Project Hail Mary shows Ryan Gosling shedding movie-hero stoicism

Project Hail Mary, adapted from Andy Weir's novel, stars Ryan Gosling as a reluctant scientist who teams with an alien engineer to stop an interstellar threat, and the filmmakers consulted NASA specialists to ground the film's depiction of space.

Project Hail Mary, opening this weekend, adapts Andy Weir's novel and centers on Dr. Ryland Grace, a scientist who wakes far from Earth with amnesia and a mission to stop an interstellar organism called Astrophage. The film pairs Grace with an alien engineer named Rocky and focuses on methodical, hands-on problem solving rather than single-character heroics. Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and the cast discussed the film at a Jet Propulsion Laboratory event and emphasized wanting the space work to feel plausible. The production drew on NASA expertise to portray the messiness and clumsiness of working in zero gravity. Key details: - The story follows a reluctant, ordinary scientist thrust into a mission to stop Astrophage, an organism described in the story as posing a planetary threat. - An alien engineer named Rocky becomes Grace's collaborator, and the film highlights experiments, improvisation, and practical problem solving. - Cast and crew, including Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, screenwriter Drew Goddard, and author Andy Weir, spoke at a JPL event attended by NASA personnel. - Veteran astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren and former NASA chief scientist James Green were cited as consultants whose input informed the film's technical details. - Directors said they wanted to reflect a modern, science-focused view of space exploration that emphasizes collaboration and authenticity. Summary: The film foregrounds collaborative, technically detailed problem-solving and presents a less stoic lead than many classic space films. Undetermined at this time.