8 Years Later, Ryan Gosling’s New Sci-Fi Movie Can Finally Make Up for His $105M Bomb

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2026 promises to be a huge year for science fiction fans, with several exciting movies on the way. One of the most anticipated is Project Hail Mary, based on the popular novel by Andy Weir and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Starring Ryan Gosling, the film follows a science teacher named Ryland Grace on a desperate mission to figure out why the sun is fading and save the planet. Project Hail Mary is set to hit theaters in March, and Amazon MGM is already building excitement. Early trailers suggest the movie will be a thrilling and moving experience with stunning visuals.

With Project Hail Mary, directors Lord and Miller return to directing after being let go from Solo: A Star Wars Story. While they’ve had success producing the popular Spider-Verse films, this movie marks a chance for them to once again showcase their vision in the science fiction genre. It’s also a bit of a fresh start for Ryan Gosling, who previously starred as an astronaut in the underperforming film First Man.

First Man Is Great, But Fell Short at the Box Office

There was a lot of excitement before the 2018 release of First Man. Director Damien Chazelle had quickly become known as a talented filmmaker after the success of Whiplash and La La Land, winning an Oscar for Best Director for the latter. People were eager to see his next project, and pairing him again with Ryan Gosling, his star from La La Land, seemed like a sure win. The fact that the film was a historical story about astronaut Neil Armstrong only increased expectations, making First Man a potential awards season favorite.

Despite being a well-made film, First Man didn’t perform well at the box office. It debuted in third place with only $16 million in domestic earnings, behind A Star is Born and Venom. It never gained momentum, ultimately earning a worldwide total of $105.6 million against a $59 million production budget. While it received a few Oscar nominations and won for Best Visual Effects, it didn’t receive nominations in major categories like Best Picture, Director, or Actor. It was a disappointing result, especially considering the film’s quality.

As a critic, I was truly impressed with First Man. It’s clear why the film garnered such positive reviews – boasting an 87% ‘Certified Fresh’ score on Rotten Tomatoes is no accident. Director Damien Chazelle really shows growth here, blending breathtaking visuals with a surprisingly personal look at Neil Armstrong’s journey. Technically, it’s a marvel – the film completely pulls you into the intense space race. Every NASA sequence, especially the moon landing itself, is flawlessly executed and really drives home just how dangerous this undertaking was. Ryan Gosling delivers a phenomenal performance as Armstrong, brilliantly shedding his usual charm to portray a much more guarded and internal character. And let’s not forget Justin Hurwitz’s score, which was absolutely deserving of awards attention. It’s a shame First Man didn’t get the recognition it deserved, and I’m hoping his next project, Project Hail Mary, fares better.

Project Hail Mary Can Make Up for First Man

With several months still to go before its release, Project Hail Mary is showing promising signs of success, potentially surpassing First Man. Early audience interest is strong – the first trailer gained a record-breaking 400 million views in just one week for a film that isn’t a reboot or continuation of an existing series. This is particularly encouraging, as it’s become harder for original movies to gain traction. It seems viewers are already eagerly anticipating the film’s release, even before any reviews or buzz have started.

It looks like Project Hail Mary has a good chance of doing well in theaters. Unlike First Man, which opened against strong competition, Project Hail Mary doesn’t face such tough rivals. It’s releasing after Hoppers and The Bride!, and while those films might do well, they aren’t guaranteed hits (Pixar needs to show it can still launch original movies successfully). Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars comes out shortly after and will also aim for sci-fi audiences, but Scott’s recent films have had mixed results at the box office. Project Hail Mary could be the biggest movie released in March, particularly if it gets the positive buzz many are expecting.

Interestingly, Project Hail Mary has a lot in common with Scott’s biggest success, The Martian. Both movies are based on novels by Andy Weir, and Amazon is highlighting this connection in their marketing for Project Hail Mary, hoping to attract fans of The Martian. The filmmakers are starting with a great story – the Project Hail Mary book won many awards, suggesting it will make a strong and moving sci-fi film. The trailers suggest a funny and emotional movie that will showcase Ryan Gosling’s acting talent. It could receive similar critical acclaim to First Man, but potentially earn much more money at the box office. Whether Project Hail Mary will become an awards contender like The Martian remains to be seen, but sci-fi fans have a lot to look forward to.

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2025-11-27 23:43