When you think back on some of the great sci-fi movies of the last 20 years, it’s difficult to omit The Martian. The 2015 film stars Matt Damon as a scientist who finds himself stranded on Mars after a mission gone wrong, and the studio tapped sci-fi legend Ridley Scott to direct. The film debuted to stunning reviews, grossed over six times its budget at the box office, and was nominated for seven Oscars at the 2016 Academy Awards. It set off a wave of attempts to recreate its space sci-fi magic, and there’s a film coming out soon that could be even better.
Set to release this March is Project Hail Mary, the new sci-fi film based on the novel of the same by Andy Weir. Weir also penned the novel that inspired The Martian, and he’s written other sci-fi classics like Artemis. Project Hail Mary follows Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a scientist tasked with saving humanity from a dangerous space algae known as astrophage that’s consuming the sun’s energy. The story unfolds over two timelines, one with Grace on Earth working as a scientist to learn about astrophage, and another of him in space actively solving the problem. The two timelines come to a head in an explosive way.
Marketing for Project Hail Mary is in full swing, and Amazon MGM has released the third and final trailer for the film ahead of today’s Super Bowl prior to its March 20 release date. Ryan Gosling (Barbie) has been tapped to star in the lead role of Ryland Grace, and the film was directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, famed for their work on Sony’s Spider-Verse movies. The Martian scribe Drew Goddard penned the script.
Is ‘Project Hail Mary’ Like ‘The Martian’?
The Martian shares some plot similarities to Project Hail Mary, like both feature astronauts stranded millions of miles from earth trying to solve a problem. There are plenty of differences, though, even if the protagonists (Mark Watney and Ryland Grace) are quite similar. Project Hail Mary does feature an unlikely companion in the form of Rocky, an alien whom Grace encounters on his mission, while Watney is entirely alone. Still, those who enjoy The Martian are almost guaranteed to enjoy Project Hail Mary.
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Check out the new trailer for Project Hail Mary above and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the film.
Project Hail Mary
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PG-13
Science Fiction
Adventure
Drama
Release Date March 20, 2026
Runtime 156 Minutes
Director Christopher Miller, Phil Lord
Cast
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Writers Drew Goddard, Andy Weir
Producers Ryan Gosling, Amy Pascal, Andy Weir, Aditya Sood, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Rachel O’Connor
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