Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the eponymous 2021 novel written by Andy Weir, ‘Project Hail Mary’ is a science fiction thriller movie directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The tale centers on Ryland Grace, a knowledgeable science teacher turned astronaut, who gains consciousness only to find himself alone aboard an interstellar spacecraft. Not only is he light-years away from Earth, but he also cannot remember who he is or how he got there in the first place. Gradually, Ryland begins to recall his mission — finding out about the mysterious substance harming the sun and saving Earth from potential extinction.
For that, the astronaut must make the intergalactic journey to the Tau Ceti solar system to prevent another Ice Age on Earth. Thanks to an unexpected friendship, Ryland might get the help required to successfully complete his mission. The adventure drama film features a talented ensemble cast comprising Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce. Much of the drama in the lone-astronaut saga unfolds in outer space, where the protagonist embarks on a mission to save the planet while confronting intergalactic problems along the way.
Project Hail Mary Filming Locations
‘Project Hail Mary’ was reportedly filmed in its entirety in England, particularly in Surrey, Portsmouth, and Cambridgeshire. According to reports, principal photography for the Ryan Gosling starrer got underway in early June 2024 and went on for more than four months before wrapping up in late October of the same year.
Surrey, England
A significant chunk of ‘Project Hail Mary’ was lensed at Shepperton Studios, located on Studios Road near the village of Shepperton in Surrey. Home to 31 sound stages, the film studio also offers two large backlots, 20 cutting rooms, nine mixing theatres, a recording theatre, a screening room, and various exterior locations like Littleton Gardens, Littleton House, Boardrooms, a woodland area, and more. Since the makers didn’t use green or blue screens in any of the scenes, the entire ship was built within the film studio. “We had a huge section of the exterior of the ship on the outside that we built. (The alien character Rocky) was really with us at all times. And so, that’s what makes it feel real and makes it feel natural,” co-director Christopher Miller told Comicbook on the press tour.
The filmmaker reiterated, “We built the entire interior of the Hail Mary ship – but within the ship, there were still wire and puppeteer removals and ceiling replacements, etc.” Instead of relying on green screens, they used a black background for the space sequences and a shifting hue backdrop for depicting the aurora of a planet. Miller added, “The wide space exteriors and spaceship shots were entirely digital and beautifully done by ILM. Rocky was a seamless blend of puppetry and animation from Framestore. And other great work from many more. It really does take a village, and we had the best of the best on our side.”
Portsmouth, England
The production team of ‘Project Hail Mary’ also set up camp in the city of Portsmouth to tape several pivotal sequences. Ryan Gosling and the rest of the cast and crew were spotted in and around the South Parade Pier in the centre of Southsea’s stunning coastline in Portsmouth. The pleasure pier was transformed into a film set, with its indoor amusements, ice cream parlours, souvenir shops, and fishing decks seemingly making an appearance in the movie.
Cambridgeshire, England
For the purpose of shooting, the filming unit of the Phil Lord and Christopher Miller directorial also traveled to the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire. They took over the area around the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory at Lords (or Lord’s) Bridge Air Ammunition Park, near the city of Cambridge, and shot numerous important scenes. Home to several aperture synthesis radio telescopes, the observatory is part of the University of Cambridge, the Astrophysics Department, and the Cavendish Laboratories.
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