Project Hail Mary

Released March 20, 2026 and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller — the duo behind The LEGO Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse — Project Hail Mary arrived as perhaps the most anticipated science-fiction adaptation of the decade. Adapted faithfully from Andy Weir's 2021 novel, the film stars Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, an astronaut who wakes up alone on a spacecraft with no memory of how he got there, slowly piecing together that he may be humanity's last hope against an extinction-level solar dimming event. The film's masterstroke, carried over from the book, is the relationship Grace develops with Rocky — an alien entity voiced and performed by James Ortiz through extraordinary motion capture work — a friendship that crosses the barrier of biology itself and becomes the emotional core of the entire story. Sandra Hüller provides a steely, compassionate counterpoint as Eva Stratt in extended flashback sequences that give the film its geopolitical and moral weight. Lord and Miller bring their signature kinetic comedy-drama energy to material that could have been oppressively earnest, threading scientific exposition through genuine humor and wonder rather than lecture. The results speak for themselves. Project Hail Mary earned 94% from Rotten Tomatoes critics and a matching 95% from audiences — a remarkably rare alignment that signals a film that works on every level simultaneously. Its Metacritic score of 77 reflects near-universal critical respect. Commercially, the film has grossed roughly $683 million worldwide as of late June 2026, including an $80.6 million opening weekend that stands as Amazon MGM's biggest debut in the studio's history. This is the rare blockbuster that earns its place at the top of a mid-year list not through a single superlative achievement but through total command of craft, story, performance, and audience connection. It is currently the defining film of 2026.