BEWARE: SPOILERS FOR “PROJECT HAIL MARY”
There’s a version of our future out there in the multiverse where humanity unifies to solve a global crisis, trusts experts to do their jobs and we save the world. Wouldn’t that be nice? Well, I’m pleased to inform you that you don’t have to look much further than the recently released film “Project Hail Mary” to see this possibility in full view. At a time when real-world cooperation feels increasingly out of reach, films like this remind us that solving problems still depends on trust in science and a willingness to work together.
Back in February, I read the novel of the same name for an astrobiologist friend’s book club. I read it in three days. The book and film follow elementary school teacher and former biologist Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), who becomes the only person capable of saving Earth from a spaceborne organism called astrophage (Latin for star-eater). This phenomenon threatens to dim the sun to catastrophic levels, putting all life on Earth at risk. What makes the story intimate is not just the science, but Grace’s partnership with a rock-like spider alien named Rocky. Together, they work across species, language and biology to find a solution that can save both Earth and Rocky’s homeworld, Erid.
Incoming hot take: as much as I loved “Interstellar,” and I saw it seven times in theaters back in 2014 with zero regrets, “Project Hail Mary” is better. I don’t say this lightly. But it’s important to qualify that statement. “Interstellar” is a more abstract, philosophical film that leans into awe and existential reflection and borrows heavily from “2001: A Space Odyssey.” “Project Hail Mary,” by contrast, is a crowd-pleasing story built on collaboration, problem-solving and accessibility. Both films believe in science as the key to humanity’s survival. The difference is that one allows you to feel small in the universe, while the other makes you feel like you might actually be able to help save it.
I should add that “Interstellar” has an 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while “Project Hail Mary” holds a 96% audience rating. While these numbers don’t determine quality, they do suggest something worth noting: audiences respond favorably to a story that emphasizes cooperation, ingenuity and shared purpose.
And it’s not happening in a vacuum. March and April 2026 might go down as one of the strongest periods for space-related culture in recent memory. “Project Hail Mary” has already grossed over $600 million, becoming the third highest-grossing American film of the year so far. At the same time, Apple TV’s “For All Mankind” has returned for its fifth season, continuing its exploration of an alternate timeline where space exploration benefits from the Soviet Union landing on the moon first in 1969.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Artemis II launched on April 1 and completed its lunar flyby on April 6. It splashed down just off the coast of San Diego on April 10. This is science fiction made manifest in real life. The same spirit that drives stories like “Project Hail Mary” and “Interstellar” is actively shaping real missions, real astronauts and real progress.
This is why stories like this matter today more than ever. “Project Hail Mary” isn’t just about space; it’s about what we’re capable of when we choose cooperation over division. It shows us that diversity is a strength, that trust in science is essential and that solving the biggest problems requires us to think beyond ourselves. Space movies may not literally save the world, but they remind us how it might be done. And sometimes, that reminder is all we need.
