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We’re about three weeks away from the 2026 Academy Awards.
But it’s never too early to look ahead to 2027, is it?
On March 20, Project Hail Mary will hit theaters — and critics are raving about the Ryan Gosling vehicle to such an extent that there’s already Oscar buzz surrounding the project.
Critic Eric Marchen, for example, shared a glowing review on X, writing that Project Hail Mary is “the first great blockbuster of 2026.”
The movie is based on a 2021 science fiction novel by Andy Weir, the same writer who penned The Martian.
It centers around Gosling’s Ryland Grace… who wakes up on a spaceship at the outset of the story with no recollection of who he is or how he got there.
As his memory slowly forms, the teacher-turned-astronaut soon discovers he must solve the riddle behind a mysterious substance that’s causing the sun to die out.
Or the world will perish.
“Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s must-see space odyssey blasts off as the first great blockbuster of 2026,” Marchen also wrote. “Out-of-this-world cinematography from Greig Fraser reaches for the stars while anchored by a stellar Ryan Gosling performance. This movie ROCKS!”
Critic Adriano Caporusso also praised the film on social media, writing:
“Lord & Miller’s latest plays up a ‘Short Circuit’ bromance to an hysterical extreme while simultaneously delivering a pulse-pounding space epic that brings true humanity to the centrestage, but not without some jaw-dropping visuals alongside.”
Here is a look at the reactions from other well-known critics:
Barry Hertz: “Not quite faster-than-light script with too many endings and one crucial plot point that evaporates, plus a seeming corporate obligation to Amazon’s ROCKY catalogue, cannot suppress the galaxy-sized charms of Ryan Gosling. INTERSTELLAR’ without all the ~stuff~.”
Scott Menzel: “A major awards player across the board… Project Hail Mary is an epic cinematic achievement. Phil Lord and Chris Miller somehow manage to raise the bar once again, delivering what is not only their most ambitious film to date, but arguably their most accomplished.”
Jeff Conway: “A successfully sophisticated blend of humor, sci-fi, drama and suspense. Ryan Gosling is the shining star of this compassionate story about connection and defying the odds, while Sandra Hüller is the tender heart of this beautiful film.”
Kevin Verma: #ProjectHailMary absolutely floored me. Lord and Miller deliver a space odyssey that is deeply human and heartwarming. Ryan Gosling is fantastic here and brings emotion and charm to this SciFi epic. Incredible visuals and a pulsing score. You wanna see this one in @IMAX.”
Project Hail Mary hits movie theaters on March 20, 2026.