For a film about the end of the world, “Project Hail Mary” will leave audiences walking out of the theater with a sense of hope. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, “Project Hail Mary” is a science fiction adventure, adapted from the book of the same title by Andy Weir, about bravery, personal sacrifice and the lengths people will go for others.
Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who wakes up alone in space with no memory of how he got there or what his mission is. As his memory comes back, he learns he must stop the Sun from dying. While in space he meets Rocky, an alien life form made of rock and five legs. The two form an unlikely friendship and work together to save their worlds.
Project Hail Mary debuted as the top-grossing movie in the US and Canada with $80.5 million in ticket sales, marking the highest opening for any film in 2026.
The film is also notable for the technical complexities of depicting varying gravity states, practical puppetry for the alien character Rocky, and the use of innovative anamorphic lenses to achieve the film’s IMAX presentation. The production employed Unreal Engine for detailed virtual previsualization of spaceship sets, enabling flexibility for improvisation and complex lighting setups, including circadian-rhythm lighting designed to support astronaut psychology. Visual effects emphasized in-camera lighting and rotoscoping over traditional green-screen techniques to maintain authenticity, while distinct filmout processes differentiated the harsh space environment from Earth flashbacks, enhancing the narrative’s tonal shifts.
Hosted in the Madorsky Theater at Daytona State College, Bldg. 1200, Daytona Beach, FL 32114