Project Hail Mary 2 Chances Addressed By Star After Andy Weir's Sequel Novel Tease

Published Oct 9, 2026, 12:56 PM EDT Exclusive: Project Hail Mary star reveals what he wants to tackle in a potential sequel. It has been nearly seven months since Ryan Gosling’s Ryland Grace and James Ortiz’s Rocky captured the audience’s hearts with their unlikely friendship in the adaptation of Andy Weir’s bestselling sci-fi book. The sci-fi thriller became a massive box-office hit, grossing over $684 million globally on a budget of around $200 million. Given its success, many are curious about Amazon MGM Studios’ plans for the future, especially after Weir recently confirmed he has “bits and pieces of good ideas” for Project Hail Mary 2. In an interview with ScreenRant's Tatiana Hullender, lead star James Ortiz, who not only voiced Rocky but also served as the character’s lead puppeteer, finally opened up about the possibility of a Project Hail Mary 2. He hopes the sequel will explore how Rocky’s time away affected his connection with his people, adding that it would be interesting to see how they respond to Rocky’s new development. James Ortiz: “Wouldn't that be so fun? Yeah, what happens next to them? I did think about this. I thought it would be really interesting, because Rocky has been away from other Eridians for such a long time. I'd be curious about what the acclimation period would be like. He's kind of turned into a person now, so how would they respond to him? What would that mean for him? That's something that I'm always thinking about.” Last March, Weir opened up about the new novel he’s writing, confirming it won't be “a sequel to anything,” but a “new standalone story.” He admitted he doesn’t have a solid idea right now that would push him to write a sequel. Further details about his next sci-fi novel are still under wraps, but The Martian writer recently teased that the AI will be a significant part of the story. Project Hail Mary features Gosling as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher forced to become an astronaut to save the planet from a solar crisis. But the mission doesn’t start as planned when Ryland suddenly wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of what happened. Soon, he meets an unlikely friend: a highly intelligent, rock-like alien who shares his mission. Together, they work on a solution that could save both their planets from destruction. Project Hail Mary ends with Ryland and Rocky surviving their space adventure after they figure out how to save their respective planets. However, after a leak in Rocky's xenonite containers, Gosling's hero sends the samples to Earth while trying to reach Rocky before the same outcome happens. Thankfully, the friends reunite and reside on Rocky's planet Erid, where he teaches science to the Eridians​​​​​​. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller directed one of 2026's best sci-fi movies, with Drew Goddard writing the screenplay. Gosling and Ortiz were joined by Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, Lionel Boyce as Carl, Ken Leung as Yao Li-Jie, Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilyukhina, Priya Kansara as the voice of Mary, and more. During its theatrical run, Project Hail Mary received near-universal acclaimfrom critics and audiences, who commended Gosling's lead performance, the film's refreshing tone, and itsstunning visuals. It earned a fresh 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it his highest-rated movie to date. Project Hail Mary streams on Prime Video and MGM+. It will also receive a special three-disc Steelbook edition soon, arriving on October 13, 2026, as an Amazon exclusive. In addition to the Steelbook release, an immersive game inspired by the film, Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars, will also be released soon on mixed-reality and VR platforms. Release Date March 15, 2026 Runtime 157 minutes Director Christopher Miller, Phil Lord Cast James Ortiz Rocky (voice) Writers Drew Goddard, Andy Weir Producers Aditya Sood, Amy Pascal, Andy Weir, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Rachel O'Connor, Ryan Gosling