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Project Hail Mary Draws Largely Positive Early Reviews Before U.S. Opening

Critics single out Ryan Gosling alongside tactile creature work as the adaptation rolls out in premium formats.

Overview

  • Phil Lord and Christopher Miller direct from Drew Goddard’s script adapting Andy Weir’s 2021 novel, with Ryan Gosling starring as Ryland Grace.
  • Reviewers praise Gosling’s performance in what functions as a two-hander with an alien named Rocky, realized with on-set puppetry by James Ortiz rather than full CGI.
  • The film emphasizes a friendship-and-empathy core that the creators say guided key adaptation choices, with flashbacks and self-talk used to translate the book’s first-person narration.
  • Greig Fraser’s large-format cinematography and a mix of practical sets and VFX earn notice, with exhibitions including IMAX and 70mm presentations.
  • Running 156–157 minutes and rated PG-13, the movie is in U.K. cinemas now and opens in the U.S. on March 20, as one outlet reports a roughly $248 million production cost.