Ryan Gosling’s Project Hail Mary adaptation is out of this world.
The movie — released on Friday, March 20 — is based on the book of the same name by Andy Weir and follows middle school science teacher Dr. Ryland Grace (played by Gosling) on a space mission to save Earth.
When viewers first meet Dr. Grace, he has no memory of who he is and why he’s, literally, in another galaxy. Through flashbacks, it’s revealed that the sun is dimming, the Earth is in trouble and Grace is the only one who can fix it — no pressure, right? Along the way, Grace meets a rock-like alien, aptly named Rocky, and a beautiful friendship is born.
Adapting the book was a similar experience for the Project Hail Mary production team, except the stakes were much lower. Screenwriter Drew Goddard knew what the book meant to fans and wanted to get the movie version right, which is how he, and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, overcame some “push back” when it came to bringing the movie to life.
“A lot of the big, bold choices were things that at various times, somebody pushed back on,” Goddard told IndieWire. “And it wasn’t always a studio; we become complicit, too, in wanting to second-guess things and pressure-test all of these ideas. And we kept coming back to know that first feeling when you read the book.”
The feelings that the book evokes are ever present in the film adaptation. Making changes with the science of it all was also not an issue, but the ending was.
“I’ve learned, people are going to push back against it. There’s a human quality in what we do that you feel comforted if it’s been done already,” Goddard said. “So anytime something’s different, and you take a chance on something, there’s an initial reaction to say, ‘No, no, no, no, don’t do this, it feels weird. This is too new. I don’t understand this.’”
Keep scrolling for details about how the movie ends and, yes, there are spoilers below:
Does Rocky Die in ‘Project Hail Mary’?
Honestly, he almost does — twice. However, Grace saves him both times. Get ready for your emotions to be rocked (pun intended) because the cutie little alien will definitely worm himself into your heart.
How Does the ‘Project Hail Mary’ Movie End?
The film ends with Grace realizing that the Astrophage predator has mutated, causing him to lose fuel for his ship. While he saves his own spaceship — Rocky is at risk. Grace decides to save Rocky rather than going back to Earth.
After he and Rocky reunite, it’s revealed that Grace completed his mission and saved Earth. Instead of dying on his spaceship, he found a new home on Rocky’s home planet, Erid. The Eridians are working hard to fix Grace’s ship and get him back to Earth, but it’s never revealed if he returns.
Is There a ‘Project Hail Mary’ Post-Credits Scene?
While there is no traditional post-credits scene, viewers who stick around until the end get to hear a message from Rocky. He’s speaking in his own language, and there’s no translation just yet.
Do the ‘Project Hail Mary’ Book and Movie End the Same?
Yes, the final moments of the book and the movie are nearly identical.
