Ryan Gosling is going back into space. Just because most productions have been put on hold, there are still some deals coming out of Hollywood, and now it has been reported that MGM is in final and closed negotiations to acquire the film rights to ‘The Hail Mary’ for a reported seven figures, from the author of ‘The Martian’, Andy Weir, with Gosling attached to star and produce.
Gosling’s last film was 2018’s ‘First Man’, directed by Damien Chazelle, in which he portrayed Neil Armstrong, with the plot focused on the events leading up to the Apollo 11 moon mission.
‘The Hail Mary’, the novel, has not yet been released, but Deadline describes it as “a solitary tale of an astronaut on a space ship who is tasked with saving the planet.” While that sounds somber, ‘The Hail Mary’ will reportedly fall in line with ‘The Martian’s thrilling story.
The 2015 film adaptation of ‘The Martian’, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, was nominated for seven Academy Awards. It controversially won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, while Damon took home the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. This move was criticized because the film hardly qualified as either a musical or comedy.
Another film adaptation based on Weir’s novel ‘Artemis’ is also in the works, to be directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, with a script by Geneva Robertson-Dworet.
Ken Kao will also produce, alongside Gosling. No other members of the creative team were announced, including the director and writers.
How does ‘The Hail Mary’ sound so far? Check back for updates as they arrive.
