The Only Explainer You Need Before Ryan Gosling's Project Hail Mary

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"Project Hail Mary" is a title that's making waves everywhere right now. The upcoming sci-fi epic is causing a lot of buzz, but what is it really about, and what makes it so hype-worthy? Watch Looper's video above for the only explainer on "Project Hail Mary" that you'll need.

Starring three-time Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling, "Project Hail Mary" tells the story of science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling), who wakes up on a spaceship near the Tau Ceti solar system. There, he has to pull off a difficult mission to save planet Earth ... and gains a surprising ally in an alien who's also on a similar mission to save his own people. 

First reactions to Gosling's "Project Hail Mary" have everyone saying the same thing, which is that the film is nothing short of amazing. Looper predicts that "Project Hail Mary" will be among the biggest surprise box office hits of 2026, so it'll be interesting to see how it fares in theaters.

Apart from its fascinating premise, it's important to note this movie's sheer pedigree. The film is based on Andy Weir's critically acclaimed 2021 best-selling novel of the same name, which is a promising sign in itself. After all, the last Weir book that Hollywood tackled was none other than his 2011 debut, "The Martian." This resulted in the critically acclaimed 2015 box office hit of the same name, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon.

"Project Hail Mary" has big names behind it too. The movie is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the filmmaking duo who have directed, written, and produced gems that range from "The Lego Movie" to "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." Add in Ryan Gosling and the fact that writer Drew Goddard (who handled the screenplay of "The Martian") is back at it with "Project Hail Mary," and there's a very real chance that the film might soon join "The Martian" on our list of best standalone sci-fi movies ever made. Watch Looper's video above to get all the ins and outs of the project.  

"Project Hail Mary" is in theaters on March 20.