Does 'Project Hail Mary' have a post-credits scene? Ryan Gosling's thriller ends with a cryptic message
Ryan Gosling's highly anticipated sci-fi thriller 'Project Hail Mary' finally landed in theaters on March 20. It's the latest offering from the filmmaking duo, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who have directed and produced the movie. Moreover, Drew Goddard has adapted the screenplay from Andy Weir's novel of the same name, released in 2021. The title stars Gosling as molecular biologist Dr. Ryland Grace, who befriends a five-legged alien named Rocky, while on a space mission to save Earth. The movie takes viewers on a thrilling journey to the depths of outer space on the Hail Mary spacecraft. Before flocking to theaters, fans are wondering if the movie has a post-credits scene, a common trend among big-budget Hollywood productions these days. Although the film doesn't have a typical post-credits scene, it does offer audiences a special treat after the credits stop rolling.
The film's plot centers on the unlikely friendship between Grace and the Eridian alien Rocky, as they team up to save their respective planets from destruction. Since both characters hail from different planets, they have an obvious language barrier. Grace overcomes this hurdle by creating a system to translate Rocky's musical speech into English, which appears as subtitles on screen for the audience. After the credits, the screen turns black, and a musical note plays from Rocky. Without subtitles, it's hard to guess what he says, but our best guess is that he probably says 'goodbye' or 'hope you enjoyed the movie.' It's a subtle nod to the character who has charmed audiences and is sure to stay in the minds of fans long after they leave the theater.
The emotional crux of 'Project Hail Mary' is the bond between Grace and Rocky, which is forged against the backdrop of an existential threat. Rocky is a mechanic on his planet, Erid, and, like Grace, is sent on a mission to save his planet from entering an ice age. As the sun's rays are being blocked by microorganisms called 'Astrophage,' the duo is forced to find a way to kill the energy-absorbing microbes before their planets become uninhabitable. Together, they visit the planet Tau Ceti, the only place safe from the Astrophage's destructive powers, and discover the organism Taumoeba. It becomes the saving grace for both planets as it consumes the Astrophage and stops its rapid spread.
In addition to Gosling, the film also stars Sandra Hüller as the head of the Hail Mary project, Eva Stratt; Lionel Boyce as the security guard, Officer Carl; Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne, and Orion Lee as Dr. Li. Other crew members of the Hail Mary include Ken Leung as Yáo Li-Jie, Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilyukhina, and Liz Kingsman as Annie Shapiro. Lastly, Priya Kansara voices the Hail Mary ship, and James Ortiz lends his voice to the alien, Rocky.
