Thirty minutes. That is all it took for me to move Project Hail Mary from intriguing curiosity to must-see science fiction of 2026. I watched an extended preview this past week in Los Angeles, and yes, the hype just found rocket fuel.
What this movie actually is
Based on Andy Weir's 2021 bestseller, the film follows Dr. Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, a middle school science teacher who gets tapped by the formidable Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) for a one-way mission to the Tau Ceti system. The goal: figure out how to stop a star-killing threat before our sun goes dim. That premise alone would carry a film, but there is a companion in the mix fans already know and the marketing has not exactly kept secret: an alien named Rocky. Some book loyalists wish that reveal had been saved for theaters; I get it, but the footage makes clear there is a lot more under the hood than one surprise character.
The vibe: heartfelt problem-solving instead of cold, clinical space
On paper, you can point to touchstones: the grandeur of 2001 and Interstellar, the grit of Outland, the introspection of Ad Astra, even recent oddities like Mickey 17, plus the obvious cousin The Martian (also from a Weir novel, scripted there by Drew Goddard). In practice, the footage lands with a different energy. Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller lean into sincerity and momentum over cynicism. It is not snark; it is open-hearted, precise, and surprisingly warm. Gosling slides right into that tone, and Rocky, performed by James Ortiz with on-set puppeteers and later CGI polish, clicks with him immediately. Their dynamic is playful, collaborative, and honestly kind of addictive to watch.
Your next big IMAX ticket
This thing is built to be seen large. Cinematographer Greig Fraser, fresh off the Dune films, The Creator, and The Batman, gives the imagery a muscular, clean classicism you do not often get in space adventure. The format choices are a statement, too: roughly three-quarters of the movie set in space runs in the towering 1.43:1 IMAX ratio, while the Earthbound flashbacks land in 2.39:1 widescreen. The cut I saw switched between them with purpose, and the full-IMAX material had that subtle, stomach-tilting scale that only happens when the frame is truly gigantic. The plan, as stated at the preview, is to strike actual film prints for IMAX projection. Translation: line up early.
- Preview location and scope: about 30 minutes screened at an IMAX HQ event in Los Angeles; directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller introduced the material.
- Cast snapshot: Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace; Sandra Hüller as mission architect Eva Stratt; Rocky performed by James Ortiz with puppeteers and CG augmentation.
- Look and format: Greig Fraser shooting; space sequences in 1.43:1 IMAX; Earth flashbacks in 2.39:1; plan to make film prints for select IMAX runs.
- Tone check: earnest, lively, character-forward science problem-solving over bleak sterility; immediate chemistry between Grace and Rocky.
- Context and comparisons: echoes of 2001, Interstellar, Outland, Ad Astra, Mickey 17, and The Martian, without feeling like a retread.
- Release timing: the mission launches in theaters on March 20, 2026.
So, is it the one to beat?
If the finished film holds the line on what I saw, we are looking at a rare combo: bighearted character work, crunchy sci-tech puzzle solving, and IMAX-first spectacle that is actually staged for the format, not just blown up for it. That does not happen often. Consider me officially counting down to March 20.