Trending Now - Phil Lord and Chris Miller Lead Hollywood's Creative Comeback

WHO:

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, directors of "Project Hail Mary"

Ryan Gosling, actor playing Dr. Ryland Grace

Sandra Hüller, actress playing Eva Stratt

Aditya Sood, president of Lord Miller banner

Edgar Wright, filmmaker and friend of Lord and Miller

Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder

Meryl Streep, actress providing a voice cameo

James Ortiz, lead puppeteer and voice of Rocky

WHAT:

"Project Hail Mary" is based on Andy Weir's 2022 novel.

The film has a budget of $200 million.

The film is set to be released in theaters, including IMAX, on March 20, 2026.

"Project Hail Mary" currently holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film features 2018 visual effects shots.

The duo has a global box office haul of more than $4 billion.

WHERE:

The film is produced by Amazon MGM Studios.

Filming took place in various locations, including sets built for the film.

WHEN:

The last film directed by Lord and Miller was "22 Jump Street," released in 2014.

The duo was dismissed from directing "Solo: A Star Wars Story" in 2017.

The film "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" was released in 2018.

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" was released in 2023, grossing $690 million globally.

The third Spider-Verse film, "Beyond the Spider-Verse," is set for release in 2027.

WHY:

Lord and Miller aimed to create a film that reflects originality and creativity in response to Hollywood's reliance on AI.

They were motivated by their love for Andy Weir's novel and the opportunity to work with Ryan Gosling.

HOW:

The film's visuals were informed by lessons learned from their animated work, including "Spider-Verse" films.

The duo conducted chemistry read auditions with Ryan Gosling and various puppeteers for the character Rocky.

The film utilized a combination of 50% puppetry and 50% animation for the character Rocky.

The production involved building sets for different modes of gravity and shooting with the set in various orientations.

(UPDATED March 13, 2026 01:25 UTC)

In a highly anticipated release, "Project Hail Mary," directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and based on Andy Weir's novel, is set to hit theaters, including IMAX, on March 20, 2026, with a budget of $200 million and currently holding a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film features a star-studded cast, including Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, and Meryl Streep in a voice cameo, while utilizing a unique blend of 50% puppetry and 50% animation for the character Rocky. With production by Amazon MGM Studios and lessons drawn from their previous animated successes, the duo aims to showcase originality and creativity in a landscape increasingly reliant on AI.