Project Hail Mary: Release Date, Cast, Trailers & More
We break down who's in it, who's behind it, what it's about, and every other detail we know about the upcoming sci-fi adventure.
Back in 2011, author Andy Weir self-published a science fiction novel called The Martian on his blog, and it became such a sensation that it was later acquired by a publisher, re-released in physical form, and adapted into a Hollywood feature film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, ultimately earning seven Academy Award nominations.
In 2021, Weir published another sci-fi adventure called Project Hail Mary, also about a lone astronaut lost in space, and it won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. But MGM had already snatched up the rights to the book even before it was published, hoping to adapt it into a film, and that film arrives in theaters this year.
Here’s everything we know about Project Hail Mary.
What is Project Hail Mary About?
In the novel, an infrared line from the sun to Venus is discovered and named the Petrova line, and scientists conclude that it is related to the dimming of the sun — a development that would be catastrophic for Earth. To combat this, they recruit Dr. Ryland Grace, a junior high school science teacher and former molecular biologist, to study a sample from the Petrova line. His research leads to a monumental discovery that changes the course of his life. But none of this is apparent in the beginning of the story.
Like the novel, the film is set primarily on a spacecraft dubbed the Hail Mary, where Grace awakens from a coma alone with amnesia, and he is left to deduce what his mission is. We learn through flashbacks not only about his past, but also about the nature of the discovery of the Petrova line, how Grace came to be involved, and why he is aboard the Hail Mary. To say anything more would venture into spoiler territory.
Who’s behind the film?
Amazon MGM Studios’ highly anticipated big screen adaptation of the book is directed by the filmmaker duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and written by Drew Goddard. Lord and Miller broke out in Hollywood with 2009’s animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but also directed the 21 Jump Street movies, wrote and directed The LEGO Movie, and co-wrote Sony’s animated Spider-Verse films. This will be their first directorial effort on the big screen, live-action or otherwise, since 2014’s 22 Jump Street.
Writer Drew Goddard is no stranger to science fiction, as he got his start with Matt Reeves’ 2008 thriller Cloverfield, penned Marc Forster’s adaptation of World War Z, and, most notably, earned a wealth of awards attention for adapting Andy Weir’s first novel, The Martian. He has also written and directed two original films, The Cabin in the Woods (with Joss Whedon) and Bad Times at the El Royale.
Serving as cinematographer on Project Hail Mary is Greig Fraser, whose credits include Let Me In, Zero Dark Thirty, Rogue One, Dune and Dune: Part Two, The Batman, and The Creator. In other words, he’s well-versed in the genre. Daniel Pemberton is on board to score the film, having worked on projects like the Spider-Verse movies, Steve Jobs, Birds of Prey, Being the Ricardos, The Bad Guys, and The Trial of the Chicago 7, the latter of which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Editor Chris Dickens also boasts an impressive resume, including Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Les Misérables, Rocketman, and Slumdog Millionaire, which won him an Oscar.
Who’s in Project Hail Mary?
The film follows Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, a science teacher at Grover Cleveland Middle School who becomes a reluctant astronaut. Since Grace is alone aboard the Hail Mary, the supporting cast is fairly minimal, depicted primarily in flashback.
Another Academy Award nominee, Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest), plays Project Hail Mary head Eva Stratt, who initially recruits Grace. The film also stars Lionel Boyce (The Bear) as Officer Steve Hatch, Ken Leung (Industry) as crewmember Yáo Li-Jie, Milana Vayntrub (This Is Us) as crewmember Olesya Ilyukhina, and Priya Kansara (Bridgerton) as the voice of Mary, the Hail Mary ship.
Finally — and this is no spoiler if you’ve seen the trailers, but if you’ve somehow avoided them and want to go in cold, then stop reading here — James Ortiz lends his voice and puppeteering skills to the character of Rocky, the alien that Grace encounters and befriends on his journey.
Is there a trailer?
The initial trailer shows heart, humor, and desperation from Grace, who is insistent on not having the fate of the world on his shoulders and is definitely not excited about traveling 11.9 light years to Tau Ceti to find answers as to why the sun and its neighboring stars are dying. Gosling shines in the trailer with his humanistic portrayal of doubt, frustration, and isolation —until the twist reveals that he has met an alien, who he names Rocky. In the final trailer, Grace not only helps Rocky find its voice but also solidifies their bond and persistence in saving both of their planets.
With dynamic talent, gripping storylines, and the world as we know it on the line, Project Hail Mary is poised to be the sci-fi film of the year. We’ll just have to keep tabs on our reluctant hero and his new alien sidekick when it hits theaters on March 20, 2026.
Project Hail Mary hits theaters on March 20, 2026.
