Project Hail Mary Was Inspired By A Forgotten Star Wars Movie

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Science fiction often draws inspiration from its own history. Filmmakers Christopher Lord and Phil Miller have turned to the classic film Star Wars for ideas in their popular sci-fi work.

As a huge fan, I always loved the practical effects in those older films, and it was awesome to learn from the best! We spent a lot of time with the puppeteers at the Muppet Workshop, and then working with the Creature Shop and Neal Scanlan on Star Wars really showed us what live puppetry could do. That experience gave us the confidence to use those techniques a lot in this new movie, and I think it really shows!

Remember that intriguing puppet featured in early promotional material for Project Hail Mary? That’s Rocky, a unique alien with five legs and no eyes who forms a close bond with Ryan Gosling’s character, Rylan Grace, as they journey through deep space. The film is a faithful adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel, and audiences are excited to finally see this endearing creature come to life on screen. The filmmakers have shared plenty of behind-the-scenes footage showcasing the incredible puppetry used to create Rocky, and haven’t hesitated to include him prominently in the movie’s trailers.

As we discussed, this film centers on relationships,” Miller explained. “Removing that core element would be like making E.T. without E.T. – it’s fundamentally about that connection.

People often want to know the basic idea of a movie before they watch it, and we wanted to make sure we explained that. Plus, Rocky shows up fairly early in the film, so we didn’t want book readers to be completely surprised – they’d already expect something different. Moviegoers, though, need a little more setup than readers do. We realized we couldn’t keep Rocky’s involvement a secret for very long anyway.

What Happened To Christopher Miller and Phil Lord’s Solo?

Despite reports of creative clashes, Solo: A Star Wars Story was eventually released. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had previously fired directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Sources say their approach didn’t align with that of veteran screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, known for The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark, who co-wrote the script with his son, Jon Kasdan, for this Han Solo film.

Sources in the entertainment industry have been discussing disagreements about the creative direction of a project. According to The Hollywood Reporter, one issue stemmed from differing views on the character of Han Solo. A source explained that Han Solo isn’t meant to be a funny character, but rather sarcastic and self-centered.

I remember when Ron Howard took over directing Solo: A Star Wars Story from Lord and Miller. Even now, years later, the reviews are just… okay. A lot of critics say it is genuinely fun to watch, but it still feels like the movie has some problems it just can’t shake.

Project Hail Mary takes off in theaters on March 20.

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2026-03-17 17:11