Project Hail Mary (film)
A teacher awakens alone on a mission to save Earth.
The upcoming science fiction film *Project Hail Mary* is directed and produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard adapted from Andy Weir’s 2021 novel. Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who wakes up on an interstellar ship with amnesia, and also serves as a producer. Supporting roles are played by Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce. The story follows Grace as he gradually remembers his mission: Earth faces a crisis from an alien microbe called astrophage that is dimming the Sun, and he was recruited by Eva Stratt (Hüller) to join a desperate one-way voyage to the star Tau Ceti. During the journey, Grace meets an alien he names Rocky (portrayed by Ortiz through a puppet operated by a team of five puppeteers), and the two work together to save their respective worlds. Pre-production started in 2020, before the novel was published, and filming took place across 2024 in the United Kingdom, using both location shoots and a practical set built for the spacecraft *Hail Mary*. The film is scheduled for release by Amazon MGM Studios in the United States, with Sony Pictures Releasing International handling other territories. Early buzz points to positive reviews, with praise for Lord and Miller’s direction, Gosling’s performance, the character of Rocky, and the film’s humor, themes, and visuals.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Phil Lord / Christopher Miller
- Screenplay
- Drew Goddard
- Based On
- Project Hail Mary · Andy Weir
- Producer
- Amy Pascal / Ryan Gosling / Phil Lord / Christopher Miller / Aditya Sood / Rachel O'Connor / Andy Weir
- Starring
- Ryan Gosling / Sandra Hüller / James Ortiz / Lionel Boyce
- Cinematography
- Greig Fraser
- Editing
- Joel Negron
- Music
- Daniel Pemberton
- Studio
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / Lord Miller Productions / Pascal Pictures / Open Invite Entertainment / Waypoint Entertainment
- Distributor
- Amazon MGM Studios (United States and Canada) / Sony Pictures Releasing International (International)
- Released
- 9 March 2026 · Empire Leicester Square · 2026 · 3 · 20 · United States
- Runtime
- 156 minutes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pre-production began in 2020, before Andy Weir's novel was published. Filming took place throughout 2024 in the United Kingdom, both on location and on sets. All scenes aboard the spacecraft Hail Mary were filmed on a practical set constructed for the film. Principal photography began on June 3, 2024, and wrapped on October 26, 2024, at Shepperton Studios and locations including The Hemel Hempstead School, South Parade Pier, and the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory. The film was shot for IMAX using large-sensor Arri Alexa 65 cameras, with aspect ratios switching between taller for present-day scenes and wider for flashbacks. No chroma keying was used; the entire set was shot practically.
Reader's Guide
Project Hail Mary premiered in London on March 9, 2026, and was released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on March 20, with Sony Pictures Releasing International handling other territories. The film became the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2026. Its significance lies in its practical effects approach, with the alien character Rocky portrayed by a puppet controlled by a team of five puppeteers led by James Ortiz, dubbed the 'Rockyteers.' The story follows Ryland Grace, who teams with an alien named Rocky to save both their stars from an astrophage infection. The film's themes of cooperation and sacrifice, along with its humor and visuals, contributed to its positive reception. The production avoided chroma keying entirely, relying on constructed sets and puppetry, which was noted as a distinctive technical achievement.
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