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Project Hail Mary’ Opens to Rave Reviews and Premium-Format Push

Early coverage highlights dazzling spectacle and a breakout alien co-star, with some concern over the 156-minute runtime.

Overview

  • Amazon MGM’s big‑budget adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel debuts in U.S. theaters March 20, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Ryan Gosling alongside Sandra Hüller.
  • Critics report a high Rotten Tomatoes score near 95%, citing Gosling’s performance and large‑format visuals, with a minority flagging pacing issues tied to the lengthy runtime.
  • Rocky, the five‑limbed alien realized through on‑set puppetry and voice performance by James Ortiz blended with VFX, is widely cited as a scene‑stealing highlight.
  • Drew Goddard’s screenplay is described as highly faithful to the book, with coverage noting a brief added scene that offers extra closure without changing the core story.
  • Industry tracking, as reported by Variety, projects a roughly $63–$65 million domestic opening against an estimated $200 million production budget, with marketing centered on IMAX and premium screens.