The Perfect Follow-Up To The Martian Would Make For A Fantastic Sci-Fi TV Show

Andy Weir's third novel, Project Hail Mary, has the potential to receive an adaptation as good as The Martian, ideally as a sci-fi TV show. The Martian is Andy Weir's first published novel and one of Ridley Scott's best movies. It revolves around Mark Watney's (Matt Damon) survival on Mars while he waits for a rescue crew. Project Hail Mary almost reverses The Martian's narrative. While The Martian depicts Mark Watney's time on Mars waiting for his crew, Project Hail Mary's protagonist, Ryland Grace, travels even further away on a mission he was meant to perish on to save Earth.

Project Hail Mary follows Ryland Grace during two different timelines—flashbacks of Ryland's final memories on Earth and Ryland aboard the Hail Mary in the present day. The contrast between Project Hail Mary and The Martian makes the former the perfect follow-up. However, Project Hail Mary makes more sense as a TV show. Although Project Hail Mary should be a sci-fi adaptation for television, there is already a movie adaptation in the works starring Ryan Gosling. Project Hail Mary's release date is currently March 20, 2026.

Project Hail Mary Is The Perfect Follow-Up To The Martian

Andy Weir's Books Share A Lot In Common

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Project Hail Mary would be the perfect follow-up to The Martian because they share themes while contrasting each other. The Martian depicts Mark Watney's survival after an unexpected dust storm leaves him stranded on Mars. He must survive until his crew from the Hermes returns to rescue him. On the flip side, Project Hail Mary depicts Ryland Grace's survival in outer space, but instead of attempting to survive on a planet, Ryland lives on the Hail Mary as he travels to the star Tau Ceti. Mark and Ryland's missions go wrong but with vastly different results.

Mark Watney becomes stranded on Mars, while Ryland Grace unexpectedly survives to save Earth and live on his own terms. Furthermore, their circumstances are different since Mark's memories are fully intact, while Ryland wakes up on the Hail Mary without any recollection of his mission, which he only recalls over time—he is on the Hail Mary traveling to a Solar System 12 lightyears away to save the Sun, and by extension, humanity. However, the core themes of The Martian and Project Hail Mary are similar since both stories feature an unlikely protagonist who thrives in space against all odds.

Project Hail Mary Would Make A Great TV Show

Project Hail Mary's Structure Would Be Ideal For A TV Show

Project Hail Mary is particularly unique because it would make more sense as a sci-fi TV show. The book is set up to follow two narrative time frames: the days leading up to Ryland leaving Earth for the mission and waking up without his memory of the Hail Mary. This dual timeline is unlikely to deliver the full effects as a film because movie productions often condense the story to fit a film time frame. A TV show would allow the narrative to flesh out Project Hail Mary's two timelines properly, giving both storylines the attention they deserve.

Related Project Hail Mary Needs To Break A Disappointing Ryan Gosling Movie Streak That Goes Back To 2017 Ryan Gosling has had a poor track record with sci-fi films at the box office, but Project Hail Mary could be what finally breaks this trend.

Even The Martian is not immune to condensation—some notable book and movie differences in The Martian involve speeding up Mark Watney's time on Mars. While it does not affect The Martian, speeding up Ryland Grace's story could damage the narrative. A sci-fi TV show that has benefited from a TV adaptation is Netflix's 3 Body Problem, based on Remembrance of Earth's Past by Liu Cixin. The TV show also follows multiple timelines, and the reward is substantial—Netflix's renewal of 3 Body Problem confirmed that there will be three seasons to tell the story, one for each book in the trilogy.

A Project Hail Mary Movie Is Already In Development

Ryan Gosling Will Star As Ryland Grace In Project Hail Mary

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Although a TV show for Project Hail Mary would make more sense, the novel's adaptation will ultimately be a movie starring Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace. The film is set to release on March 20, 2026, and it is currently in production. Project Hail Mary's co-director has announced the beginning of filming using a behind-the-scenes photo in June 2024. The film will also star Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt and feature other actors such as Milana Vayntrub and James Ortiz. Amazon MGM Studios will distribute Project Hail Mary through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures.

As of right now, the adaptation of Project Hail Mary seems to be in good hands, and it is well underway for filming. Only time will tell if the movie will be a good adaptation. However, optimism is high with Drew Goddard returning as the screenwriter (he also wrote The Martian's screenplay), with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller as directors. Project Hail Mary is one of the best sci-fi books of recent years and Andy Weir's best work to date. The story deserves the proper chance to shine on screen, regardless of the format.

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 9/10 The Martian Adapted by Ridley Scott from Andy Weir's novel of the same name, The Martian follows the plight of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) after he finds himself stranded alone on Mars after he is falsely presumed dead during a mission. Unable to communicate with Earth and armed with little more than his scientific expertise as a botanist, Watney must find a way to survive on the barren planet until the next scheduled mission arrives. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Cast Kristen Wiig , Sean Bean , Matt Damon Jessica Chastain , Kate Mara Director Ridley Scott Writers Drew Goddard Expand