Project Hail Mary

Story

Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is a middle school science teacher who wakes up alone on a spacecraft with no memory of who he is or why he’s there.

As Ryland explores the ship, fragments of his memory return, and he recalls that Earth is facing an extinction crisis caused by a mysterious organism draining energy from the sun. Ryland slowly remembers he was part of a last-chance mission to reach a distant star system that appears unaffected, in the hopes of discovering a solution that could save humanity.

While investigating the system, Ryland encounters an alien spacecraft and forms an alliance with its sole occupant, an engineer named Rocky (voice of James Ortiz), whose species is also facing the same cosmic threat. Despite their vast differences, Ryland and Rocky develop a deep bond, conducting experiments, exchanging knowledge and uncovering the scientific key to stopping a parasite threatening both their worlds.

As their mission progresses, Ryland remembers that he was originally forced onto the mission, but he ultimately chose to stay when he realised the stakes for humanity. When disaster strikes and Rocky’s ship and life is threatened, Ryland makes an incredible sacrifice and abandons his return home so that he can help his friend. It might be that saving the world sometimes begins with saving each other.

Themes

Sacrifice; survival; inter-species cooperation; the fragility of life; loneliness

Violence

Project Hail Mary has some violence. For example:

Scenes show dead astronauts, but it isn’t clear how they died.
The entire crew of Rocky’s spaceship dies. He’s unclear about how this happened and blames himself.
Ryland is asked who he would die for.
Ryland is knocked in the head and momentarily collapses on the outside of the spaceship, while Rocky, who is watching on a monitor inside, panics.
Ryland goes after a ball containing important alien matter and is hit and nearly knocked unconscious while bits of the spaceship start to fall apart.
As the ship struggles to maintain altitude while bits are falling off, Ryland is violently propelled forward in his chair. He smashes his face into a panel, and it looks like he has broken his nose. He blacks out.
Ryland tries to escape from doctors and technicians who have been sent to subdue him when he refuses to take part in a mission that will cost him his life. He’s chased and injected with a tranquilliser before being sent into space against his will.
Ryland describes how Rocky will have a long, slow and painful death if he doesn’t track Rocky down to save him from his ship, which has been contaminated and will expose him to radiation and death.

Sexual references

Project Hail Mary has some sexual references. For example:

Ryland excitedly describes how he and another character ‘made a baby’, but he’s talking about the reproduction of alien cells.
There are references to an alien life form going to another planet ‘to breed’.
Ryland says that he’s grateful that an alien substance is not ‘growing in me’.
Ryland experiments with different voices for Rocky. One sounds sexy, husky and inappropriate. Ryland quickly chooses another.
There are references to people hooking up the night before the mission is due to leave Earth.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

Project Hail Mary shows some use of substances. For example:

Ryland consumes numerous pouches of vodka.
The lyrics of a song mention having beer for breakfast.
Characters drink beer and wine at a party.

Nudity and sexual activity

Project Hail Mary has some nudity and sexual activity. For example, Ryland wakes from a coma wearing underwear and a transparent suit. When he falls over, he lands with his bottom up and his underwear pressed against the transparent fabric of his suit.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in Project Hail Mary:

Several packets of Skittles are purchased and consumed.
Ryland repeatedly eats Twizzlers.
Ramen noodles are eaten and also used to build models.

Coarse language

Project Hail Mary has some coarse language, including ‘hell’ and ‘What the fu…fudgey?’

Ideas to discuss with your children

Project Hail Mary is a science fiction drama that blends high-stakes space survival with an unexpectedly warm, character-driven plot, which turns complex scientific challenges into emotional, human moments. It’s best suited to audiences aged 12 years and over.

These are the main messages from Project Hail Mary:

Even in the darkest moments, human ingenuity and compassion can find a way forward.
Connection, even across unimaginable differences, can save worlds.

Values in Project Hail Mary that you could reinforce with your children include curiosity, friendship, bravery, determination, sacrifice and selflessness.

Project Hail Mary could also give you the chance to talk with your children about finding courage, trusting yourself and taking chances in difficult situations. It helps to remember to focus on what you can do – not on what you can’t – when things seem to be beyond your control.