Is the ship FTL or relativistic? Because either way, I am seriously side-eyeing something that looks as substantial and maybe as large as the ISS going 12 light years. Not to mention a lack of shielding against the background radiation.
Project Hail Mary | Ryan Gosling (March 20, 2026)
- Thread starter Aragorn
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Relativistic. I don't remember the details but I'm pretty sure the book covers all of those issues.
^ If I remember the novel correctly, it's relativistic. He's put asleep as it would take too long otherwise, but wakes up early for reasons I won't spoil.
And the story does touch on radiation shielding at a certain point, which again I won't spoil.
Andy Weir was smart enough to think of these things, but remains to see how that's translated to the movie.
And the story does touch on radiation shielding at a certain point, which again I won't spoil.
Andy Weir was smart enough to think of these things, but remains to see how that's translated to the movie.
I feel that in regards to sci-fi, ftl is often used to wave things away so they don't have to explain things. Relativistic seems to allow for more thought put into things, which is very much the case here, and some of the things and ideas factor into the story. I think people who haven't read the novel are going to be pleasantly surprised.
In regards to the book, it was my favourite sci-fi novel in the last several years.
In regards to the book, it was my favourite sci-fi novel in the last several years.
The substance used in radiation shielding is addressed in the book and somewhat of a spoiler.
The book felt like quite a refreshing story, and I've read a lot of sci-fi. It was very inventive.
Like I said before, I was surprised the first trailer revealed Rocky but turns out there was a heavy debate about whether or not to show him, according to Andy Weir (who is a producer on the film):
I figured it was a marketing decision but Weir raises a good point that Rocky's role is a core element of the novel so there isn't much point in holding him back.
“It's really more a marketing decision by Amazon MGM, but the idea was no one's going to walk into that theater and not know about Rocky,” Weir said. “This is not a Darth Vader is Luke's father kind of situation. This is a core, central element of the plot that everybody's going to be talking about and that everybody who's read the book already knows about.”
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“All trailers are designed to put butts in seats, and we want those butts in those seats,” Weir says. “We want people to go now I want to know what's going on.”
I figured it was a marketing decision but Weir raises a good point that Rocky's role is a core element of the novel so there isn't much point in holding him back.
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I was spoiled about this novel after reading a brilliant review by a student. I really need to read the book before seeing the movie because it sounds excellent.
I loved the book but my one ick moment was
an alien lifeform whose pie hole and ass hole are the same hole.
Haven't read the book, but watching the trailer, something occurred to me. Gosling's character is named Grace. Is this meant to be some sort of pun? Project Hail Mary, full of Grace?