Adapting Andy Weir's novel Project Hail Mary for the big screen is no small feat. While much of the attention has centered around Phil Lord and Chris Miller returning to directing after 12 years, it's also Drew Goddard's second time bringing an Andy Weir novel to life. The screenwriter previously adapted The Martian, which Ridley Scott directed and released in 2015. However, that film featured an ensemble cast with plenty of human interactions—Project Hail Mary posed a different challenge entirely. Ryan Gosling's Ryland Grace is alone for most of the movie, and when he finally gets company, it's a character brought to life with a mixture of CGI and puppetry.