‘Project Hail Mary’ First Reactions Praise Ryan Gosling’s Sci-Fi Adventure

February 25, 2026

41

Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary

Amazon MGM Studios

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller‘s highly anticipated film adaptation of Andy Weir’s bestselling novel Project Hail Mary has received its first wave of reactions ahead of its theatrical release, with critics hailing the forthcoming sci-fi epic as “the first great blockbuster of 2026.” Ryan Gosling stars in the space odyssey as Ryland Grace, an amnesiac astronaut who must regain his memory in a bid to solve a solar crisis threatening Earth – with a little help along the way, per the synopsis for the movie (below). His portrayal has earned glowing reviews, with many positioning him as an early Best Actor contender for the next awards season.

“Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship, light-years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.”

The first reactions to Project Hail Mary have been overwhelmingly positive, with the film already poised to be a “major awards player” based on early predictions from initial spectators. Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic Eric Marchen raved about the “must-see” movie on X/Twitter, giving it his seal of approval with a big thumbs up. He particularly praised its “out-of-this-world cinematography from Greig Fraser” and “stellar Ryan Gosling performance,” who anchors down and carries a largely one-man show from start to finish.

Entertainment journalist Scott Menzel called Project Hail Mary an “epic cinematic achievement” that raises the bar and reaffirms why Gosling is “one of the finest actors working today.” He also predicted that it will be “a major awards player across the board,” with critics from The HoloFiles concurring that “Ryan Gosling delivers a performance that should be considered for awards come the end of the year.” The relationship between Ryland and his alien ally was highlighted as the emotional core of the story by several viewers, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who marveled at the chemistry between the movie’s lead star and his celestial sidekick, the “alien rock puppet” – which had been a point of contention on the lead up to the film’s release.

This is a developing story…