Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary [2026]

Film

Can you believe it's been a whole 12 years since Phil Lord and Christopher Miller directed a film? Their last co-directed movie was 2014's 22 Jump Street, and even though they've been hard at work producing various projects such as the animated Spider-Verse trilogy — the newest installment being delayed until 2027 — I think we've all missed their zany, comedic direction. Luckily, there's no time like the present to have the directing duo come back to set for not only their own long-awaited return, but the adaptation of Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary.

Since Ridley Scott's incredibly successful adaptation of Weir's The Martian, which saw seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, the collective we has been chomping at the bit for another visual rendition of Weir's whimsical, page-turning, sci-fi novels. Now let me say, Lord and Miller's Project Hail Mary is absolutely worth the wait. Stunning in every technical capacity, with a tremendously heartfelt performance from Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, fans of the book and newcomers alike will both revel in the beauty of what will assuredly be one of the best movies of the year.

Similar to 2015's The Martian, Drew Goddard adapted Weir's novel for the screen. His adaptation, while much more jovial and comedic — playing to Gosling's strengths as the protagonist — provides a potently slimmed down version of its source material. Grace's awakening from a coma to find himself light-years from Earth, and learning his identity and purpose, is translated from a hundred pages to mere minutes. With any adaptation, there will be a litany of precious tidbits left on the cutting floor, but Goddard's translation really hit the nail on the head. The time saved from explanation and seeing Gosling worm around while regaining muscle control — trust me, there is a healthy dose of it though — is saved for the more meaty moments of the story.

That restraint pays dividends in Gosling's performance. Continuing his recent string of himbos (The Fall Guy and Barbie), he imbues his extremely potent mixture of charisma and humor to accent the more comedic tone of Goddard's writing. Weir's novel isn't exactly a straight-edge either, so the funnier, almost slapstick, pastiche really plays into Gosling's strengths. However, it isn't all gags and laughs, as Gosling puts forth phenomenal depth in the film's more somber moments, giving him one of his best performances and best lead roles in years.

Project Hail Mary [2026]

Which brings me to the real star of the show: Rocky. Lord and Miller have graciously given the world one of the greatest gifts fans of the book and fans of movies in general could've asked for — a physical representation of Rocky, the unexpected companion Grace encounters, who is also trying to save his home planet against the sun-eating astrophage. Designed and crafted by the legendary Neal Scanlan, Rocky is a stunning combination of CGI and puppetry, with the puppeteering done by James Ortiz, who also voices the incredibly affable extraterrestrial. The result is a realistic amalgamation of artistry that is a treat to look at and an absolute wonder to feel. Ortiz's voice work and puppetry elevate not only Gosling's work — which is gutting at times — but also add more humor and heart to a film that centers on the hope of collectivism over individualism.

Speaking of how things look and feel, the film overall is a delight to behold in all its technical glory. Greig Fraser's cinematography delivers some of the most spellbinding visuals we've seen since his own work in Denis Villeneuve's Dune films, and Project Hail Mary may even rival the legendary Christopher Nolan film Interstellar in its depiction of interplanetary art when it is all said and done. Charles Wood's production design, meanwhile, brings the ship — the Hail Mary — alive, and the addition of a room where scenes from Earth can be played on the walls as if it were all one big screen is a wonderful and welcome improvement, carrying waves of emotion to Grace and Rocky's journey. Last but not least, where would the feeling of the film be without Daniel Pemberton's fantastic score? Reuniting with Lord and Miller since the last Spider-Verse film, Pemberton's score is the perfect accoutrement to the climactic moments of the Hail Mary, the restrained emotion of the situation's gravity, and the triumphant perseverance of the human spirit. Project Hail Mary is, in every sense, a technical masterpiece in all aspects of sights and sounds.

Even with Goddard's pruning — something he also did quite well with The Martian — you do begin to feel the runtime towards the end. There are elongated moments relishing in the humor of interactions between Grace and Rocky that probably could've saved some extra time. But as the credits roll and the exhales ensue, there isn't much I could ask for differently.

I'll admit I recently read the book — I can't consider myself a real Weir-head, but a mere passenger on the hype train. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found myself wondering how different elements of the text could be put on the screen, which is why I do this and not make movies. Because Lord and Miller had an impeccable vision, and the execution to match it. I try not to be hyperbolic here and maintain an even keel, but the directing duo, along with their whole team, have made something truly remarkable in Project Hail Mary — a testament to imagination, the intrepid resilience of humanity, and the everlasting power of compassion and kinship. Maybe that's a word salad that sounds exactly like the hyperbole I was trying to avoid, but hey, I'm a sucker for big emotions, and sentient rocks that I'm going to have to convince my wife that we can't have at home.

Froth

You know, sometimes I try really hard to not go back to my default pairing of IPA's for just about everything, but I'm just surrounded by them more than anything else. What's a guy supposed to do here!? Luckily, this pairing is a bit more natural than a shoehorned hoppy beverage with Elliot Bay Brewing Company gifting us the perfect companion to the adaptation of Weir's novel. The Starman IPA, in all its glory. Its a West Coast style of brew, sporting a dank aroma that emphasizes its hoppier properties, in turn providing a dry finish after a solid sip. There's plenty of citrus to be enjoyed, and its flavor is potent giving you lots to mull over with its tangerine, berry, and pine backbone. At 35 IBU and 6.4% ABV it is a well balanced beer, taste-wise, without being overpowering in its bitterness or too strong with its alcohol content. Ultimately making it a really fun addition to your IPA rotation, and a nice seasonal offering from Elliot Bay Brewing!