Comic-Con Debuts First Look at Project: Hail Mary

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Comic-Con Debuts First Look at Project: Hail Mary \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Ryan Gosling and filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller unveiled early footage of Project: Hail Mary at Comic-Con, showcasing a sci-fi odyssey packed with heart, humor, and cosmic stakes. Gosling stars as a reluctant astronaut paired with an alien named Rocky in a mission to save the universe. The film adapts Andy Weir’s best-selling novel and blends science with emotion and comedy.

Quick Looks

Ryan Gosling led a high-energy panel at San Diego Comic-Con, premiering early scenes from Project: Hail Mary
The film, based on Andy Weir’s best-selling novel, combines space adventure, science, humor, and emotional depth
Gosling plays Ryland Grace, an ordinary middle school teacher turned reluctant astronaut on a galaxy-saving mission
A central character is Rocky, a stone-shaped alien who forms a deep bond with Grace in deep space
The film explores the comedic and touching relationship between two unlikely partners, human and alien
Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller return to sci-fi after their controversial exit from Solo: A Star Wars Story
Writer Drew Goddard, who penned The Martian, adapts the screenplay, ensuring real science underpins the narrative
Gosling praised the novel, calling Weir “the greatest sci-fi mind of our time”
Scenes included Gosling awakening alone in space with amnesia and a beard, reacting with confusion and dread
Lord and Miller emphasized a “messy, comedic, emotionally rich” tone compared to sleek sci-fi standards
Project: Hail Mary is set for release in seven months and is already generating fan buzz, especially around Rocky
The character Rocky is likely to inspire future cosplay and Comic-Con tributes due to his unique design and lovable demeanor

Deep Look

A Star in Orbit

When Ryan Gosling stormed onto the stage at San Diego Comic‑Con’s Hall H, he didn’t just arrive—he electrified. Dressed down in flannel and a trucker hat, he introduced early footage from Project: Hail Mary—Amazon MGM Studios’ adaptation of Andy Weir’s best‑selling novel—embodying its tone of scientific rigor filtered through humor, vulnerability, and cosmic stakes.

Introducing Ryland Grace

Gosling portrays Ryland Grace, a former middle‑school science teacher turned reluctant astronaut. The film opens with him awakening in a spacecraft pod with no memory, surrounded by corpses. In first encounters with isolation and unknown danger, he pleads in confusion: “Where am I?!” Director Phil Lord dubbed the look a “space caveman in a placenta onesie,” highlighting both the absurdity and humanity of Grace’s predicament.

Grace is neither heroic nor trained: he’s a fearful, relatable man—genetically brilliant, yes, but fundamentally ordinary. Gosling said, “I connect to his reluctance… he’s terrified—appropriately”—all traits audiences can recognize in themselves.

A Stranger Named Rocky

The heart of the story arrives with the reveal of Rocky, a silent stone‑like alien who becomes Grace’s only companion. Rocky speaks in gas pelleted tones, but his friendship is deeply emotive. Lord quipped: “If the universe depended on it, can adult men make friends?” With no facial expressions to convey emotion, Rocky’s sincerity and loyalty come alive through voice, design, and shared survival—making him an instant fandom favorite.

Finding the Comic-Sci-Fi Sweet Spot

Project: Hail Mary doesn’t shy away from the real‑world science underpinning its premise. As co‑director Chris Miller noted, Andy Weir spent hours reviewing every key equation with the film staff. Meanwhile, Lord emphasized this is a messier form of sci‑fi: “not a Mac—it’s a PC. It can be beautiful, it just can’t be pretty.” The result blends careful scientific detail with emotional stakes and absurdist humor—more Monty Python in orbit than sterile futuristic designs.

From Weir to Screen

Screenwriter Drew Goddard, who adapted The Martian, returned to helm Hail Mary. Gosling said he immediately signed on after reading an early draft manuscript, calling Weir “the greatest sci‑fi mind of our time.” But even accurate physics didn’t prepare him for the emotional journey ahead: “It was as heartbreaking as it was funny.”

Meanwhile, Weir joined the panel, joking, “From Emma Stone to person of stone,” poking fun at Gosling’s real‑life screen relationships and Rocky’s literal stoniness.

A Comeback for Lord & Miller

For Lord and Miller, Hail Mary represents a creative homecoming. After being replaced during the troubled production of Solo: A Star Wars Story, they return to space with renewed vision and ownership. Their signature blend of genre‑savvy storytelling, humor, and emotional depth is on full display—less clean studio polish, more kitchen‑sink creative chaos.

Early Buzz and Cosplay Fuel

After the Comic‑Con preview, fans immediately gravitated toward Rocky, with cosplay ideas already trending online. The experimental scenes shown—including Gosling waking with a beard, facing a spaceship pod of corpses, and forging communication with Rocky—have heightened anticipation for the full feature’s July release.

Stakes in Space—and on Earth

At its core, Project: Hail Mary is a planet‑saving mission morphing into something more: a story about connection, courage, and unlikely heroism. With Earth facing an ecological catastrophe, Grace must learn to collaborate and innovate to save all life in orbit. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the emotional journey is as central as the scientific one.

What Lies Ahead

In the months leading to its release, Project: Hail Mary is expected to premiere a full trailer, extend studio previews, and showcase more behind‑the‑scenes content—likely from rocky CGI designs to the physics‑driven challenges Gosling’s character faces. Given the creative track record behind it and Comic‑Con’s applause, the film is poised to become one of 2025’s must‑see sci‑fi offerings.