Phil Lord and Chris Miller to direct Ryan Gosling in new astronaut movie

Ryan Gosling is dusting off the astronaut suit again. Having ventured to the moon in First Man, the actor looks set to launch back into space in a new movie.

Variety reports that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller are on board to direct the upcoming adaptation of The Martian author Andy Weir’s next novel. Gosling – who had lobbied for the filmmaking duo to helm the movie before even finishing the manuscript – will lead the project, which will be released by MGM.

Details regarding the actual plot are scarce. The publication reports that Weir’s upcoming novel is being referred to as “Project Hail Mary” and concerns a solitary astronaut on a space ship who is tasked with saving Earth. The novel will be published in Spring next year. Whatever the case, the story should be good, as the rights recently sold for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.

The new project comes as quite a surprise and required a lot of studio bosses making goodwill gestures to others. Following their Oscar win for Spider-Verse, Lord and Miller signed a first-look production deal with Universal and a five-year television production deal with Sony to develop shows based on their Marvel characters. 

Thanks to MGM chief Michael De Luca and Universal chairman Donna Langley's friendship, Lord and Miller were given the go-ahead to pursue the space project. Amy Pascal, who produced Spider-Verse and was head of Sony Pictures Television until 2015, is also on board to produce. Now that's some steady navigation of studio politics by the directing duo. “Project Hail Mary” currently has no release date.

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