Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, had already received plenty of acclaim and widespread box office success. While many have praised Andy Weir’s beloved hard sci-fi source material, a crucial factor at play is the visuals: intense, vibrant shots of the cosmos echo throughout the film as Ryan Gosling’s Ryland Grace flies deeper into the unknown.
Cinema fans with keen eyes may have noticed the work of renowned cinematographer Greig Fraser, best known for his work on blockbusters like the Dune franchise, as well as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, his first trip into outer space, and a blockbuster regarded for its technical prowess. He also brought his signature spectacle to the gritty world of Gotham City in The Batman.
Greig Fraser’s Cinematography Turns the Theatrical Experience Into a Necessity
The distinct visions of Phil Lord and Chris Miller were executed with precision and beauty by Greig Fraser. His work on Project Hail Mary is a large reason why the film has been such a success at the box office in its $80.6 million domestic debut weekend, 20% of which was from IMAX screens, the format the movie was filmed in and promoted as an essential experience. The scale of such screenings has made the film a viral sensation.
The directors of Project Hail Mary themselves have reposted and shared pictures taken from the projectionists’ point of view, showcasing the humongous screens and the breathtaking images that Fraser helped create, with jaw-dropping presence on the IMAX ratio. The movie was projected on actual celluloid, thanks to Fraser’s process from previous films he’d worked on, like The Batman, in which he shot digitally, transferred to film, and then back to digital to add texture. It all helps build hype and makes the film feel like something that needs to be a communal experience, something filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve have been passionately encouraging for years.
Project Hail Mary feels as if it were shot on film, invoking classic sci-fi epics like 2001: A Space Odyssey or more recent films like Interstellar. It was shot in two distinct ways: all the scenes in space are in native 1.43:1 aspect ratio, with everything on Earth at a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Even if there isn’t an IMAX theater to experience it in 70MM film, the digital transfers are just as vibrant and colorful; Fraser uses the technology at his disposal to its fullest effect, and the results are astounding. The cinematographer’s work accentuates the themes and story of the film, something he did for Dune and The Batman, which he unfortunately won’t be doing again for either franchise.
Whether on Earth or in Space, Fraser’s Cinematography Excels in Storytelling of Its Own
While Fraser’s work on prominent films like Dune: Part Two and The Batman is impressive, Project Hail Mary feels like a landmark cinematic achievement for him. The flashbacks on Earth have a fuzzy, nostalgic feel that makes them hit even harder and feel like a distant memory, cementing audiences even further in the mind state of Ryan Gosling’s Ryland Grace. Meanwhile, all the space scenes shot in the 1.43:1 aspect ratio feel overwhelming, using distinct colors like green and red to accentuate the beauty of a foreign planet. One exceptional transition shot, filmed with Alexa 65s, features Grace standing outside the Hail Mary looking out at the planet Adrian, collecting samples of Astrophage from the “Petrova Line” coming from the planet.
Given that the Petrova Line in the film is distinctly red, Fraser pulled out the infrared filter from one of the Alexa cameras, transitioning the shot from the black and green of space and the planet to a beautiful red to immerse viewers in Astrophage, finding beauty in something that, within the context of the story, is also killing planet Earth. It isn’t just the massive spectacle Fraser excels at, but also the intimate. This same mind-blowing scene has extreme close-ups of Grace taking in the moment. This is one of many scenes in the film that utilize such intense examinations of the characters’ faces and the emotions on display. This bright red cinematography is given even more of a dream-like effect thanks to Fraser funneling in water between two glass panes in front of the camera lens; the results are magical.
While Greig Fraser May Be Absent From ‘Dune’ and ‘Batman,’ Other Talented Artists Will Be Stepping In
There is so much to say about Project Hail Mary’s cinematography and how it’s led to the film’s success. It’s also a stark reminder that The Batman and Dune films will be missing that magic touch. Both franchises saw Fraser depart from the upcoming sequels, as he will not be working on Dune: Part Three or The Batman Part II. This is due to his prior commitments to work on all four of Sam Mendes’s Beatles films. While it will be exciting to see how Fraser leaves his mark on the ambitious biopics, the fact that he can’t continue to help develop the worlds of Gotham or Arrakis is disappointing.
Thankfully, these films are not without hope, as there is some impressive talent filling Fraser’s role; Linus Sandgren, who has worked on films such as La La Land, Wuthering Heights, and Jay Kelly, served as cinematographer on Dune: Part Three, creating a distinct new look for the movie. As for the long-awaited sequel to The Batman, Oscar-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt will be handling Matt Reeves’ film. The gritty aesthetic that Fraser helped develop will likely carry over, with Messerschmidt more than likely using the old-school aesthetic that he brought into David Fincher films like The Killer and Mank to leave his mark on the epic crime saga.
Overall, Project Hail Mary works as well as it does, not just because of the excellent writing, direction, and acting, but also Fraser’s magic touch behind the camera. Using every tool at his disposal, the director of photography rises to the occasion to tell his own story with the images on screen. With ratio, lens choice, and shot framing all working in unison to deliver a breathtaking cinematic experience. While we may not see another science fiction epic from him for some time due to his Dune departure, he is at least leaving the genre on the highest of notes.
- Release Date
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March 20, 2026
- Runtime
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156 Minutes
- Director
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Christopher Miller, Phil Lord
- Producers
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Ryan Gosling, Amy Pascal, Andy Weir, Aditya Sood, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Rachel O’Connor
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
