Project Hail Mary (2026)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
A lone survivor on an interstellar spacecraft must navigate amnesia and an alien alliance to save Earth from a solar catastrophe.
The story
In the near future, Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher and former molecular biologist, awakens from an induced coma on the interstellar spacecraft Hail Mary. Suffering from amnesia, he discovers he is the sole survivor of a three-person crew traveling toward the Tau Ceti system. He learns that an alien microbe, 'astrophage', is consuming the Sun's energy and threatens Earth with catastrophic cooling. To save humanity, Grace must navigate the mysteries of the ship and the mission's purpose while dealing with his lost memories. The situation becomes complex when he encounters an alien vessel and a being from another world, forcing an unexpected alliance to ensure survival for both species.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Ryland Grace, a scientist and teacher, awakens on the spacecraft Hail Mary with amnesia, eventually learning he is the sole survivor of a mission to Tau Ceti. The mission was launched because an alien microbe called 'astrophage' is dimming the Sun, threatening Earth with a global cooling catastrophe. Through flashbacks, Grace recalls his role in the Petrova Taskforce and the construction of the Hail Mary. In the present, he encounters and befriends 'Rocky,' a five-legged alien from the Erid system who is also trying to save his home star from the same astrophage. The two form a bond and work together to study the Petrova line of Tau Ceti e. During a dangerous maneuver, a fuel leak occurs, and Grace eventually learns that he was forced into the mission by leader Eva Stratt. After a series of events where they successfully breed a predator to fight the astrophage, a crisis arises when a leak threatens to destroy Rocky's ship. Grace chooses to sacrifice his chance of returning home to save Rocky and the Eridians. He sends his data to Earth, where it is used to save the Sun. The film ends with Grace living in a biodome on Erid, teaching science to Eridian children, while the Hail Mary is prepared for a return voyage to Earth.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 156
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Phil Lord; Christopher Miller
- Writers
- Drew Goddard · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ryan Gosling · Ryland Grace; Sandra Hüller · Eva Stratt; James Ortiz · Rocky; Lionel Boyce · Carl; Ken Leung · Yao Li-Jie; Milana Vayntrub · Olesya Ilyukhina; Priya Kansara · Mary; Malachi Kirby · Martin Dubois; Liz Kingsman · Annie Shapiro; Mia Soteriou · Dr. Browne; Orion Lee · Dr. Li; Michelle Greenidge · Chimamanda
- Genres
- science fiction; adventure
- Themes
- sacrifice; friendship; survival; scientific discovery
- Tone and mood
- hopeful; humorous; adventurous
- Setting
- The interstellar spacecraft Hail Mary and the Tau Ceti system in the near future.
- Premise and plot tags
- space exploration; first contact; amnesia; alien life
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2021 novel of the same name by Andy Weir
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews, praised for its direction, performances, and visual design, though some critics found it derivative.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 77 · scale: 100 · review count: 60; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; Cine21 · score: 8 · scale: 10
- Production trivia
- The film was shot for IMAX using large-sensor Arri Alexa 65 cameras.; No chroma keying was used; the entire set was shot practically.; The character Rocky was a combination of 50% VFX animation and 50% puppetry.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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