Amazon MGM Studios’ film Project Hail Mary is taking the world by storm, based on the sci-fi adventure novel by Andy Weir. The second of Weir’s books to get a movie adaptation, the movie stars Ryan Gosling and his new alien friend, who must save their worlds through teamwork and science. If you enjoyed the film and want more space-themed films, check out these six movies like Project Hail Mary.
6. Gravity (2013)
Starting our list of movies like Project Hail Mary is Gravity. Dr. Ryan Stone is an engineer on her first space mission, sent to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. However, on the journey, space debris collides with the shuttle, sending her and team commander Matt Kowalski hurtling through space. If they can reach the International Space Station, they may be able to survive.
5. Apollo 13 (1995)
Fifth on our list of movies like Project Hail Mary is Apollo 13. The docudrama is based on the famed 1970 lunar mission. The cast features Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Sinise as the astronauts and ground crew involved in the lunar mission-turned-survival mission. The film is thrilling not only for the dangerous situation, but also in the way the disaster is solved.
4. Interstellar (2014)
Next on our list of movies like Project Hail Mary is Interstellar. One of the most prominent space films, this one has a similar theme to Hail Mary, as the Earth is facing extinction. However, in this case, it’s due to blight and dust storms. Nevertheless, there’s hope inside a wormhole discovered near Saturn that holds a dozen possibly habitable planets. A crew must go to see if one of the planets is viable, and colonize a world with human embryos as a backup plan for humanity’s survival.
3. First Man (2018)
Rounding out the top three movies like Project Hail Mary is First Man. If you want another space film with Ryan Gosling at the center, then this one has got you covered. Gosling plays Neil Armstrong, portraying the lead-up to the Apollo 11 mission and the psychology of the first man on the Moon. The film uses on-set LED screens instead of green screens like Hail Mary, giving the film an immersive quality.
2. Sunshine (2007)
Second on our list of movies like Project Hail Mary is Sunshine. The films are very similar, as both are focused on saving the sun. In Sunshine, the film is set in 2057, and the sun is dying. A team is sent on a mission to deliver a bomb to reignite the star. However, they are pulled off track when a distress signal from the original team catches their attention, though things don’t go exactly as planned.
1. The Martian (2015)
Last but not least on our list of movies like Project Hail Mary is The Martian. The other Andy Weir adaptation, the film centers around Mark Watney, a member of a 2035 Mars expedition who gets stranded on the planet after an accident. Watney’s best chance of rescue is four years away, so he must improvise with what’s left behind, using his botanist knowledge to keep himself alive.