Synopsis

After losing his job, television news producer Tim O'Hara discovers that a Martian has crash-landed on Earth. Tim initially sees an opportunity to break the story of the millennium, but the stranded alien, hiding in human form as "Uncle Martin," needs help repairing his ship. As government agents close in, Tim's ambition gives way to friendship and a desperate escape plan.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is a loose adaptation of the 1963-1966 television series of the same name. Ray Walston, who played the original Uncle Martin, appears as Armitan, a government investigator of unidentified flying objects.

• The movie provides a return-home resolution for Martin. The original television series never showed its Martian character leaving Earth.

• An early version was developed at Warner Bros. in 1993, with Joe Dante attached to direct and Martin Short considered for the leading role. The project later moved to Walt Disney Pictures, where the screenplay was revised.

• The Martian creatures were created by Amalgamated Dynamics from designs by creature artist Jordu Schell.

• The exterior set for Tim's apartment closely recreates the distinctive apartment exterior used in the television series.

• Tim's car is a 1962 Plymouth Valiant. In the television show, Tim drove a Triumph TR4.

• Wayne Knight provides the uncredited voice of Zoot, the Martian's small robotic companion.

• Disney released the film theatrically with the Mickey Mouse Works short "Pluto Gets the Paper: Spaceship."

• Made for approximately $65 million, the film earned about $36.85 million domestically and was considered a box-office disappointment.