New 'Project Hail Mary' trailer teases Ryan Gosling's race to save humanity with an unexpected alien ally
'Project Hail Mary', releasing in theaters on March 20, is among the most anticipated films of this year. The Ryan Gosling-starrer released its first official trailer on June 30, 2025, which received 400 million views worldwide in its first week. As it heads towards its release date, the studio gave fans a look at the film's third and final trailer on Super Bowl Sunday, February 8. The sci-fi adventure film is helmed by the directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, best known for directing '21 Jump Street' and its sequel, '22 Jump Street'. Drew Goddard has adapted the film's screenplay from Andy Weir's New York Times best-selling novel of the same name, released in 2021.
The new 'Project Hail Mary' trailer showcases Gosling, 45, as the schoolteacher Mark Grace, who becomes humanity's last hope of survival and is sent to a neighboring star to save the planet. During his space mission, he encounters an unlikely ally, an extraterrestrial alien whom he names Rocky, with their friendship forming the emotional crux of the story. Gosling stars alongside 'Anatomy of a Fall' star Sandra Hüller, who plays the head of the Hail Mary project, Eva Stratt. Additionally, 'The Bear' alum, Lionel Boyce, stars as Officer Steve Hatch, while Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub join as crewmembers of the Hail Mary ship. Lastly, Priya Kansara voices Mary (the Hail Mary ship) and James Ortiz voices the alien, Rocky.
The studio's official synopsis notes, "Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone."
Furthermore, Lord and Miller offered a glimpse into what moviegoers can expect from the upcoming film. Miller said, "The relationship between Grace and Rocky is the heart of the movie. It's a story about collaboration and cooperation, and what's possible if we work together. Ideally, you walk out of the movie feeling more hopeful than when you came in," as per The Hollywood Reporter. Lord added, "The movie is genre-defying. It's emotional, and it is funny, and it's big, and the stakes couldn't be higher – I've never seen a great drama that didn't make me laugh, and I've never seen great comedy that didn't make me cry."
Notably, Lord and Miller are returning to feature film directing after more than 10 years with 'Project Hail Mary.' Their last directorial venture was 2014's '22 Jump Street'. In the meantime, they have produced 'Cocaine Bear', 'The Mitchells vs. the Machines', and the Oscar-winning animated 'Spider-Verse' trilogy for Sony Pictures Animation.