Although Project Hail Mary is still two weeks away from its theatrical release, early reactions have already surfaced. These reviews, from both entertainment news outlets and celebrities who got to see it in advance, have praised the film. Lead actor Ryan Gosling has since reacted to some of these reactions, issuing a four-word response.
Ryan Gosling on Project Hail Mary’s early reactions
Ryan Gosling appeared in a new episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In it, he promoted Project Hail Mary and brought his partner Eva Mendes, whom he surprised with a birthday serenade.
The host told the Blade Runner 2049 star that he loved the film and told him it was “one of the best movies [he had] ever seen.” Fallon added that he “absolutely loved” the film, to which Gosling jokingly asked if they could put his reaction on the poster.
Fallon then read some reviews from outlets that saw the film early, all of which lauded the film. He first read Screenrant’s review, which said “the film is perfect.” Fallon subsequently read Variety’s review that called the film “a masterpiece and an epic cinematic achievement.”
He next read a critic’s review, which labeled the film “a perfect cinematic experience, maybe even one of the best movies of the decade.” The host concluded the reading by bringing up Gold Derby’s review, which said, “It felt in many ways like a miracle of a movie.”
After hearing the reviews, Gosling responded, “It’s about a teacher.”
Entertainment outlets aren’t the only ones that shared their thoughts on Project Hail Mary. Several celebrities, like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and actress Alicia Silverstone, have also shared their reactions, praising the movie.
Project Hail Mary is scheduled to hit theaters on March 20, 2026. Amazon MGM Studios will distribute the film in the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Releasing will handle international distribution.
Based on Andy Weir’s New York Times bestseller novel of the same name, the story follows Ryland Grace, an astronaut. Suffering from amnesia, he is unable to recall why he is on a spacecraft and what he is doing in space.
Deducing he is the sole survivor of an important space mission: traveling to the Tau Ceti system to save Earth from disaster, he begins fulfilling his duty using his scientific knowledge, ingenuity, and will. While on his mission, Grace encounters and teams up with an alien, Rocky, also trying to save his homeworld.
