The Story Punk Podcast

Episode 040: This week on Story Punk, we launch into Project Hail Mary, the 2026 sci-fi crowd-pleaser based on Andy Weir’s novel and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory, no crew, and one tiny problem: the sun is dying, Earth is in danger, and he may be the only person who can help stop it.

No pressure.

Scott and Drew dig into why Project Hail Mary works as more than just another “save the world” space movie. They talk about the film’s emotional core, its clever science problem-solving, the challenge of adapting a book built around internal monologue, and the surprisingly moving friendship between Grace and Rocky, the alien lifeform who helps turn a cosmic survival mission into one of the most heartfelt movie relationships of the year.

The conversation also covers Ryan Gosling’s performance, Lord and Miller’s blend of humor and sincerity, the practical magic behind Rocky, Greg Fraser’s warm and inventive cinematography, the film’s hopeful spirit, and why this story feels like the kind of big-hearted, Amblin-style blockbuster Hollywood needs more often.

It’s science, friendship, sacrifice, space survival, emotional damage, and yes, a few tears in the vacuum of space.

Listen now to Story Punk wherever you get podcasts or find us at storypunk.com

Because at Story Punk… story matters.