This Might Be the Best Sci-Fi Movie of 2026 – Watch the Final Project Hail Mary Trailer Now & See Why

2026 is set to be a major year for sci-fi, with new films from genre icons like Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott on the way. While it will be exciting to see Disclosure Day and The Dog Stars when they hit theaters, the most exciting sci-fi film of the year might actually be Project Hail Mary. Directed by the dynamic duo of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, Project Hail Mary has the potential to be a true cinematic masterpiece. Based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir (The Martian), the film looks to be a poignant blend of human emotion and spectacle, creating a memorable experience for viewers. There’s a little over a month before Project Hail Mary hits theaters, so Amazon MGM Studios has started its final marketing push.

The studio debuted the final Project Hail Mary trailer today ahead of the Super Bowl. You can check it out in the space below:

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Rocky Is the Star of the Final Project Hail Mary Trailer

The previous Project Hail Mary trailers only briefly teased Rocky, the extra-terrestrial companion Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) befriends on his mission to save Earth. This time, Rocky becomes the star of the show, as we get a more complete picture of how he fits into the story and his dynamic with Ryland. In classic sci-fi tradition, two individuals from very different backgrounds and worlds work together to solve problems and complete their mission, showing what humanity is capable of when we put our minds to something. The sequences of Ryland figuring out solutions to communicate with Rocky are (fittingly) reminiscent of the parts in The Martian where Mark Watney used his scientific knowledge to overcome his own hurdles.

While Project Hail Mary is sure to feature all of the jaw-dropping scope and spectacle sci-fi fans have come to expect, at its heart, it’s going to be a buddy movie about the unlikely yet touching relationship that forms between Ryland and Rocky. That element is pure Lord and Miller, who have made a career out of pairing mismatched characters to excellent results (Schmidt and Jenko, Miles Morales and Peter B. Parker). Not only should Ryland and Rocky be a source of comedy, it looks like there will be plenty of moments that are genuinely affecting given the stakes, so Lord and Miller are well within their wheelhouse here.

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Months before Project Hail Mary‘s release, the film was getting masterpiece buzz, and it certainly has all the ingredients for something special. The source material is widely acclaimed and received numerous accolades, and the last time an Andy Weir novel was brought to life on the big screen, we got Best Picture nominee The Martian. Weir’s narratives and storytelling approach lends itself well to the film medium. Plus, Gosling is the ideal leading man for this kind of project. He has impeccable range, having starred in big studio films that lean on his comedic sensibilities (Barbie) and dramatic chops (Blade Runner 2049). Project Hail Mary calls for an actor who can do both, and based on the snippets in the trailer, this could be one of Gosling’s finest performances.

Hopefully, Project Hail Mary lives up to its immense potential, serving as a nice comeback for Lord and Miller. The two have achieved tremendous success producing the Spider-Verse films, but Project Hail Mary is their first directorial effort since they were unceremoniously fired during production on Solo: A Star Wars Story. In the mid-2010s, Lord and Miller seemed poised to rank among the era’s finest filmmakers with hits like 21 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie, films that displayed an enormous amount of creativity and heart. It would be great if Project Hail Mary put them back on that track, kickstarting the next chapter of their careers.

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