Released on March 20, 2026, Project Hail Mary is a PG-13 film produced by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. It stars Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Miliana Vayntrub, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce. It tells the story of Earth falling to ruin amid an astrological phenomenon: the Petrova Line, a faint arc of infrared light that travels between the Sun and Venus.
The Petrova Line is composed of alien microorganisms called Astrophage, and Earth’s scientists learn that they are “eating” energy from the sun. The Astrophage would not kill the Sun or destroy it if it were successful in its biological mission for survival. Rather, the Sun would lose 10% of its energy, which would cool Earth’s temperature vastly, and as a result, would thrust the planet into an ice age. Nations would starve and war over rations. But the scientists discover that this is not just happening to Earth and her star, but to all stars across the known universe, all except one, the star of the Tau Ceti system. In flashbacks, the audience witnesses panicked governments gathering a group of three astronauts to send to Tau Ceti in hopes of discovering why that star is immune.
The movie follows two primary characters in the present day. Doctor Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling) is one of the astronauts sent to Tau Ceti on the mission to save Earth, dubbed Project Hail Mary. Grace is a high school science teacher, so he’s not really much of an astronaut at all. Rocky is an alien he meets along the way, which will be discussed further.
As for Grace, he awakes aboard the spacecraft bound for Tau Ceti, and quickly realizes that the other astronauts are both dead. He realizes his location, and grows horrified at the fact that he is alone, farther from Earth than ever before. In his amnesia, Grace has to investigate the ship to rediscover what his mission is, and he comes to see that it is one of suicide. The ship, fueled by Astrophage, is on a one-way trip to Tau Ceti, and he will not return.
Grace continues his mission in spite of this, and pursues alone, though he does not remain alone for very long. On his mission, he comes into contact with an alien and they try to communicate. They link their ships together with a material that the alien can seemingly weave with ease, and they begin trying to speak. They develop a way of communicating through one of the funniest scenes in the movie, and Grace names the alien Rocky. He learns that Rocky is an engineer from the planet Erid, on the same mission to a striking tee.
Rocky is bound for Tau Ceti to discover why it is the only star unaffected by the Petrova Line, as his star is dying as well. His entire crew, just like Grace’s, perished along the way. Unlike Grace, though, Rocky has enough fuel to get home, which becomes increasingly important later in the film. Together, Rocky and Grace work to discover the secret of Tau Ceti, and along the way, they form a friendship that rivals many others in pop culture. The ending will be left alone here (no spoilers), but it ends in a way that should warm the hearts of audiences.
For the pros, this film has many. The first thing that feels necessary to point out is that Project Hail Mary is just unique. It stands out among the stories shown year after year, and truly is a science fiction work that deserves extensive credit and attention. The science aspects of the film are really interesting, and the movie presents a phenomenon that is still scientific but easy to follow.
Another point towards the uniqueness is that, except for the flashbacks, the film really only follows two characters, which are Rocky and Grace. They are the only two characters that have extensive depth, while other characters are more like simple archetypes. Grace is not as noble as he is originally portrayed, and he goes through a lot of character development that feels unexpected, but fitting. Rocky, too, is incredibly unique. He’s an alien, but he isn’t the green Martian or mindless, bloodthirsty beast that audiences are so used to seeing. He has emotions, a personality, and true, viable reasons for doing what he is doing.
Another unique aspect of the film is its visual style. The vastness of space is very realistically portrayed, and it is pretty dark and empty. But even through that, the film manages to have so much color. The Petrova Line and the worlds around the two characters are colorful and truly beautiful, adding to the film’s greatness. It is not only interesting as a story, but as an art piece.
The emotional aspects in the film, too, are phenomenal. The audience will feel very connected to the two main characters, as they are the only ones who really feel the same kind of isolation, which is another unique thing. Where there are so few individuals to really connect with and relate to, the audience will cling very tightly to Grace and Rocky, and that really feels special. The audience almost wakes up in this foreign scene with Grace, and feels like a part of his journey, feeling as he feels, being confused as he’s confused, and upset as he’s upset. That immediate relationship between audience and character creates a bond that remains throughout the film, and it is a large factor in why the film is so emotionally touching.
There aren’t many cons in this film, either. Project Hail Mary doesn’t try to be anything beyond what it is– a story of two men on a mission, who come together and form a friendship in their solitude. The only downside is that the audience doesn’t really know what’s going on at the beginning, but that is explained pretty quickly. It’s also part of why the audience feels so connected to Grace.
All in all, Project Hail Mary is a phenomenal film. It stands out from other films in this era; it is visually and emotionally beautiful, touching and bright, and relevant and impactful. It is an unexpected gem in 2026, truly a masterpiece, and it stars Gosling, which is always a plus, so go and watch it in theaters before it’s gone.
