2026 is shaping up to be a major year for sci-fi cinema, with new offerings from Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and Denis Villeneuve on the way. However, before audiences get a chance to see the latest films from any of those acclaimed auteurs, they’ll be treated to Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Project Hail Mary. Based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, Project Hail Mary is poised to be the year’s first major blockbuster, as a stellar marketing campaign has steadily raised anticipation over the past several months. Based on what we’ve seen in the trailers, Project Hail Mary looks like it could be a very special movie, and fortunately, the initial reactions are extremely positive.
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About a month before Project Hail Mary hits theaters, the film has been screened for critics. Amazon MGM Studios wasted no time in lifting the social media embargo, and it’s easy to see why. Project Hail Mary is receiving universal praise. Check out a sampling of the reactions in the space below:
Could Project Hail Mary Be an Oscars Contender?
We’re still a few weeks away from the 2026 Oscars being handed out, so it’s a bit early to start speculating about what next year’s awards race could look like. That said, the Project Hail Mary reactions are so enthusiastic it’s worth wondering if it could make a splash on the Oscars circuit. While the Academy isn’t known for favoring sci-fi films, there is precedent here. The last time an Andy Weir novel was brought to life on the big screen was The Martian, which earned seven nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. There’s also typically at least one big, crowd-pleasing tentpole in the mix; this year, F1 was a surprise Best Picture nominee, and the year before saw Dune: Part Two and Wicked in the running for the top prize.
Based on the initial reactions, Project Hail Mary seems to have the pieces necessary for a fruitful Oscar campaign. It’s anchored by a compelling and charming performance from Ryan Gosling (a three-time Oscar nominee himself) and takes viewers on an emotionally powerful journey through space. Critics are also responding positively to the Ryland Grace/Rocky dynamic and Project Hail Mary‘s poignant themes of perseverance and working together. To top it all off, Project Hail Mary seems like it delivers plenty of spectacle with stunning visuals, so at the very least, it should be a contender for several technical categories such as Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography.
Even if Project Hail Mary misses out on some key above-the-line nominations (The Odyssey and Dune: Part Three will also be gunning for the “token blockbuster” spot in the Best Picture lineup), this strong word of mouth should give the film’s box office prospects a significant boost. These days, with shorter theatrical windows, it can be tricky to entice general audiences to see something that isn’t rooted in major Hollywood IP, but Project Hail Mary — which was receiving “masterpiece” buzz in the fall — looks to have the “must-see” factor that could turn it into a major hit. People could be inclined to see it on the big screen so they don’t miss out on the conversations about the film.
It is important to keep in mind that these are just social media reactions. It remains to be seen how the full written Project Hail Mary reviews will turn out. There were enthusiastic posts about Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, only for the Rotten Tomatoes score to be much more mixed than some people might have expected. While there’s always a chance that could happen with Project Hail Mary, the odds of opinions shifting in a negative direction are low. The embargo lifting this far ahead of release means Amazon MGM Studios was very confident in the film, and that confidence was not misplaced.
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Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme
