'Project Hail Mary' film hailed
The film adaptation of Andy Weir's *Project Hail Mary* is getting rave reviews, with some calling it the best sci-fi movie in years [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj9HJq1KOfQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llTphljZzsk, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB36zpwZR5g]. Reviewers praise its blend of scientific rigor, emotional storytelling, and cinematic spectacle, noting its faithfulness to the source material [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj9HJq1KOfQ]. Ryan Gosling, who plays the lead, is excited for audiences to meet 'Rocky,' the friendly alien [https://x.com/i/status/2031331734328062411].
The film's budget is reportedly just under $200 million, making it one of Amazon MGM's biggest bets on an original sci-fi property. The gross budget was $248 million, but tax credits brought it down. It needs to make around $500-$600 million to break even. Principal photography took place in the United Kingdom between June and October 2024. Filming locations included Shepperton Studios, the South Parade Pier in Portsmouth, and the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory in Cambridge. To create a realistic environment, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller avoided green screens. Instead, they built massive interior and exterior sets for the spaceship. The alien, Rocky, was also present on set as a physical model to aid Gosling's performance. Drew Goddard, who adapted Weir's *The Martian*, also wrote the *Project Hail Mary* screenplay. The film's plot centers on Ryland Grace, who wakes up on a spacecraft with amnesia and must save Earth from a solar dimming event. He is aided by an alien, Rocky, who is trying to save his own planet. Andy Weir's other novels include *The Martian*, which was also adapted into a successful film, and *Artemis*. *Project Hail Mary* won the 2022 Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year. The film stars Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, and James Ortiz as the voice and lead puppeteer for Rocky. Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub also star. *Project Hail Mary* is scheduled to be released on March 20, 2026.
