Gosling’s sci-fi film receives a high score and glowing reviews before its March release
Ryan Gosling’s upcoming science fiction film Project Hail Mary has received a strong early critical response, debuting with a 96 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its theatrical release.
The film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is scheduled to open in cinemas in the United States on March 20, 2026.
Early reactions from critics have contributed to the high Rotten Tomatoes rating. At the time of reporting, the film’s score is based on 101 reviews posted on the platform.
Several critics praised the film’s balance of emotion, humour and spectacle. One reviewer wrote, “I saw PROJECT HAIL MARY yesterday and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more crowdpleasing picture in my life. It’s going to kill with audiences. Just nailed every emotional and comic beat it wanted to hit. Perfectly Spielbergian pop cinema.”
Matt Neglia highlighted the film’s scale and storytelling approach, noting: “PROJECT HAIL MARY feels, in many ways, like a miracle of a movie.
PROJECT HAIL MARY feels, in many ways, like a miracle of a movie. It combines the technical awe of “Gravity,” the problem-solving exhilaration and humor of “The Martian,” and the sweeping emotion of “Interstellar” into one film with its own unique style and charm, crafting a new… pic.twitter.com/xMCDAyuIpx
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) February 26, 2026
ScreenTime described the film as “Project Hail Mary is a spectacular space adventure that blends the best bits of The Martian and Interstellar”.
Alongside Gosling, the cast includes Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub.
The film marks another high-profile science fiction release for 2026, with early reviews suggesting strong interest from critics and potential appeal for cinema audiences ahead of its global rollout.
