Ryan Gosling is going to space, but not just in Star Wars: Starfighter. The actor appears in Project Hail Mary, a sci-fi movie that follows a junior high teacher who is sent to space as humanity’s last hope. The film’s trailer finally dropped in June 2025, and fans of the original book by author Andy Weir are eager to see how the movie will compare to the original story.

Hollywood Life has the complete overview of Project Hail Mary below.

Key Insights on Project Hail Mary

• Film Overview: The movie follows Ryland Grace, a teacher turned astronaut tasked with saving Earth.
• Book Comparison: The film is based on Andy Weir’s novel, which features a unique storyline involving an alien encounter.
• Release Date: The movie is set to premiere in theaters on March 20, 2026.
• Cast Details: Ryan Gosling leads a small cast that includes Sandra Hüller and Milana Vayntrub.

What Is Project Hail Mary About? A Breakdown of the Book

The original Project Hail Mary book follows Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who is forced to become an astronaut to save life on Earth from a sun-dimming event. Scientists discover that an ice age will happen over the next 30 years if they don’t find a way to replenish the Sun. After Ryland wakes up far away from Earth, he meets an alien in the Tau Ceti system, and they work together to save their home planets from extinction.

How the Project Hail Mary Book Inspired the Upcoming Sci-Fi Film

Weir’s novel directly inspired the film, and screenwriter Drew Goddard previously adapted Weir’s other novel The Martian into the hit movie of the same name starring Matt Damon.

In April 2025, Amazon MGM Studios showed footage from Project Hail Mary, and Ryan teased that the film is an “insanely ambitious story, massive in scope.”

Project Hail Mary Trailer Breakdown

In the trailer, viewers meet Ryland Grace (Gosling), who wakes up from a coma in space nearly 12 light years away from Earth. He recalls being recruited by a group of scientists, who inform him that the “sun is dying” and life on earth is in grave danger unless he goes on this mission.

Though he insists he’s not an astronaut, the middle school science teacher with a doctorate in molecular biology goes to space to hopefully save humanity from extinction. And while up there, Ryland meets an alien, whom he affectionately names Rocky.

The trailer, which was released on June 30, 2025, is synced to Harry Styles‘ hit single “Sign of the Times.”

Project Hail Mary Book vs. the Movie

Since we’re about a year away from the film’s release, the exact differences between the book and the screen adaptation aren’t obvious yet. But as everyone knows, movie adaptations tend to exclude some details from their books in order to fit into a 2-hour time frame.

Project Hail Mary Movie Release Date

The Project Hail Mary movie will be released in theaters on March 20, 2026.

Who Is in the Project Hail Mary Cast?

Ryan not only leads the film but also serves as a producer. The rest of the small cast in Project Hail Mary features Sandra Hüller, Milana Vayntrub, Lionel Boyce, and Ken Leung.