Why Ryan Gosling’s Project Hail Mary Could Surprise Audiences

Project Hail Mary follows Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher turned astronaut who must travel 11.9 light-years to try to save Earth from a global ice age. At an IMAX preview in Los Angeles, about 30 minutes of footage was shown and directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord joined a Q&A that emphasized the film's mix of emotional beats, comedy, and big visuals.

The production leaned hard into scientific detail, earning praise from NASA for its depiction of zero gravity. Gosling insisted Grace feel like a scientist thrown into space rather than a seasoned astronaut, so the character is awkward and seasick in microgravity; even the equations on the chalkboards were authored by Andy Weir.

Consultants helped shape the film’s STEM elements to keep them grounded in real science. Miller and Lord favored practical effects, especially for Rocky, a rock-like alien whose jeweled form and crablike movement were achieved through puppetry and animation.

United States, Los Angeles

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