Ryan Gosling is back in orbit. Today, March 20, 2026, marks the official theatrical release of Project Hail Mary, the highly anticipated sci-fi epic from Amazon MGM Studios. Directed by the filmmaking duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film brings Andy Weir’s beloved novel to the big screen with a calculated mix of high-stakes tension and witty humor.

Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher turned astronaut who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of his mission or identity. As Grace slowly pieces his past together, he realizes he is Earth's last hope for survival against a solar-dimming threat. According to the Los Angeles Times, critics are already hailing the film for its emotional depth, specifically pointing to Gosling’s solo performance as the magnetic heart of the story.

Michael Jackson Ryan Gosling
Michael Jackson Ryan Gosling — Photo: Eliedion / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Screenwriter Drew Goddard, who previously adapted Weir’s The Martian, penned the script for this new cosmic adventure. Early reviews from outlets like Vulture and Slate suggest the film is a critical hit, successfully balancing complex scientific concepts with a grounded, human story. With its global launch today, Project Hail Mary is already generating significant buzz for its technical achievements and Gosling’s portrayal of the isolated hero.