8 Great Sci-Fi Movies Like ‘Project Hail Mary’

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More than six months after its release, Project Hail Mary continues to shine when it comes to its themes, visuals, and its all-round expert direction by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Ryan Gosling’s performance as an amnesiac middle school teacher who awakens aboard an interstellar spacecraft is also commendable. With its $684 million global box office bounty, the sci-fi adaptation is now the seventh-highest-grossing movie of 2026 (via Box Office Mojo).

And those who enjoyed Project Hail Mary are likely to look for similar sci-fi movies to dig into next. Thankfully, cinema isn’t short of options. Some choices are slightly better than the 2026 film, while others are at par or close. The movies recommended don’t just feature astronauts, aliens, sinister figures, major dilemmas, and survival plots. They are also technically brilliant, making them ideal for anyone who appreciates the great work done by Lord and Miller.

Why You Should Trust Me: Project Hail Mary is my favorite sci-fi movie of 2026, even after Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, which I was initially rooting for. Having noted the elements that made it a masterpiece, I have carefully identified the movies that share its DNA. I am also passionate about science fiction, and have covered the genre multiple times for MovieWeb.

‘Moon’ (2009)

Sam Bell and Ryland Grace Are Birds of a Feather

Why It’s Great: A colorful, pulse-pounding movie about a moon-based worker who discovers dark secrets about his employer after mining the alternative fuel helium-3 for three years, Moon relies on sci-fi minimalism, as well as tension and mood, instead of endless spectacle. Sam Rockwell does fine work as our protagonist Sam Bell, and you can almost see the words “committed to the role” emblazoned on his forehead. The movie earned numerous awards, including the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: Just like the Ryan Gosling hit, Moon snubs high-stakes space exploration, presenting us with a hero with limited resources. Forced to rely on himself, he emerges as resourceful and resilient. One part of his mind is focused on survival while the other is all about figuring out why he is here and what he needs to do. Sure, Rockwell isn’t as big a star as Gosling, but I have no doubt he’d have done an equally great job if he’d been tasked with playing Ryland Grace.

‘Enemy Mine’ (1985)

Wolfgang Petersen Uses an Alien Tale to Push a Universal Message

Why It’s Great: Legendary director Wolfgang Petersen’s immersive depiction of a human and alien who become stranded on an inhospitable planet remains one of the very best ‘80s sci-fi flicks, excelling because of the director’s unusual approach to the message of anti-prejudice. Dennis Quaid was never cooler, and Louis Gossett Jr., buried under heavy makeup and prosthetics, portrayed a mystified, self-fertilizing alien better than anyone. Add in Maurice Jarre’s soothing score, and Enemy Mine slays all the competition.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: Anyone coming off Project Hail Mary will have a blast watching Enemy Mine, since both tales are propelled by the same core narrative: a human forced into uneasy friendship with a species he has been emotionally engineered to distrust. Through sheer guts, situational awareness, and cunning, we see both characters overcome environmental dangers, communication barriers, and cultural misunderstandings to survive. Both movies use this newly found bond to make a case for empathy and coexistence.

‘Spaceman’ (2024)

Taking “Unlikely Ally” to a New Level

Why It’s Great: Zesty and passionate, even in some of its darkest moments, Spaceman is an irresistible portrait of the life of an astronaut. The movie substitutes violence and hostility for introspection, as it tells the story of Jakub (Adam Sandler), a cosmonaut who attempts to save his marriage with help from a spider-like alien. The patient-therapist dynamic is unlike anything we see in such movies, and Sandler once again proves he wasn’t a one-drama wonder. He can cut more non-comedy gems.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: In both productions, we are introduced to two characters in space who, though oddly matched, quickly become inseparable. Settling into space proves less felicitous, but major steps are made in the attempt to restore normalcy. Spaceman does even better by digging into world politics. Jakub was sent early so that his country could beat a competing South Korean mission. We also learn that his dad was killed for being a member of the wrong party. There is no dull moment.

‘Ad Astra’ (2019)

Another Personal Space Story

Why It’s Great: Ad Astra is boosted by Brad Pitt’s indelible, galvanic lead performance. As Roy — a buttoned-down astronaut who goes to space to find his lost father and look into cosmic rays that might destroy the solar system — Pitt is a hurricane of energy and strapping, surging masculinity, but also admirable tenderness. If you enjoy the movie that’s as much about family-bred trauma as it is about saving the world, you also can’t help but appreciate the sound. It’s no wonder it received an Oscar nomination for Best Sound Mixing.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: Like the 2026 hit, Ad Astra makes space travel feel immensely personal. Sure, there are some technical seasonings to the proceedings, but the focus remains on the protagonist confronting isolation and personal pains, rather than just helping to preserve humanity’s position in the universe. Besides that, the plot about cosmic rays isn’t far from that of the Ryan Gosling picture where the sun appears dim because Astrophage, a single-celled organism, is absorbing excessive amounts of solar energy.

‘Sunshine’ (2007)

‘Oppenheimer’… of a Different Kind

Why It’s Great: A new paragon of science-fiction excellence at the time of its release, Sunshine provides thrills aplenty, and thankfully, intelligent ones. Numerous challenges emerge as a group of astronauts attempts to reignite the dying sun, but undeterred, they soldier on. The sun is treated as an object of both terror and magnificence, and Cillian Murphy (who seems to have been born for movies where great explosions need to happen) does a great job as the lead.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: This is another sci-fi movie where the sun has much to do with the plot, and one that blends hard science with existential dread. Character interactions matter, too. By incorporating elements of classic ’60s-style sci-fi with modern drama, both movies create a topical social commentary disguised as a serious mission. Genre regulars will easily dig into the allusions and homage elements, while those in it for the quick entertainment will delight in the melancholy and absence of any colorful zaniness. By all means, step out and enjoy the… Sunshine.

‘Europa Report’ (2013)

Imagining What a Vision of Jupiter Would Look Like

Why It’s Great: For Europa Report, director Sebastián Cordero and screenwriter Philip Gelatt explored what would happen if they looked at the first crewed mission to Europa, one of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter, via a found-footage lens. This approach to deep space adventure and the risks of first contact make the lean 90-minute sci-fi thriller worth watching. Such a movie needs high-quality visuals, and cinematographer Enrique Chediak doesn’t disappoint.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: Both movies are about isolation and resilience, and they also have a mysterious being that’s messing up the universe. We have Astrophage in Hail Mary, and Europa Report has alien-like figures that emit blue light. Beyond that, the latter’s documentary feel mirrors the former’s focus on personal experience and the wonders of the universe. Teamwork, professional challenges, and sacrifice also stand out as major themes in both productions.

”The Martian’ (2015)

A Fun Guide on How to Apply What Science Class Taught You

Why It’s Great: Stylish, atmospheric, and psychologically complex, The Martian is a first-class sci-fi survival story with an epic sprawl. It wows audiences by mining entertainment out of the simple art of problem-solving. Plenty of real science comes into play as Matt Damon’s Mark Watney tries to grow food and generate resources when his fellow astronauts accidentally leave him on Mars. And Damon’s charismatic performance makes everything believable as the circumstances exact a heavy emotional toll on the protagonist.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: The Martian and Project Hail Mary are adapted from Andy Weir’s books, so audiences will find lots of thematic and stylistic similarities in both movies. The can-do tone is down to the author’s brilliance, but, like Lord and Miller, director Ridley Scott, famous for always making good-looking movies, paints space so beautifully that you can’t help but wish you were trapped there, too. I’d bet my savings that the 2026 movie will be nominated for the same Oscars that Scott’s film was nominated for.

‘Prometheus’ (2012)

A Much-Needed Installment That Revived One of the Biggest Sci-Fi Franchises

Why It’s Great: Ridley Scott’s Prometheus revived the Alien franchise (critically and commercially) because of its plot, visual grandeur, and breathtaking production design that matched the first-ever franchise installment. The movie is about a crewed mission to discover humanity’s creators, and as time passes and seemingly important leads turn out to be nothing but more questions, Scott packs in lots of theory that leaves the viewer wondering why he isn’t a novelist. Idris Elba’s fine turn as the ship’s guileless, intensely curious captain is enhanced by Fassbender’s own as an insecure android. Noomi Rapace’s turn as a faith-leaning archeologist, and Charlize Theron’s showing as a mission supervisor completes an effective four-way dynamic.

How It’s Like Project Hail Mary: The story of a crew venturing into deep space to find answers about a universe-defining scientific mystery isn’t far from that of a man who wakes up in space and also tries to find answers. Both tales are propelled by the idea of solving problems under immense pressure and isolation. While at it, they make contact with a species they don’t know much about. In both movies, what started as a direct agenda unfolds into something more complex.