Summary

Author Andy Weir praised the Project Hail Mary movie adaptation at San Diego Comic-Con for its quality and faithfulness.
Project Hail Mary stars Ryan Gosling as an astronaut who must save Earth from an ice age, revealing a promising sci-fi narrative.
The film is highly anticipated for its strong casting, thrilling storyline, and charming alien character, Rocky.

Ryan Gosling's upcoming sci-fi movie has already gotten everyone talking, and now the author of the book it's based on has revealed what they think of the adaptation.

Known for appearing in various genres throughout his career, from the romantic drama The Notebook to the political thriller The Ides of March and the action film Drive, Gosling is a talented star who can step into any role with ease. While fans can't wait to see the sci-fi epic Avatar: Fire and Ash in December 2025, Gosling's next sci-fi film also looks compelling and exciting. The author of the popular novel that serves as the film's inspiration saw the movie and had a lot to say about it.

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By Conor McShane

Andy Weir Loves The Project Hail Mary Movie Adaptation Starring Ryan Gosling

Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) in Project Hail Mary

As reported by ScreenRant, author Andy Weir, who also wrote the popular sci-fi novel The Martian, had only positive things to say about the Project Hail Mary movie at 2025's San Diego Comic Con. He said, "I couldn't ask for better talent in every aspect" and explained that screenwriter Drew Goddard finished a project before he turned to the film adaptation. Weir said:

"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."

Considering how challenging it can be to adapt a book for film and TV and please readers, let alone the author, this is good news. Beloved author Stephen King, who has seen the majority of his work adapted for the small and big screen, once said creators who change his stories do so "at your own risk" because the end result is often disappointing. From the trailer, it's clear that the adaptation is fairly close to the book, and although no one can say for sure until they see the entire movie, it doesn't seem as if any major changes have been made. While readers were uncertain if the Project Hail Mary trailer spoiled the best part of the book (the alien named Rocky), others believe that the charming and unforgettable Rocky is a big selling point for the film.

Christopher Miller and Phil Lord directed Project Hail Mary, which tells the story of Ryland Grace, a teacher who is the world's last hope when the sun begins to die. Gosling hasn't appeared in many recent films, which makes his casting in the Weir adaptation even more thrilling. After playing Ken in 2023's Barbie, he played stuntman Colt Seavers in the popular 2024 comedy The Fall Guy.

Project Hail Mary was published in May 2021, and fans were treated to some fun and exciting clips of the upcoming movie at San Diego Comic Con. According to The Hollywood Reporter, these included Ryland getting used to zero gravity, considering the mission he's about to go on, and realizing that he's awake and on a spaceship. Co-director Miller spoke positively about Rocky the alien and said:

"You would die for this character."

Project Hail Mary also stars Lionel Boyce, who is known for his portrayal of pastry chef Marcus on the FX/Hulu series The Bear, and Milana Vayntrub, who plays an astronaut. Sandra Hüller plays the important character Eva Stratt who runs Project Hail Mary. Along with seeing Gosling's talents, fans are eagerly anticipating the introduction of Rocky, who is a kind-hearted alien who is just as memorable as some of the best characters in the sci-fi genre.

You can watch Project Hail Mary in theaters on March 20th, 2026.

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Release Date: March 20, 2026
Runtime: 166 Minutes
Director: Christopher Miller, Phil Lord
Writers: Drew Goddard, Andy Weir
Producers: Patricia Whitcher, Ryan Gosling, Amy Pascal, Andy Weir, Drew Goddard, Sarah Esberg, Ken Kao, Aditya Sood, Will Allegra