Project Hail Mary 2: Hit Ryan Gosling Movie Shouldn’t Get Sequel for This Reason

With Project Hail Mary now playing in theaters, some people are inevitably asking and hoping for a sequel. With any luck, though, it won’t happen, as Project Hail Mary 2 is not a thing the world needs.

Project Hail Mary comes from Amazon MGM Studios and directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir, the film stars Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, James Ortiz as the voice and lead puppeteer of Rocky, and Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt.

The synopsis reads, “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.”

Why should Project Hail Mary 2 never happen?

In 2026, the general idea that seems to pop up whenever there’s an original movie is that audiences need “more.” We can’t just adapt the Wicked musical; now we’ve got to find a way to keep expanding that story and world. Oh, nobody was all that jazzed about Scream 7? Doesn’t matter, it made money, so Scream 8 is likely on the way. If you think Warner Bros. is going to stop making Dune movies after Dune 3, you’d better just start preparing yourself now for the opposite to happen.

Given that Project Hail Mary did really well at the box office during its opening weekend and has received tons of praise from critics and general audience members alike, it seems likely there are conversations happening behind closed doors about finding ways to continue the story.

It doesn’t need to happen. It doesn’t need to happen because original sci-fi is such a gift in a world that’s so full of IP and franchises. Yes, Project Hail Mary is based on a book, but the movie covers the whole book. If Weir wants to go back and write a sequel to it someday? And if he’s doing so because he actually has an idea and isn’t just capitalizing on fans’ wants? Then, maybe, we can talk. Maybe. Or he can just keep writing original stories, and maybe the world would be a better place for it.

As it stands now, though? The story is finished. It has a beginning, middle, and end. Any attempt to turn Project Hail Mary into a never-ending franchise would only result in middling and disappointing sequels that, then, would make everyone not really care about the first movie anymore. Everyone thinks they can be James Cameron and turn The Terminator into Terminator 2 or Alien into Aliens. But unless you actually ARE James Cameron, you probably can’t. And even being James Cameron isn’t a guarantee! Avatar: Fire and Ash wasn’t all that good!

Project Hail Mary is now playing in United States theaters.

Source: Comingsoon.net