Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir shares his candid thoughts on the upcoming Ryan Gosling adaptation while at San Diego Comic-Con. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and based on Weir’s book of the same name, the upcoming sci-fi film stars Gosling as Ryland Grace, an unlikely hero astronaut who must save Earth after the sun starts dying.
For Gosling, Project Hail Mary marks his follow-up to the well-received The Fall Guy last year, and it’s set to unite him with costars Milana Vayntrub, Lionel Boyce, Liz Kingsman, Sandra Hüller, Ken Leung, and James Ortiz. The sci-fi film is slated to hit theaters in March 2026.
During the film’s panel at SDCC, for which ScreenRant was in attendance, Weir reveals that he has seen some early versions of Project Hail Mary, and he’s immensely pleased with what he’s been shown. Check out his comment below:
“I’ve seen cuts of the film, and it’s really good, guys. It’s really good. These guys, they’re amazing directors, everybody knows that. I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out.“
Weir goes on to share praise about Drew Goddard, who penned the script for the film:
“I couldn’t ask for better talent in every aspect… we waited for Drew… We had to wait several months for him to finish [the project he was working on.]”
What This Means For Project Hail Mary
Will It Repeat The Martian’s Success?
It’s worth mentioning that Weir likely wouldn’t hit the stage at SDCC and badmouth the adaptation, but his enthusiasm is still a promising sign. Weir, notably, wrote The Martian, which was subsequently adapted to great effect by Ridley Scott, with the 2015 film becoming a critical and commercial hit. Project Hail Mary could be poised to recapture this level of success.
Weir’s complimentary comments also track with tLord, Miller, and Goddard’s previous work. Lord and Miller previously directed films like 21 Jump Street (2012) and The Lego Movie (2014), in addition to producing the popular animated Spider-Verse movies.
Goddard, meanwhile, wrote the screenplays for The Martian, World War Z (2013) and The Cabin in the Woods (2011), among others. He was also a writer on Lost, and he created Netflix’s Daredevil TV show.
Project Hail Mary has the potential to reaffirm Gosling’s box office power.
For Gosling, Weir’s comments could be a sign that the Barbie actor will have another hit on his hands. The Fall Guy was a success with critics, but wasn’t a major win at the box office. Project Hail Mary has the potential to reaffirm Gosling’s box office power.
Our Take On Weir’s Project Hail Mary Comments
It Could Be The Perfect Movie For Ryan Gosling
The Martian was so well-received in part because it combined sci-fi with a unique brand of comedy, and this tonal balance has become a staple of Weir’s work. The Project Hail Mary novel features a similar tone, and Lord and Miller could be the perfect directors to adapt this given their past projects.
Gosling has been beloved for his dramatic work for years now, but Barbie hammered home that he’s right at home in comedy too. Project Hail Mary seems poised to play to Gosling’s strengths as a performer, giving him a dramatic story with moments of comedy.
Big-budget sci-fi blockbusters have been hit or miss recently, with Mickey 17 disappointing earlier this year. Audiences still have quite a long time to wait before Project Hail Mary hits theaters, but Weir’s comments certainly make it one to be optimistic about.
Source: SDCC
