“I think I fell in love with an alien.” These are nine words I thought I would never come out of my mouth. Project Hail Mary debuts to the public on March 20th, 2026, but I am grateful to have had the opportunity to see the premiere at the Regal Colorado Center in IMAX on March 4, 2026. I can confidently say that this film adaptation of Andy Weir’s popular science fiction novel swept me off my feet.

The movie’s talented producers, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, were able to bring this novel to life through unexpected events, friendships, and lessons learned. Ryan Gosling landed the lead role and was perfectly suited for this performance. Gosling was able to transport the viewers into the adventures, allowing the audience to feel present. While sitting in the theatre, I felt myself experience a plethora of emotions: sadness, fear, joy, anticipation, and wonder.

This movie includes a protagonist, Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, who wakes up on a spacecraft with absolutely no memory of how he actually got there. Gradually, he learns that he is on the final mission to protect our Earth from a serious threat called astrophage, or “star eater”. While watching this movie, I was truly stunned by the amazing graphics, especially when it came to the appearance of outer space, distant planets, and the immense amount of information about microbiology, experiments, and the clever humor kept me engaged with the storyline throughout the whole movie. I was so absorbed in the movie that time ended up flying by.

The film explores compounds, living organisms, space exploration, and real lab work to uncover the mystery of astophage, all while weaving in unexpected alliances, sacrifice, and the true meaning of saving the world. Whether you have read the book or not, this movie has something for everyone, blending emotion, comedy, and thought-provoking problem-solving in a way that is both accessible and captivating to all. My friend, Leah Van Beuge, who joined me at the movie premiere, said, “I really enjoyed the movie, I especially loved Rocky the alien!” Project Hail Mary transported me into space alongside its characters, and if you get the chance to watch the movie, I highly recommend you launch yourself into the theater with this supernova of a pick.

The official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m08TxIsFTRI

Link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/Project-Hail-Mary-bestselling-Martian-ebook/dp/B08FFJS3YW#detailBullets_feature_div