star Trek,” “Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary” shows how a film about fandom became a hit because of the fans.

Roth Cornet, producer: “It actually, sort of, predicted and predates the rise of fan culture that we see dominating entertainment today.”

Talk about staying power!

The 1999 flick is led by Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, the late Alan Rickman and Sam Rockwell.

Sigourney Weaver (as Gwen DeMarco): “We are actors, not astronauts.”

Enrico Colantoni (as Mathesar): “You are our protectors.”

The story follows a group of TV actors beamed up to help aliens who believe their Sci-Fi series is real.

Roth Cornet produced the documentary, and says the way the movie was ahead of its time.

Roth Cornet: “It’s sort of doing a fake ‘Star Trek’ show called ‘Galaxy Quest,’ and ‘Star Trek” is really the birth place of fandom as we know it today. That’s where cosplay started. That’s where cos, comic-con started, and that really is where we saw the first time that fans, just because they love something, made it continue. Well, we see that all the time today.”

Combined with how “Star Trek” gained popularity over the years, this is something the documentary explores when it comes to what makes a cult classic.

Roth Cornet: “It got a second life because a small number of people loved it enough to evangelize for it, and to advocate for it, and to tell other people to watch it, and that, kind of, is the essence of fandom.”

Tim Allen (as Jason Nesmith): “You will out there.”

Sir Alan Rickman (as Alexander Dane): “I won’t and nothing you say will make me.”

Tim Allen (as Jason Nesmith): “The show must go on.”

Members of the cast — as well as famous fans — are also sharing memories and stories.

Tim Allen: “I loved every second of that.”

Roth Cornet: “We want to bring it out to people. We want the festival to be nationwide and on 700 screens. We want fans to be able to come and celebrate this thing that they love.”

Tony Shalhoub (as Fred Kwan): “That was a hell of a thing.”

The documentary is being presented by Fathom Events nationwide this Tuesday only.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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