10 Movies You Have to Watch If You Loved Project Hail Mary

If Project Hail Mary worked for you, it probably wasn’t just because it had space, science, or survival. It was the mix. Big ideas, real heart, problem-solving under pressure, humor that actually lands, and a story built around wonder instead of cynicism. It’s one of those rare sci-fi movies that feels smart without feeling cold, emotional without getting cheesy, and exciting without losing the human side of the story. So if you finished it wanting more, the best follow-up picks are not just “movies set in space.” They’re movies that tap into some version of that same magic.

Here are 10 movies you have to watch if you loved Project Hail Mary.

1. The Martian This is the most obvious companion piece, but also the most essential. Like Project Hail Mary, The Martian turns science into suspense and problem-solving into entertainment. It has the same “how does he get out of this?” momentum, and it shares that same rare ability to make technical thinking feel exciting instead of dry. If what you loved most was watching intelligence, humor, and persistence carry the story, this is the first stop.

2. Interstellar If Project Hail Mary hit you emotionally, Interstellar is a must. It is bigger, heavier, and more operatic, but it scratches the same itch for cosmic scale and human stakes. It’s a movie about survival, sacrifice, and the terrifying beauty of the unknown. Where Project Hail Mary is more playful and accessible, Interstellar is more awe-struck and emotional, but both are driven by the idea that science and feeling can live in the same story.

3. Arrival One of the best things about Project Hail Mary is how it makes discovery feel exciting rather than abstract, and Arrival does that in a completely different but equally brilliant way. This is less about action and more about communication, understanding, and the emotional cost of knowledge. It is smart, deeply human science fiction that trusts the audience and rewards patience. If you loved the curiosity and the sense of connection in Project Hail Mary, Arrival absolutely belongs on your list.

4. Contact Contact has that same combination of wonder, intellect, and emotional pull that makes Project Hail Mary so satisfying. It is a movie that takes big scientific ideas seriously while never forgetting that discovery matters most because of what it means to people. It is less of a survival thriller and more of a philosophical journey, but if you want another sci-fi movie that feels hopeful, ambitious, and genuinely interested in the mystery of the universe, this is a great choice.

5. Apollo 13 If you liked the process-driven side of Project Hail Mary — the teamwork, the engineering, the “fix this impossible problem before time runs out” energy — Apollo 13 is a perfect follow-up. It does not have aliens or futuristic stakes, but it has the same gripping chain-reaction structure where every solution creates a new challenge. It is also one of the best examples of how competence can be thrilling on screen.

6. Gravity Gravity is a leaner, more intense survival experience, but it absolutely belongs here because it understands how effective stripped-down, high-stakes sci-fi can be. Where Project Hail Mary has more humor and a warmer emotional center, Gravity is more immediate and visceral. But both movies know how to make isolation, danger, and resilience feel cinematic. If you liked the survival tension in Project Hail Mary, this one is an easy recommendation.

7. Edge of Tomorrow This one fits because of its pacing and accessibility. Like Project Hail Mary, it takes a concept that could have become too complicated and turns it into pure entertainment. It is funny, clever, fast-moving, and built on the appeal of watching a smart problem-solver learn, adapt, and survive. It is more action-heavy, obviously, but it has that same crowd-pleasing intelligence that makes you want to rewatch it.

8. Ad Astra This is a more introspective pick, but if the emotional loneliness of Project Hail Mary is what stayed with you, Ad Astra is worth your time. It is quieter and moodier, with a stronger emphasis on interior struggle than plot mechanics, but it shares that feeling of one person facing the vastness of space while carrying unresolved emotional weight. It is not as funny or broadly accessible, but it is thoughtful, beautiful, and thematically aligned in interesting ways.

9. Sunshine Danny Boyle’s Sunshine is one of the best “mission to save humanity” sci-fi films out there, and it overlaps with Project Hail Mary in all the right places: big stakes, a crew under crushing pressure, technical challenges, and a steady sense that one wrong move changes everything. It is darker and more intense, but it has that same end-of-the-world urgency mixed with intelligence and visual ambition.

10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial This may seem like the wildcard pick, but hear me out: one of the reasons Project Hail Mary works so well is that underneath all the science and suspense, it is a story about connection. E.T. is obviously a very different kind of film, but it taps into that same sense of wonder, friendship, humor, and emotional sincerity. If what you loved about Project Hail Mary was not just the mission but the heart, E.T. is still one of the purest examples of that in sci-fi.

Final thoughts What makes Project Hail Mary special is that it is not just one thing. It is survival movie, first-contact story, science puzzle, emotional crowd-pleaser, and family-friendly blockbuster all at once. So the best companion movies are the ones that capture at least part of that balance — the wonder, the brains, the humanity, the tension, or the fun. Some of the titles above lean heavier into the science, some into the emotion, some into the suspense. But all of them connect back to why Project Hail Mary hits so well.

If you loved the movie, start with The Martian, Interstellar, and Arrival. Then work your way through the rest.