Film news: Ryan Gosling makes a friend in space in ‘Project Hail Mary’ trailer
Ryan Gosling is ready to save humankind next spring in Project Hail Mary.
That’s the premise set in the latest trailer for the adaptation of novelist Andy Weir’s work.
Film News Blitz’s Dan Lawrence reports on the glimpse into this March 2026 release.
What is ‘Project Hail Mary’ about?
Based on the Weir novel of the same name, Project Hail Mary is the story of a scientist recovering his memory in time to save the world from its dying sun.
The official synopsis reads: “Science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there.
“As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out.
“He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.”
That unexpected friendship comes in the form of a rock-like alien creature that Grace names Rocky.
The bulk of the new trailer for Project Hail Mary centres around Grace and Rocky’s collective bond in the face of outer-space adversity, with Oasis’ Champagne Supernova playing in the background.
What’s evident from this short clip is that audiences are set to witness an endearing relationship between man and alien, told with charm and high stakes.
Who is making ‘Project Hail Mary’?
Bestselling author Weir is a well-known name to science-fiction fans, and he has already had The Martian adapted for the screen by director Ridley Scott.
That film adaptation was written by screenwriter Drew Goddard, who has returned to pen the screenplay for Project Hail Mary.
Directing the flick is the impressive creative duo comprising Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
As writers, producers, directors, and sometimes a combination of the three, Lord and Miller are responsible for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, the Jump Street films, The Lego Movie and the incredible Spider-Verse animated films.
Their creative talents handle a cast built around Gosling’s stardom, which includes Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, and James Ortiz.
Project Hail Mary lands in cinemas on March 20, 2026 and is currently in post-production.
Gosling, meanwhile, is busy filming as the lead in director Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, due for release in May 2027.
Starfighter is the second in a slate of films bringing the Star Wars franchise back to the big screen, with The Mandalorian and Grogu set to battle Project Hail Mary next year for the prize of best science-fiction release.
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